Marieke Hardy is a screenwriter, playwright, producer, artist, immersive theatre maker, media presenter and recipient of the Sidney Myer Fellowship. We were thrilled to have her involved with Hey Lemonade as our first editor, writer and head of the first writer room. Marieke has enormous talent and experience when it comes to words and also exudes compassion and kindness.

Read on for a quick Q&A with Marieke about her involvement with Hey Lemonade.

What Hey Lemonade pep did you write? 

When you need to be kinder to your body

Why was this topic important to you?

Our amazing bodies are with us every second of every day, helping us grow and heal and survive, and sometimes our conversations with them are very unkind. I made forever friends with my body some years ago (of course I still have occasional tense days) and have found it very liberating. Whenever I sense a little wobble I go straight into a body gratitude meditation and try to broker peace. There’s no way I’m going to punish this awesome skin suit when we’ve been through so much together. Thank you body!

How was this talk personal to you, or when was a time when you needed this pep?

I grew up in a house of disordered eating with a parental figure consistently at war with their body. It was fairly embedded in me as a kid and young adult. I had to work hard to disentangle myself from that negative narrative – it would have been amazing to have accessed a warmer way of considering my body sooner.

What helps you feel optimistic (it can be big or small)?

Knowing that everything passes. It helps me be more in the moment.

What are you looking forward to today?

I’m going to meet one of my dearest friends in the world at one of my favourite restaurants in the world and I get to catch the train into the city and read one of my favourite books on the train. Total heaven! Yes I have already looked at the menu twice today and got excited about what we’ll eat.