What would you do if you asked your soul for an answer and the response was – “walk away from everything you are doing and everything you are – and follow me into the unknown.” Well, I asked and then I followed. I was mocked for my decision by some, and others didn’t quite understand it. But I knew on a soul level (you know those moments you just know) there was a reason I had to take a leap of faith and the only times I look back are to say thank you!

I bought a one-way ticket to the Goldcoast, Queensland. I quit my career in within three months of my decision without another job or house to go to. I didn’t even know anyone in Queensland. For a while I was living on a strict budget and didn’t have the luxury of splurging money. These decisions were self-imposed and they became the gateway to unlocking valuable lessons that I carry with me to this day. In fact, they revolutionized my life so much and now I am able to serve others in a wholesome, loving way.

Why did I quit ‘the known’?

Aside from struggling with health issues, I was tired of the stressful lifestyle and 9-5 job (well, it was always more hours). I craved freedom, creativity, and a deeper connection with people. Being around people who were fixated on money at the cost of their health, human decency (some people in business can be really snarky) and integrity – it was nothing inspiring. Anyone can be a savage and make money. Anyone can sell their soul and be successful. That’s the easy route. There was this one gentleman though who conducted his business with such grace. He was a Christian and he would go about his business with a massive smile – and took no part in office politics nor did he carry himself the way others did. What stood out the most about him was his ability to be himself and not conform to “typical” business approaches. He also valued morality as a priority. He once came over to me and said “I have something to tell you” and I kind of awkwardly said, “Okayyyy?”. He said, “You are a Gem in God’s eyes”.

Little did he realise (or maybe he did), that those words were what I needed to hear. I was parading myself around as if I had my sh*t together but really – I was in desperate need of self love and inner peace. There was this lack within and no matter how hard I tried to fill it, it never went away. I was pushing my limits in all areas – work, fitness, relationships, self-development – and yet I felt like my body was deteriorating. I felt empty and unfulfilled. To hear those delicate words, “You are a Gem in Gods eyes” – I felt seen for once. Like not seen as in for what I do and how I look. But more so, for who I am deep down.

So, when I made the decision to go to Queensland, I was putting my hand into Gods hand knowing that if God viewed me as a Gem, I’d probably be okay trusting the journey I was about to embark on.

It led to a full recovery. For the full story about my recovery: My Story

Note: All these photos were taken on an old iPhone and edited on Instagram – back when filters were literally just Vintage.

I learned really valuable lessons by quitting my career, uprooting my life for 6months and unleashing myself into the abyss of the unknown. These lessons were hard for me to get my head around at first because I was used to being a certain way. But through trusting and prayer, breakthroughs happened to show me new possibilities and ways to view the world. I originally wrote this post in 2016 and I decided to revisit each lesson, and it’s amazing how each area has really deepened over the years.

Fads and the latest gimmicks or trends, come and go. But wisdom is timeless so we can depend on these truths for life.

I Quit My Job And Moved To The Goldcoast Without A Plan – Here’s What I Learned

Lesson one: Yes, quitting your job or lifestyle is not easy

Taking a massive leap of faith into the unknown is not easy. And it’s not straight forward either. There are times where you feel like your faith is hanging by a thread! There have also been many stumbling blocks and failure moments. We have to use these as growth moments and not reasons to quit on ourselves.

Working for myself, studying and writing has been very challenging. In fact, more challenging than the career I had before. Pursuing our call or stepping out of our comfort zone doesn’t mean a life of pure bliss and harmony. Sorry, but any guru promising this is leading you astray. It’s hard. But the difference between before and now is, fulfillment. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m not trapped in a job I don’t like. I’m not settling for a life anymore that isn’t what I want out of fear of trying something new. I know each challenge will birth new growth and ways of expressing myself, especially creatively. This path I have chosen has shown there is so much to discover about life – even though it can be difficult.

