IN THE RAW — COURTNEY ADAMO

One of the most miraculous things about the wild interconnectivity of the modern age is the ability to actually forge beautiful, substantive, nourishing relationships literally out of the ether. This has become particularly poignant for us during the past season, where the gift of the internet has allowed us to bridge time, space, and distance to face challenges and fill our hearts and cups—together, apart—as best we can. After all, we are all humans seeking connection.


Writer, entrepreneur, and one of our favorite of those friends across time, space, and distance Courtney Adamo has always built her beautiful life—and recently launched a series of beautiful courses: "In The Loop"—to celebrate making and nourishing those most precious human connections. We sat down—from a distance, of course, Courtney lives in the sun-kissed aerie of Byron Bay, NSW, with her five children and partner Michael—to talk about this cherished and complex modern conundrum: how to maintain connection, stay present, and show up as our best selves as often and authentically as possible.



Courtney wears the Christy Bodysuit and Kate Jean.

  

  

  

  





A theme that returns often in your work and story is trusting your intuition. What is most valuable to you about your inner voice and how have you worked towards listening to it?

There is so much value in listening to your own voice, or at the very least sitting with your thoughts and questioning why they’re coming up for you. There is so much noise around us, especially now in this world of social media and 24-hour news, that it can make us feel really lost and vulnerable, and even really upset. It can undermine our own ability to think and feel and know what is best for us. I guess, in terms of my work and the themes of my courses, I talk a lot about awareness and intuition, especially in parenting, because it can be really easy to get caught up in what other people are doing or what sort of tips you’re given or books you’ve read, but there really is no one-size-fits-all guide to parenting. We are all so different, our children are so unique, our experiences are our own, it is completely impossible to adhere to one method. If we drown out all the noise and sit with our own thoughts, we are usually able to find the solution we’re seeking.

 

 

As businesswomen, partners, creatives, mothers, friends (and so on and so on) we often feel like we are constantly shifting gears to be all things to all people. How do you find balance in this tension?

This is such a huge one, isn’t it? I definitely go through periods of time where I feel more balanced and then periods of time where everything is bonkers. I try to cut myself some slack when things are imbalanced because I know it’s a temporary thing. 

In terms of the daily grind, I really try to be in the moment. So when I’m with my kids, I try to focus on this time with them and the connection we’re experiencing. When I’m working, I try to be really productive and focused on the work. When I’m with my husband, even if it’s just being in the kitchen together juggling jobs, I try to find moments of connection with him. I’m learning to hone in on the moments. 

Even trying to find moments of mindfulness and self awareness throughout my day — whether I’m grinding coffee beans or hanging laundry on the line. Being aware of my breath and my movements helps to bring me back to the present moment, so I’m not overthinking something that happened or stressed about what work I might have on my plate. Just put one step in front of the other and be intentional about each thing I’m doing. (Totally easier said than done, of course, but this has become my little mantra.)

 

 

How do you nurture your connection to the natural world?

We are so lucky to live where we do in this beautiful part of the world. After 12 years in London, we were determined to find a sunnier climate and to be near the ocean. We moved to Byron nearly five years ago, and in that time I have fallen in love with surfing. It is the ultimate meditation, exercise and nature fix all in one. I love the feeling of sitting out on my surfboard watching the waves — you feel so connected to the earth and so extremely present in that moment. Whatever weird or anxious thoughts I have in my brain when I go for a surf are always completely washed out of me when I come in from the ocean. Sometimes I wonder how I coped without surfing for all those years! :)




  

  

 

Courtney wears the Paloma Overall, Christy Bodysuit, and Dot Hankie in Oak.





 

 

Courtney wears the Noe Crop and Kate Jean

  

  

  

  

 

  





As you've moved continents/mothered children/grown and spent more time with your one precious body have you experienced any shifts in your sense of personal style?

I think there was definitely a shift in my style when we left London and began our adventures in mostly beachy/surfy spots around the world. I traded in lots of dark colours, coats, boots, and denim for a more laid back, summery style mostly dictated by the warmer weather and the need to throw a dress on over a swimsuit.

Other than that, I haven’t really felt any drastic shifts, but I do think one of the beautiful things about growing older is that you learn to love yourself more and feel more comfortable in your own body, with your own sense of style. I care less about what others like or care about, and feel more at ease with my choices.

I recently turned 40 and went through a bit of a midlife ‘awakening’. I felt really emotional and weird as I went through it, but I feel like I’ve come out the other side feeling more compassion for myself and for others. It’s a really nice place to be.



 

Making and maintaining friendships in adulthood can be so difficult. How do you cultivate and sustain your relationships with your chosen sisterhood?

Maybe I’ve been really lucky, or maybe it helped to move to a like-minded community, but I have actually found it easier to connect and make new friends as I’ve gotten older. I feel like the older I get, the more I know myself, and the more I know myself, the better friend I am and the deeper connections I have. I am so grateful for my chosen sisters. So many life challenges are resolved by just talking it out with my girlfriends. Whether I’m in a funk with my husband, or whether I’m annoyed with my children, or if I feel sad or anxious, or whatever!! So often just talking to my girlfriends helps me to either realize it’s totally normal and everyone has the same challenges, or the things I’m feeling are actually silly and not worth the emotional weight. I also think, living so far from family, we actually rely on our friendships so much. We have, in a sense, created one big extended family in this little town of ours.

 

  



 

 

Follow Courtney on Instagram here. Photography by Olivia Savile Katz.

 

  

 

 

 

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