TikTokJoin us this January as we spotlight incredible creators who are passionate about mental health and wellness! These inspiring individuals are using their platforms to break stigmas, promote self-care, and empower others to prioritise their wellbeing. Whether it's sharing personal journeys and advice, or mindfulness and wellness practices, these creators are making a meaningful impact, like self-described 'Comfort Creator', Aoibh Carroll [@aoibhcarroll].
Q: What first inspired you to talk about wellness on Tiktok?
A: I never thought to myself “I’m going to post wellness content now.” I think just by posting my daily life, including all of the ups and downs that comes with finishing college, navigating life in your 20s, coming out, and dealing with my mental health, people found my content relatable and comforting which is a form of wellness! My community on TikTok constantly inspires me to post about wellness whether that comes in videos about my inner negative voices, my journey to being able to run 1 kilometre, or my irregular periods. Giving my audience a space where they feel represented and seen is what inspires me most.
Q: What’s your favourite thing about connecting with your community through mental wellbeing and wellness-focused content?
A: Find like-minded people! My community will always cheer me up on a bad day, they bring just as much happiness and comfort as I bring them. The messages and comments I receive always soothe me and support me in ways my community doesn’t even realise. I’ve formed a space of friendship and uplift that has changed my life and I'm so so so lucky to have the audience I do.
Q: What Tiktok video have you made about wellness that stands out to you as your favourite and why? A: I recently made a video about going to a gym class in a new gym that I’ve never tried before and I spoke about how my negative thoughts about my body were so consuming. Even though I was doing a very cool workout class that I was invited to by an amazing brand, and I was surrounded by other amazing influencers, all I could think about was my weight and how I looked in the gym gear. I found it hard to fully focus on the class as I was so in my head about my appearance. I shared these thoughts on TikTok and I was met with an outpour of support and people feeling the same. I couldn’t believe the amount of people that could relate to how I was feeling. When I initially shared the TikTok I thought to myself “this is such an overshare, nobody cares about what I’m saying” but the reaction to the video was huge and I’m so glad I posted it. I feel lucky to have my platform so that I can be that wee bit of representation and realness that people need to see in a curated and perfect online world.
Q: What Tiktok creators in the wellness or mental health space inspire you the most? A: @celinestephenson comes to my mind immediately! She’s an Irish girl living in London who shares her slow runner journey. She runs slowly and reminds her audience that we can do hard things!! She runs 1 km in 8 or 9 minutes, and she really opened my mind to running. I always thought I couldn’t run because I can’t run 1km in 4 minutes but she taught me that running slowly is still running and Celina recently completed her first marathon which is AMAZING! @riley.hemson is another amazing creator that inspired me to get into running, she makes me feel so represented and like I can ACTUALLY run a 5k one day!
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of being a wellness creator on TikTok? A: Feeling as though I’m allowing others to feel seen. I get so many messages from girls and guys simply thanking me for putting their inside thoughts into words online. It’s so reassuring and makes me feel so safe when I see others online voicing my inner concerns so I love to be that creator for many people. I want to represent and relate to my audience and I feel as though I really can. I’m so lucky to have my online support network, they always have my back and I always have theirs. I’m a big sister to my real life family and a big sister to my internet family.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting their wellness journey? A: Don’t put pressure on yourself! Not every single day is going to be the best day ever. It’s not about reaching a final destination, it’s about the day-to-day and it’s perfectly ok to have bad days. My aim is to do small things that make me feel good in myself each day and enjoy my life, whether it’s enjoying a matcha or a hot shower at the end of the day. I don’t want to limit myself and miss out on opportunities because I’m on a certain diet or adamant on getting 9 hours of sleep every night. I like to have balance in my life and enjoy it all as it comes and I highly recommend you to do the same!