Lesson two: Surrender short-term satisfaction for life long fulfillment

I’ve watched people most of my life have everything on the outside – cars, ‘job success’, the clothes, the swag –  but they lack inner peace. Whether they have shared this with me or I sense it by their need to prove something, I understand it because I also experienced the very same thing. I was reaching for external validation at the cost of my soul. But I was selling myself short and conforming. But living to satisfy our short term desires robs us of life long fulfillment. I understand that it can be fearful making changes but the long-term affects of choosing comfort over your soul, is far more uncomfortable in the long run.

Lesson three: What we focus on becomes our life

We all have a thirst within that we want to quench. The way we quench it makes all the difference. Are we filling our void with meaningless stuff that never really satisfies? Leading us to want more and more, never being content with what is? Or are we seeking ways to enrich our lives by starting with our soul and inner being?

Wanting to know the answers, inspired my desire to find peace while having or being less. Could I be at peace and fulfilled if I didn’t have worldly success? New clothes all the time? Job “security”?

I didn’t really have anyone to look to so I relied on what I wanted to feel as a guide – joy, freedom and peace of mind. It meant that I had to take a huge leap into the unknown and view life in a whole new way. I needed to depend on faith otherwise worry was my default. When you’re uncertain, there’s either faith or worry to choose from! I’d worried most of my life so it was time to try something new – FAITH.

Lesson four: Developing mindfulness and self-awareness, and minimalism practices

Once upon a time, I looked for satisfaction in what I accumulate (clothes, money, achievements). Now I am finding more fulfillment in who I am and the experiences I have. I quit mindlessly spending on clothes that I hardly wore and things I didn’t really need. By paying attention to my spending habits and not being able to buy clothes whenever I wanted, I started to appreciate what I had a lot more. Whilst in Queensland I only had limited belongings too, so my lifestyle was very minimalistic. Having less clutter and not being consumed with buying the next best thing, lessened the need for always wanting more. I used to think if I didn’t reach for more (as in consumerism, achievements etc.) that I was settling. But the opposite was true.

By being appreciative of what is in the present, we allow more of the right things to come. It’s not always in the form of stuff but more the way we feel. When I’m not focused on ‘lack’ or ‘need’, I feel full, alive, energised, inspired, joyful, light and unburdened. Buying clothes – or anything for that matter – is now a choice. If I do or don’t have it, it honestly doesn’t make a difference. I’m peaceful either way.

Lesson five: The temptation to settle and staying true to my soul’s call

Along the way I have been offered opportunities that are tempting – moneywise. But I knew that meant sacrificing values and possibly my health again. When I first quit my job and was seeking work in Queensland, I had an amazing job offer that was more than I could have imagined in Perth. Plus it was overlooking the ocean and only 2 minutes walk from home. It seriously felt like a huge test! But during the interview, I felt this sensation that I would just be returning to what I was comfortable with. Funny enough in the interview conducted by three men, one of them was more interested how I love to write and motivate people. As I spoke about it I felt myself light up like a Christmas tree. It was evident right then what makes me feel truly feel alive.

I was offered the job and a ridiculous salary – and I remember the nerve-racking moment when I said – No. I needed to discover myself outside a career. Because of this decision, it led to becoming a personal trainer, something I had wanted to do for years. And to this day I am so happy with my choice as I love being a trainer.

Lesson six: Learning to receive – how often do we block blessings & love?

Just before I left for Queensland, a lady I had known since childhood said a profound piece of wisdom that irritated me to my core. You know when people say something and you just don’t want to accept what they are saying – but later on, you know it was true wisdom? Little did I realise she was planting something positive in me that would eventually open my heart to the act of receiving. She explained how when she came to Australia a family paid for her schooling to be a nurse and gave her a place to stay. She accepted the gift because she acknowledged that without help at times, she wouldn’t be able to fulfil what she needed to do. She is now able to help others too. She explained that God will provide if we have faith but we need to open our hands. Too often we are closed off to the blessings of life which could also help others – just because we want to do it all ourselves (pride).

I was someone who rejected help from people especially my family. I paid for every meal I possibly could when I’d go out with friends and I really enjoyed buying for other people. But, I also felt guilty or uncomfortable receiving gifts or paid meals. My belief at the time was about making my own way and I didn’t feel worthy of good things.

