Growth

2018 was the year I really allowed myself to dream BIG. Move to Bali? Maybe. Live in a caravan? Sure! My vision and perspective has grown and changed remarkably because I gave myself permission to chase BIG things. Not necessarily big in size or grandeur but big in an unconventional way. I'm no longer hung up on the pressure to own my first home or even wishing that Theo was a multi-million dollar success in the start-up world. Instead, I've started paying attention to the things that make me really happy. I love being creative - dreaming up exciting projects to start, getting my hands dirty and making things purely for fun, as well as being in nature - finding the strangest, cutest, prickliest plants that I hadn't stopped to admire before and the idea of being surrounded by creation.

Perhaps most of all I love helping other people realise how incredibly wonderful they are - encouraging them to go 'all in' on some of their own scary dreams, journeying with them so that they know they are not alone and letting them know that the world genuinely needs their talent. The world needs your talent. Life is too short to regret what can be changed now, playing it safe for the lie of a comfortable retirement or simply for the fear of the unknown. I've been through all of the above and more, so I thought I would share some of my own personal revelations from 2018 so that you won't have to waste precious time as I did in order to learn them.

First, surround yourself with positive, encouraging, uplifting people, AND know that these need not be physically there with you. Podcasters and even Youtubers who give off good vibes that inspire you will work just fine! I really got into Youtube in 2018 and one of the first people I started watching religiously was Sarah's Day. One thing she said during a particularly low time of the year for me was 'your vibe attracts your tribe'. That struck a cord with me because I know I can be meloncholy AF. The more I thought about it, the more I realised I was one of those people that could find an excuse for everything, overly realist, glass half empty, that-won't-work-because... type person, and so I knew that had to change.

Many would argue you can't simply change your personality, and I both agree and disagree. Something you definitely can change though are your energy levels. As an introvert, it took me a long time to realise that I was not socially awkward, shy or scared of people, I was just low on energy. Introverts get energy from spending time alone, while extroverts get energy from spending time with people. That means that I lose or use up energy when I'm around people and boy, does that reveal a different side of me! Car rides home from social events will have Tim happily chatting away while I'm practically rocking back and forth with my eyes closed, feeling completely empty and needing time to myself to recover. If I don't get a chance to recover, I'll be irritable, impatient and highly anti-social. Once I realised how my energy influenced my day to day activities, I became more careful saying yes to social events or meetings and prioritised time to myself so that I could give my very best when I did say yes. A Podcaster and Instagram Boss Lady I love is Alison Faulkner from The Alison Show. Her Podcast Awesome with Alison single-handedly gives me the motivation I need to get going in the morning and I find her equally down to earth and inspirational. One of my favourite catch phrases from her is 'Only you can be you, and you are already as awesome as you need to be.' I don't need to change who I am but ironically I need to first believe that I'm already awesome in order to be willing to learn and grow into better versions of myself to really thrive.

One last and super important takeaway from 2018 was this idea of creating my own life. Too often we forget the power and responsibility we have to make decisions for our lives and before we know it, we have a family to care for, a mortgage to pay and a job that seems to hold it all together financially. There's little room for hobbies let alone big dreams! A few influences helped me think outside the box for my own life. The podcast Seize the Yay by Sarah Holloway (or Spoonful of Sarah) interviews successful entrepreneurs and highlights some of the things that bring them down to earth, the struggles they have encountered and also the idea that we are more than our job title. Her podcast intro says it all: 'Busy and happy are not the same thing, we too rarely question what makes the heart sing. We work then we rest but rarely we play, and often don't realise there's more than one way. So this is a platform to hear and explore, the stories of those who've found lives they adore. The good, bad and ugly, the best and worst day, will bear all the facets of seizing your yay.'

Tim Ferriss' best seller 'The 4 Hour Work Week' flipped my view on work completely, giving a totally logical and practical approach to working smarter not harder. I had seen this book countless times and thought it sounded so gimmicky I didn't give it a chance until this year! I now recommend it to anyone who will listen and it just goes to show, don't judge a book by it's cover. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron was recommended to me years ago and again, I judged before giving it a chance. (Yep, that's something else I'm working on...) It sounded super woo, but holy canoli it has kept me mentally sane through some tough times. The idea that God is a creative being and that he desires for me (and you!) to also be creative resonated so deeply with some of my false beliefs. It gave me permission to dream of a different life. The idea of God is also substituted for a higher power for those who may not identify with a religious belief.

If you couldn't tell, I'm big on personal development! I believe it's essential for realising our potential and then having the balls to live it out. I've heard it said that if you aren't constantly learning and growing, you're actually moving backward. Like I've said a million times before and I'll say a million times again, life is too short to regret, play it safe or fear the unknown. The world needs you - the authentic, weird, passionate version of you that is unafraid to change the world for the better. 2018 has been an incredible year for me thanks to you, and I can't wait for all that 2019 holds. Thank you for being here.