Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw have had a huge year so far. Steph welcomed her daughter, Billie, into the world, officially making her a mum of two. Laura, on the other hand, has been taking on the manosphere while also navigating pregnancy. And if that wasn’t enough, the Kic co-founders are also running their rapidly expanding wellness empire to boot — with a new challenge designed to get us all out of this mid-year slump. (Melbourne girlies, if you’ve made it to the gym this winter, you are stronger than I’ll ever be.)
“I think it’s a combination of lots of different parts of life and that familiar winter slump; cold weather, rainy days, less sunlight and just generally feeling less motivated,” Laura told PEDESTRIAN.TV of the mid-year slump.
Steph, who’s six weeks postpartum, is learning to cope with motherhood’s mid moments, too.
“One of the big things I’m learning to move through is trying to not let small inconveniences become overwhelming and anxiety-inducing — which is easier said than done a lot of the time!” Steph says.
So if you’re feeling a little extra cranky, shitty, or more inclined to curl up in bed and doom scroll for a few hours, you’re not alone.
I don’t know about you, but I’m crawling my way to the starting line of this challenge. I go to bed at night with the intention of waking up early and going to Pilates in the morning, but when my alarm goes off, I pull the covers over my head and cuddle my cat closer. I’ll go after work, I’ll reassure myself. Low and behold, that doesn’t happen because I’m exhausted by the end of the day. So, the guilt from the lack of movement settles in.
It’s why Steph and Laura have launched the Move On From Mid campaign, because they know the motivation to move your body is a whole lot harder when it’s 10 degrees and the sun sets at 5pm. The four-week program is tailored to fuel you rather than leave you exhausted, with both a Pilates option and a strength training option available. The best part? It conveniently launches with Kic’s mid-year sale, during which you can sign up for a year subscription with 40 per cent off (usually $29.99 a month).
The Move On From Mid challenge isn’t just about getting back into the rhythm of movement. It also integrates mindfulness practices to help your chaotic, likely overstimulated brain take a breather — think mobility exercises, calming rituals, and intentional me-time to reset your mood, not just your muscles.
For the Kic Mummas, the team has curated a four-week postnatal reset to help carve out intentional movement and mindful time to yourself, because it can be real hard to allocate it on your own.
The Move On From Mid challenge officially kicks off on July 21, but you can start whenever it tickles your fancy (from the launch date). It also conveniently lines up with Kic’s mid year sale, so you can save up to 40 per cent off when you sign up to the app.
“We know how flat [and] demotivating this time of year can feel, and my favourite part is seeing everyone come together to motivate and support each other,” Laura says.
“I’ve become very good at asking Josh [husband] or a visitor to hold Billie while I enjoy a hot shower to myself,” Steph says when we asked her about any rituals that help her reset when she’s in a bit of a slump. “And the odd quick trip to the shops where she falls asleep in the car gives me a moment to play a meditation in the driveway and enjoy the quiet even just for a moment.”
Laura points out that imperfection is okay, and is working on embracing it.
“It’s ok to have a bad day, or to make a mistake. The key is to try not to sit in that feeling for too long,” she says.
“What I find really helps is focusing on each new day as an opportunity to try and build in a little routine or movement,” she continued, pointing to a five-minute mat stretch or a walk around the block as a good option if you’re not feeling up to a workout.
“Just because the day, week or month didn’t go to plan it doesn’t mean today has to go the same way.”
Kic has also collaborated with custom soy candle brand, Sent Studio, on a limited-edition tongue-in-cheek range of Sent Studio x Kic ‘Mid Era’ candles. Designed to be lit to burn away the bad energy and reset the vibe for mood-boosting habits, the scents are inspired by the manosphere, sleepless nights, the rising cost of living, and those damp winter skies.
When I asked what candles are hitting a little too close to home for the Kic gals right now, Steph said Sleep Deprivé has her name all over it. As for Laura, it’s Masculinité Fatiguée, which smells like the ‘stale air of the manosphere.’
“I know for a lot of us [the manosphere] can feel exhausting, but it is such an important topic that we continue to show up to make change,” she says.
Those who enrol in Kic’s Move On From Mid challenge between July 16 to July 21 will go in a draw for the chance to win a candle.
The Move on from Mid Challenge kicks off Monday, July 21, with enrolments open from Wednesday, July 16. You can sign up on Kic’s website or by downloading the Kic app.
For more on Laura Henshaw being a complete baddie, head here.
Image: @stephclairesmith and @laura.henshaw
The post Laura Henshaw & Steph Claire Smith’s Tips For Getting Through This Mid-Winter Slump appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
