firsts – Page 2

’tis the season to celebrate goals!

December 20, 2013 by Julia Leave a Comment

As another year draws to an end, it naturally becomes a time in our lives for reflection.

Is it just me, or do the years actually speed up every year? I’m sure they do, there must be some logical explanation, like the earth must rotate at increasing speed or something. . . how is it less than 5 days till Christmas already?!

And because the time goes by so quickly, and we lead our lives at such a fast pace, I’m a big fan of taking time out. I put time aside for me, for solitude and some down time. Where I can have peace and quiet, alone, with no distractions, and can sit peacefully with my thoughts for personal reflection.

I mostly do this in my morning meditation, but I also love setting time aside regularly to journal, to think, to dream and to tap back into myself. Today was one of those days. I took my goal book and a pen to the beach, and reflected on the year that was. I now feel proud of what I’ve achieved, and invigorated by the possibilities for the year to come!

So cast your mind back to this time last year. . . How were you feeling? Where were you? What were your goals for 2013?

Reflect on the last 12 months, how has the year been for you?

Ask yourself –

what did I achieve, both personally and professionally?
What were my biggest successes?
my hardest failures?
What’s the most important lesson I learned?
What are you most grateful for in 2013?

Take some time now to write down your answers.

“Take pride in how far you’ve come, and have faith in how far you can go.”

As I think back over the year that’s been, I realise how massive it was for me personally. There have been big highs and lows. But as I sit here today, back home after a long whirl-wind journey across the globe, I am so happy for where I have landed. I feel as though I am exactly where I need to be. That is a wonderful feeling.

I ticked some big goals off my list this past year. But it’s only on reflection that I realise that. Once I achieve a goal, I’m always so eager to get started on the next one! I don’t often take the time to really acknowledge myself, and give myself a pat on the back.

Celebrating our successes is such an integral ingredient to goal setting. Yet one that we often skimp out on (me included).

Well enough of that. Achieving our goals is pretty dam fantastic, and I’m going to celebrate them here with you! Here’s what’s getting a BIG TICK on my goal list:

2013 Goal Crushes

Personal:

travelled south america; trekked to Machu Piccu, adventured through the amazon jungle, and sailed the Galapagos Islands
lived overseas in Canada
saw three more natural wonders – Iguazu Falls, Niagara Falls & the Grand Canyon
celebrated my 30th birthday with my twin sister in North America
did my first U.S.A road trip!

Career:

began my first blog
started my own business
lead Vision & Goal workshops at primary and secondary schools

Health:

attended my first yoga retreat
conquered crow pose (yay!)
started my own meditation & yoga practice
learnt how to snowboard

Wow – it has been a big year! And the best bit? I like who I’m becoming in the pursuit of my goals.

The goals I set for myself this year really pushed me to grow, to develop, and to expand myself.

Reviewing and reflecting (and of course – CELEBRATING!) our goals is an important step in goal setting. It get’s us connected to where we have been, where we are now, and also get’s us clear on where we want to go.

So what are you celebrating for 2013?

Let the confetti reign, and that champagne POP!

You are freakin awesome!

Celebrate your victories, you fought hard to get here.

trust your gut

November 9, 2013 by Julia 2 Comments

I made a pretty big decision last week.

One that popped up unexpectedly – it snuck in through the back door like a stealth ninja.

I have decided to stay here in Australia.

This came as a big surprise to me. I wasn’t even home-sick living in Canada! Of course, I missed my friends and family – but I never had those heart-wrenching moments of despair that made me want to pack my bags and leave. It is an amazing place, and I had a fantastic time there. I created friends and memories that will last me a lifetime.

But being home has slowly stolen my heart.

With the whirl-wind that has been my visit home, I didn’t stop and think about what I actually wanted. I just thought I was here for a visit, temporarily – before I was to get back on a plane to Canada. My calendar was jam-packed with coffee dates, dinners, lunches, sweat dates – quality time catch up’s left right and centre! And with the hype leading up to my best friends wedding, I never took the time out to connect back with myself, and check-in with how I was actually feeling.

What do I want? Where do I want to be? What do I want to do?

These were the questions that starting spinning through my mind just three days before my scheduled departure date. Along side these thoughts was an anxiety that took hold of my gut. I didn’t have the luxury of time, which meant I couldn’t afford to hesitate. I had to make a decision quick smart!

