Loving Mondays and Feeling Like a Proper Grown Up

A good measure of successful adulthood is how completely we’ve been able to preserve (or recover), our childlike nature. A healthy grown up will be full of energy, innocence and unwavering optimism. We will be continuously led by a curiosity for life and remain open to the sweetness of experiencing it with wide eyed wonder.

Even the most naive of youthful dreams can come true. Nearly anything is possible if we honour spirited feelings and set ourselves up right.

Work - in devotion to passion

I’m a big believer in dreaming up the perfect career and bringing it to life, rather than being directed by what’s available in the job vacancies. For inspiration, I once called a recruiting agency and asked the receptionist to tell me about the most exciting jobs she had come across.

We know we’ve picked a winner when the enthusiasm for a recreational Saturday is matched by the joyous anticipation of an industrious Monday. Crafting these perfect careers naturally lends itself to surrendering the idea of retirement because we would never want to separate ourselves from what brings so much pleasure and satisfaction.

I don’t know if anyone can feel like a proper grown up working in the wrong job. But even decades down the wrong work path, it’s still possible to course correct. It pays to recall those earliest glimmers of childhood imaginings and rearrange from there.

The activities we engage in every day can either fuel our spirit or deplete it. It’s so important to find ‘work’ that pays more than money and feeds our soul. Becoming deeply competent at something we’re inherently built for can build such a sturdy feeling of enduring pride.

Home - in support of nurturing

The right house helps us feel at home and centered in ourselves. That internal foundation can contribute to valuable stability which helps in taking the right actions when we’re out in the world.

Does your home feed you with the elements required to nurture your soul? Does it provide the right atmosphere? Is it comfortable? Do the furnishings match your personality? What about the other people who live there? Does it feel good to be at home?

Sometimes small adjustments can make a big difference, like finding the right mattress, cleaning the windows, hanging some inspiring artwork, or investing in a weekly cleaner. Maybe the wrong housemate has been tolerated for too long. Are there branches that need trimming to let in the sun or would installing a skylight give more of an uplifting feel? Perhaps an outdoor bath, some fairy lights and a fire pit might cultivate a sense of magic. Or maybe a more serious renovation, building a deck or putting in a pool could make the world of difference.

Alternatively, the truly meaningful improvement might require a major overhaul like moving to a retreat out of town or a cottage by the water? Or might the only real solution come from following a childhood dream to live in another country entirely?

Partnership - teaming up for growth

Two can grow faster than one.

But two can also slow us down.

There are broadly two camps of people – those who desire to help us grow, or those who want us to keep them company in remaining unchanged. Do we genuinely want to thrive and prosper? Or have we succumbed to excusing ourselves from bold aspirations by settling with a partner who’s stalled? If we genuinely want improvement, we must look honestly at who we associate with. It’s usually far better to be alone than to remain in a relationship that’s passed it’s expiry date. The best partnership will be with someone who shares our same passions and desires and who also has the motivation to follow them.

My Journey

I was 19 when I moved 7 hours away from home to study naturopathy. I didn’t particularly want to leave but I did want to explore natural medicine. I was interested and curious but I definitely had reservations about committing to four years of study. But once I was underway, I clearly recall being thrilled to discover a genuine passion. I felt so lucky that I’d found something that really spoke to me. Four years of study rolled into ten as I subsequently committed to acupuncture and then kinesiology. The initial spark of interest in healing became an enthralling fire that still consumes me today.

I fell in love with the tropical green lushness of Byron Bay when I was road tripping early on. I thought about moving there upon completion of my studies, but I wasn’t confident enough as a new graduate to establish myself in a place so concentrated with practitioners. After some years I was invited to work at a clinic back in my home city. I hadn’t anticipated making that move but it worked out well to be close to family once again.

I’m wildly captured by images of huge rainforested mountains plunging steeply into sandy coastlines. The idea of packing up to live in Hawaii really spoke to me. To celebrate my 40th I spent three weeks there and tried to find a way to stay. It didn’t come together in the end but I’m really pleased I gave it a good go.

Back in Australia, I began a relationship with a German guy who matched me with his passion for straddling both worlds of healing and business. A year in, we were making plans to have a baby. On a holiday overseas to meet his parents we came upon a psychic who told us we weren’t meant to be together any longer. I immediately knew it was true. I cried for two days, we finished our holiday together and then went our separate ways. I’m still proud of how quickly I was able to let go cleanly and forge ahead.

A few years later I felt a growing pull for lush green hills as if it were a deep thirst. I followed the yearning from long ago and made my way to Byron. Within 6 months of arriving, I’d met my soulmate. It’s been nearly 9 years now and this most definitely feels like my forever home. It steeps me in the naturalness of beach and country life that feels just right for me. It keeps me young.