“Knowing everyone who has ever lived has felt these same feelings is enough for me to try my best to not let it dictate my life, but instead shout out spontaneous, unsolicited advice like a passionate father on the sideline of his kids soccer game.“

Sydney-based musician, producer and talented songwriter, CYRUS, takes a moment to share his approach to self care and his go to habits that help sustain him in life, relationships and work:

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learnt a lot about the concept of “accepting things out of your control”. It is possibly the single most important piece of advice that took me on a great path in learning how to manage my mental health. At the moment, I’m in a place that is less about rescuing myself when I’m anxious, and more about focusing on ways to manage my relationship with anxiety – something I accept as inevitable and out of my control – and learning habits I can adopt in my life to make those anxiety waves less intense, less frequent, and use it in a positive way by changing my perspective and analysing the reasons WHY I’m anxious. 

• Mindfulness – this helps remind me to step out of the mind when the mind is no longer necessary for any practical purposes

• Meditation – this helps concentrate my awareness to the present moment, and helps keep me in a state of presence when I’m going about my normal day

• Exercise – this helps exert any buildup of energy that is better off released than to remain in my body, and I have an increasing respect of the body I’m in, and recognise the duty I have to maintain it! 

• Spiritual study – a part of me has always been drawn to spirituality – I grew up in church and collected many books in my early 20s on Buddhism and Zen, but I have recently taken a strong connection with Eckhart Tolle’s teachings. This study has really helped develop my self awareness, presence awareness, and taught me how to disidentify from my mind. All very powerful things that have improved my quality of life

I see life as a journey of learning, growth, change, inevitable lows, short-lived highs and blissful peace that lives somewhere in the middle. Knowing everyone who has ever lived has felt these same feelings is enough for me to try my best to not let it dictate my life, but instead shout out spontaneous, unsolicited advice like a passionate father on the sideline of his kids soccer game.

Learn more about Self Care and get started with Support Act’s Guide to Self Care HERE

Cyrus joins Support Act for for our first ever live, Sydney Sound Minds event, happening at the The Great Club in Marrickville on Wednesday 2 November – joined by fellow artist and producer, Dave Jenkins Jr, and Support Act’s Psychologist, Ash King. Come and connect with the music community as we explore the highs and lows of working in music with acoustic performances, a Q&A, and a live panel packed with warmth, honesty and humour.