Enter the FREAK OUT! Why was I thinking these thoughts? What does all this mean? Am I scared about going back to the unknown, a new city, no job, no home? But I’ve done all that before when I moved overseas, so surely I’m not ‘scared’, I know I can do it. Then I started to question where the anxiety was coming from – maybe I actually just don’t want to go?

I let these thoughts settle, and I sat with them for a day. That was a very uncomfortable 24 hours let me tell you! Not knowing the answer was a hard thing for me.

There were signs popping up all over the place, but it took me a little while to notice them. My living arrangements for Canada fell through, then so did the job I was hoping for. Obviously a huge factor was my Auntie’s health, with the recent news of her diagnosis. All these things caused me to question my motivation for returning.

I could go on an on about the many factors in my decision – but you know the most liberating thing? I didn’t even need to justify my choice. Not to myself, nor to anyone else.

I felt it in my gut.

I knew something didn’t feel right about me leaving. And it was as simple as that. So within 24 hours I had made up my mind about where I wanted to be. I wanted to be here. To be home.

“Always, always trust your first gut instincts. If you feel in your heart and soul that something is wrong, it probably is.”

The moment I made my choice, I felt the anxiety and angst lift. The knot in my stomach and the furrow in my brow just melted away. A HUGE weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It felt right in my body.

I am very much a “let’s weigh up the pro’s and con’s” type girl, someone that writes lists, analyses all the options, and makes decisions based on logic, fact, and what’s “right” for me. This was honestly the first time that I let my own intuition guide me on such a big decision. I can’t express how good that feels!

The biggest take away from all of this?

I GET TO CREATE MY LIFE.

So it’s not so much about where I choose to live geographically. I know I will love my life wherever I am. It’s that I have the power to create whatever I choose. Because I am in control of my own destiny.

I am excited about building my life here, and being surrounded by my loved ones again.

Thank you oh holy gut, you know all the answers.

You are far wiser than I’ll ever be.

I look forward to using you more often.

home sweet home

September 29, 2013 by Julia Leave a Comment

I am Australia bound in T-minus 2 days!

It’s been a year and a half since I’ve seen my loved ones – the longest time I’ve ever been away. It’s certainly been hard at times – home-sickness has definitely reared its uncomfortable head. But for the most part, it’s been fantastic, and I’m extremely proud of how well I’ve adapted to life abroad. But it’s time, it’s time to pay a visit to my roots.

How blessed I am to have a home that makes being away from so tainted. I know how lucky I am.

I will be home for a month, and when I return to Canada I will be relocating to Vancouver to pursue my career goals.

I’m excited to head home, but it also doesn’t yet feel real. I had my final day at work today, and saying my goodbyes to the team felt so surreal. Even as I write this, my place is filled with half-packed boxes & suitcases, but it still doesn’t feel like I’m really leaving. This always happens to me with big changes; it doesn’t sink in until after the fact. I know when my plane takes off on Tuesday afternoon that I will be overwhelmed with emotion, but for now I’m feeling a slight detachment, kind of like I’m watching from the outside in.

I am returning to the motherland to attend my best friend’s wedding. I’m so excited for that, what an incredible celebration it’s going to be! I’m also feeling anxious, as a close relative has just been in hospital for a biopsy and we are awaiting the results. This came as a real shock to us, I guess you can never prepare for these things. It’s so strange to feel two opposing emotions at the same time. But they both stem from love, which I guess makes sense that they can be experienced simultaneously.

I cant wait to be amongst the familiar – people and surroundings. To share home cooked meals with family, to smell the eucalyptus, to see the ocean again, to walk along the beach and feel the sand between my toes. But most of all I cant wait to hug my friends and family so tight – that’s what I’m really going home for.

This trip for me is all about ~

togetherness with loved ones
re-connecting to my roots
celebration
long walks, long chats, and extra long embraces
catching up with old friends
enjoying the moment
gratitude

I know as soon as I arrive home that I will be grounded. Though in these final days before I leave, it’s going to be a struggle to stay present. My mind constantly wanders from such highs to lows – sometimes in the same breath. Excitement and anticipation are juxtaposed with anxiety and worry. It’s been a bizarre experience for me.

I need to ground myself, and make the most of my final days in my beautiful mountain town.

I’m just glad that in a few short days I will be where I need to be right now, home.

Now all I need to do is click my heels together three times . . .

There’s no place like home . . . there’s no place like home . . . there’s no place like home. . .

“Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

taking the plunge

September 13, 2013 by Julia Leave a Comment

It’s been over a year since I made one of the scariest decisions of my life.

I bought a one way ticket and took a plane to the other side of the world.

My plan was to travel through South America for 3 months, and then go and live in Canada. Beyond that, it was very vague.

‘How long was I going to be away for?’ No idea. ‘Did I know anyone on the other side?’ Nope. ‘Can I speak Spanish?’ err Si? ‘Where will I live?’ Umm I’m not sure. ‘What will you do for work?’ I haven’t organised anything yet. .

These were questions not only running through my own mind, but ones asked by people who were generally concerned for me. For a person that generally has control in their life, not knowing the answers was truly terrifying for me!

I still remember heading to the airport in the early hours of the morning. I was so nervous that I barely slept a wink the night before, and I couldn’t even speak on the drive out there. I don’t think I have ever experienced anything like it, I was completely consumed with fear. I had an awful dread in the pit of my stomach and was totally caught up in my own worry of the unknown.

As I said goodbye to my nearest and dearest at the airport, part of me was asking myself ‘What the hell am I doing?!’ ‘Why am I leaving these beautiful people behind?’ ‘My life is really good here!’ ‘What if I fail?’. . It’s like I floated up out of my body and looked down on the situation. Here I was about to leave my comfortable life behind, to venture out into the unknown. Was I making the right decision?

And then I remembered the quote that fuelled this adventure. The one that my dear colleagues wrote in a travel journal for me –

Oh yeah, that’s why I am doing this! I had been feeling uninspired, bored and listless for the past few months, I knew something had to shift. It was time for a BIG life change.

I looked around me and saw people buying houses, getting engaged, having babies, tying the knot – and I was incredibly happy for them, yet as much as I wanted those things, I knew that it wasn’t yet my time. That was a hard thing to grasp, because most things that I had wanted in my life up until this point I had been able to go and get.

I got caught up comparing myself to others, which lead to thinking of all the things I didn’t have. I sat in a place of missing out, and that only made me feel incomplete.

Then one day I decided enough is enough. I no longer want to feel this way. I have the power to choose something else. To chose adventure, challenge, fulfilment – to choose my unique life.

I get to create my life.

I started to shift my focus to what i did have. As soon as I did this, my whole outlook changed – I began to look at my situation as a wonderful opportunity. I had no partner, no mortgage, no kids, no pets – no ties or responsibilities whatsoever! I had the novel realisation that this was actually a good thing. Why not take advantage of the situation, and use my freedom? This chance may not come around a second time.

It had always been a goal of mine to live in another country at some point in my life, but I just had never got around to actually doing it. The timing was never right, I was caught up in my career, or in a relationship, or saving money (which ironically helped fund this trip!). I thought, well if not now, then when? I was waiting for some illusive moment that may never arise.

Time was ticking and running out to be eligible for a working visa in Canada, so the decision to leave was almost made for me. Which was great as it meant I didn’t have to think too much about it. (Remember hesitation is devastation!).

I’ve now been living overseas for over a year, and what an incredible journey it’s been.

I’ve seen so much beauty in the world, both in nature and in people. My travels have been even better than I had imagined – not even in my wildest dreams could I have predicted some of the incredible experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have.

I focused on having fun, and living in the moment for the first time in a very long time.

It was exactly what my soul needed. I am so glad I listened to the faint murmur in my heart, the one that was yearning for something more.

What are the niggling little voices inside your head asking for?

What does your heart truly wish for?

What plunge are you ready to take in your life?

Perhaps it’s your time to throw away the bow lines, and sail away from your safe harbour.

EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.

finding my true north – Wanderlust

August 1, 2013 by Julia 4 Comments

Isn’t it wonderful when something completely out of the ordinary happens?

I just won a ticket to Wanderlust!!

For those that aren’t aware the Wanderlust events are:

“A one-of-a-kind festival bringing together the world’s leading yoga teachers, top musical acts and DJs, renowned speakers, top chefs and wine makers, and much, much more — all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty.”

Check out this wicked little video package of last years Wanderlust here in Whistler. It certainly wet my appetite for what’s to come!

I couldn’t believe my eyes when i opened up the email, I thought have they got this right? I hadn’t even entered a competition! No it was right. Just another example of why I work for the best company in the world – lululemon athletica. Surprising and delighting with a beautiful gift, expecting nothing in return. (Turns out some of my colleagues got a free pass too which makes it even sweeter to share the experience with my beautiful team! yay!).

