Meet Hunter Barrow | Account Manager, Yoga Instructor & Poet

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hunter Barrow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hunter, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Being an adult can be really difficult some days. A couple of years ago I started going through these ‘burnt out’ phases where I would become anxious and depressed. Everything in my life would be fine (even great), but all I would want to do stay in bed all day and melt away. It wasn’t until I realized that I was ‘wearing myself too thin’, that I started to create a work/life balance. Between my full-time job, teaching yoga, sitting on the advisory board for a non-profit, leading journaling workshops for another non-profit and writing/publishing a book, I had no time for just me. I started to create boundaries for myself. Saying no to plans, and instead staying in with a good book or my cross stitching and binge watch a good show. Or turning off my phone at night and just relaxing. These boundaries have become a crucial part of my balance. Sometimes I still put too much pressure on myself and will feel that same burnt out feeling when I can’t get everything done, but I try to give myself grace and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. .

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I started writing poetry in 2015 while I was a student at the College of Charleston. It was a really strange time where I was rediscovering who I was and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. My poetry journey started out as just for fun and a way to escape through words. Once I graduated in 2018, I was working at a poetry reading event at Redux Art Center in Charleston when the Art Director pushed me to read some of my poetry. It was very much out of my comfort zone, but I got up and read the first poem I ever wrote called ‘Withdrawal’. This was a very vulnerable poem of mine, because it spoke of my past with addiction. Afterwards, a woman who works for a local nonprofit asked if I would be interested in joining forces and reading my poetry for students with Opioid addictions. It was this moment that I realized I could use my poetry to help others. Since then, I have written over two hundred poems that cover topics including; anxiety, depression, suicide, eating disorders, addiction, gun violence in the USA, etc.. I’ve been asked by friends before if I ever write poetry that is happy. My response is I could write about Daisies and Daydreams (a title of one my poems), but life is more complicated than that. Being human is complicated. Sometimes we suffer in silence because we’re afraid we’ll be judged, or maybe we’re embarrassed. However, it’s when we start having these difficult conversations, that life starts to get better. That is why I write. To help those who feel so alone in the world for just being who they are.

My art journey has not been easy, but I have learned many life lessons. My favorite lesson has been to trust myself and the process. Poetry, like any other form of art, doesn’t just happen overnight. It is a process that can be emotional, painful but also hopeful and enlightening. I try to embrace every raw part of that process.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful city with so much art, history and culture. Whenever I have friends coming from out of town, we always start the day at my favorite coffee shop, Muddy Waters on James Island. Then we usually head out to Folly Beach, more specifically the Washout beach on Folly. The path to the Washout takes you down this beautiful graffiti road to an outlet that has perfect views of the Morris Island Lighthouse. It is a great spot to read a book. Once the sun goes down, I love taking my friends to Chico Feo on Folly for dinner and great local music.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My junior year of high school, I was told by my guidance counselor that I would never graduate, and I would ultimately become a burn out. At this time in my life, I had been struggling with my mental health and substance abuse. Mental health was so rarely talked about in school growing up, so I had no idea what was wrong with me. Therefore, it took a toll on my school performance. However, through all of the ups and many many downs, my family was always there by my side. My mom and dad never gave up on me, they got me help and they pushed me to become the best version of myself. I owe all of my success to them. Not only did I graduate high school on time (I took classes all summer to catch up), but I also graduated college, got an amazing career in the world of finance, and am writing a book. (I plan on sending a signed copy to that guidance counselor.)

Instagram: @HunterBarrowPoetry

Image Credits
Oliver Meredith (@momentsandtides)