2024 was the year I lived in many different places. It was the year that forced me to live mainly in my stretch zone and sometimes in my panic zone. It was the year I travelled to some incredible countries and made memories that will stay with me forever. It was the year I left my life in the UK, and moved to the other side of the world. The year my life changed completely. So, what has this year taught me? I summarize my thoughts in my final blog of the year.
I'll be honest, I never imagined I'd have the opportunity to travel in the way that I have done this year. 52,359 miles travelled across 14 flights, 8 vehicles, 5 trains, 5 ferries and 86 different beds slept in! Wow, what a whirlwind. I like to live life but this year I REALLY lived, and I’m so grateful for it. As things start to slow down, I wanted to share 5 things I learned along this journey:
1) You can do anything you put your mind to
If on my 30th birthday you’d have told me that in 5 years you’ll have your own coaching business and be living in Australia, I’d have laughed and said “in my dreams.” And yet here I am. These things didn’t happen over night they took small conscious decisions and actions to create, but it all started with the belief that I could do it – the belief that I should try. This belief is powerful. It has the ability to change your life. So, the next time you doubt yourself remember that you really can achieve anything you put your mind to.
2) You don’t have to have it all figured out
I love having a plan; a direction to move in, but when you don’t have control over something (like when you’ll be granted a visa) you have to learn to make decisions based on the information you have at that moment. You have to let go of the mid-long-term vision and simply focus on what your next move should be. This can be hard when you feel like you don’t have all the information to make an informed decision, but it’s important as it allows you to keep moving forwards even when you don’t have everything figured out and in time you realise that you don’t need everything figured out for things to go well. So focus on the next right move, especially when you don’t have it all figured out.
3) You need less stuff than you think to be happy
Selling my home and 80% of my belongings was tough but you quickly adjust to living with less. I’ve been living out of a rucksack for 15 months now and I’ve realised that you need a lot less stuff than you think to live comfortably. Yes I’m looking forward to having a stable home again but when this happens I intend to live minimally, with a lot less than what I had previously because stuff doesn’t make you happy!
4) Unhealed trauma will come back when you least expect it
We all have trauma from our past, I’m no exception. But the interesting thing I discovered this year is that when life is “normal” we think we have our trauma in hand because it doesn’t show up. It’s when things get tricky that trauma re-appears and surprises you. For me this was something unexpected and something I had to manage at different times throughout the year. Knowing how to do this is key, and worth investing in.
5) Self-care makes a massive difference
Self-care should be non-negotiable, even when on an adventure. It’s the small ways you take care of yourself that matter. The early nights. The slowing down. The stopping to take a breath. These things have the biggest impact, especially when you’re living outside of your comfort zone. So don’t brush them off as luxuries, prioritise them. You’ll feel loads better when you do.
So, there you go, a few more life lessons to add to the list. I’ll be taking these with me into 2025 where I’ll be focusing on building a life in Australia and becoming the happiest and healthiest version of myself. Will you join me?
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