Wanderlust has been something I’ve viewed from a far in awe. It’s not yet in Australia, and I would see videos, images, and hear amazing stories from this far away festival, it all sounded too good to be true. I can only imagine the sense of community formed by so many people gathering together all just wanting to connect, to love, to grow and to practice together.

It has been a crazy busy couple of weeks for me, lots of travelling to the city for work, late nights, early starts, long journeys. I’m looking forward to stopping to pause. Stopping the busy-ness to re-connect to nature, to my breath, and to my spirit which always shines brighter after practicing.

My formula is pretty simple:

NATURE + YOGA = BLISS : )

It’s time to hit the re-boot button and refresh my soul.

I have signed up to three of the most renowned international yogis – Seane Corn, Ryan Leier and Eoin Finn. What a blissful day it will be. I have had the pleasure of meeting Ryan and Eoin previously, they are two of the most beautiful human beings I’ve come across. If they are a small taste of the clientele this weekend, it’s going to be an incredible festival.

I am full of gratitude for this opportunity.

I look forward to filling you in on my wonderful Wanderlust experience.

If anyone needs me tomorrow, I’ll be on my mat.

namaste.

new life

June 17, 2013 by Julia Leave a Comment

I will never forget the day my best friend’s baby was born.

Getting that phone call from the hospital felt surreal. In a daze I dropped everything to go and meet this little person. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, like in a dream.

I’d been staring at my girlfriends growing stomach for the past nine months wondering – Who was inside? What do they look like? What are they going to be? When do we get to meet?

Walking into the hospital and seeing her with a baby girl bought on an onslaught of emotion. There were no words.

As I held this tiny bub, I could hardly even register her weight in my arms. I stared into her squinty little eyes and was completely in awe. Probably for the first time in my whole life.

Her name is Aurelia and she is the most precious thing I’ve ever seen.

It’s amazing how new life makes you evaluate your own.

I started thinking – How can I support her? What can I teach her? Who will I be for her? Fundamentally, it made me shift my focus away from self, and direct it towards others. For Aurelia I am committed to being a loving, fun, supportive friend and mentor.

I hope to make her journey through life a little better for having known me. I know my life is already better for knowing her.

Happy first birthday! xxx

Do you have any little people in your life?

If so, what have they taught you?

Who are you committed to being for them?

quality time

June 11, 2013 by Julia 4 Comments

I just returned from a fabulous adventure across Canada with my parents. We hadn’t seen each other since I left Australia a year ago, and what an incredible reunion we had!

It’s not often the three of us get to spend time together, just us. Me moving countries obviously created an obstacle, but the other reason is I have a twin sister, so the family catch ups have always been all four of us – which I love! But it was really special and rare to have that time with my parents – solo.

What is quality time anyway? It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot.

What does it mean to you?

For me, it means being present, having real conversations, asking deeper questions, building stronger bonds, getting more related, really appreciating and having fun in each others company.

Quality time = Creating memories

It’s not scrolling through my iphone during meals, it’s not being stingy with my listening, it’s not reacting like my 16 year-old self may have done. It comes back to my previous post on integrity, to me it’s being responsible for the energy I supply in the time we spend together.

While driving through the Rocky Mountains we played a question game (I think it was actually designed for first dates, but it worked a treat!). We asked each other; What are your greatest accomplishments in life? Who are the people who have had the biggest influence on your life? If you could live any place in the world where would it be and why? What is the most challenging thing you’ve ever endured? What’s something that no one knows about you? What’s your favourite childhood memory?

It was priceless to get these insights into my parents. Often the people closest to us are the one’s we know the least about.

I’m so grateful for the quality time we had together during this holiday. We created memories I will never forget.

Life is short. Memories are precious.

If you’re going to spend time with your loved ones, make it quality time.

one small step

June 9, 2013 by Julia Leave a Comment

Welcome!

You know what they say – all great journeys begin with a single step.

So here I am writing my very first post, on my very first blog.

I also ran 11 km for the first time this morning – it’s a day of firsts people!

Here is a place where I can share all the things that inspire me to live a life I love.

I hope they light a spark in you too.

This is my life vision and goals in action. I am so grateful to everyone that believes in me.

stay tuned . .

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