Months later, I remembered what the wise lady said. When the opportunity to receive came up, I accepted. I started practising – the act of receiving. It was so empowering! I came to understand that it’s not all about money or gifts but also love. I was walking through life feeling very undeserving of love from god and others. When we reject the blessings that come our way (in whatever form that is – materialistic, food, opportunity, relationships) because we feel we need to work for everything, we also prevent people from giving to us. Have you ever given a gift to someone and they make such a fuss about spending your money on them, that you feel awkward and unappreciated? In the same way we can do this to people who offer us opportunities, blessing and unconditional love. If we have the attitude that blessing ends with us, we may prevent what wants to come our way.

Opening my heart to receiving the blessings of life transformed the way I give and receive. No matter what season I am in life, I know I will be safe.

Lesson seven: Fun experiences keep the soul young

Over time finding a used book or something second hand for a few dollars was more exciting than spending $80 on a new top. I started finding boot sales and farmers markets to buy local fresh produce. It became a treasure hunt. What I was enjoying the most was exploring new places and interacting with local people. If you’re like me, doing the same thing all the time including the same shopping centre, can be quite boring. I don’t want to live my life on repeat every week in the same suburb at the same shops. Personally, it crushes inspiration making the simplest of things a drag.

From these new experiences, I started seeing how life can be enjoyed on a weekly basis and peaceful in different seasons of our lives. My life is quite simple these days compared to my past. It’s the experiences that keep my soul rich, my relationships (including my beautiful clients) and the values that I’ve learnt that bring so much joy. When I started taking risks and following my heart, my stress and anxiety started disappearing. Even though I had no clue where I was heading, I knew I was onto something positive. It felt like for the first time I was respecting the part of myself that was dreaming bigger, not tied down by the typical norms.

“Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.” 
― Allen Ginsberg

 

Lesson eight: I learned to accept myself and embrace my body, face and hair

From a young age, I didn’t like how I looked. I went to so much effort to diet, loose weight and cover my face. I started dying my hair very young and became obsessed with new hair styles, clothing, shoes, nails, tanning – the lot! I’d always dreamed of being a free spirited hippie and while I was in Queensland, it was the perfect opportunity to let go of my image – and embrace the gypsy within! While roaming the Goldcoast, I ditched my make-up. I couldn’t anywhere without make-up so I decided to start going out in public without it. I was also very shy about wearing shorts due to feeling overweight at that time (I wasn’t but in my head I was!). I remember walking in shorts and feeling so out of place.

A thought popped into my mind, “if someone judges you for being you, it’s on them. And why would you want to surround yourself with people who are judgemental anyway? Plus, how do you know if random people are judging you – is it really your business to know?”. I felt myself shift from a place of caring too much to a position of self-acceptance – and peace.

When I returned to Perth, I started wearing makeup again but minimally. In recent years though, I ditched my foundation and bronzer habits completely, and now go out without covering my skin. If I feel like a small amount of cover, I mix a small pump of very fine foundation (not coverage) with a natural moisturiser. It thins it out even more and it just creates a light sheer over the skin – for those days you want to wear a little something, something. Another habit I completely ditched was colouring my hair. Which kinda killed me inside, I will admit. After coloring my hair for 16 years I finally have my natural hair colour back and have embraced it. I also chop my own hair.

There are other things I let go of to embrace my natural self. Perhaps I’ll write about this one day (let me know in the comments below if you would like this). All in all, letting go of these things has not only improved my self-esteem and confidence, but I save so much money and time too. I knew if I could let go of certain things, it’d be worth it one day. And it is!

Closing thoughts

You don’t need to quit your job and move to the other side of Australia to experience what I have. Unless that is what your soul is calling you to do. I do however hope this has encouraged you to accept those calls when they do come. Or if you are at a crossroad and you want more fulfillment, then seek and you shall find. Like I shared above, it’s not easy. It’s not straight forward. The journey is surprising, and can at times be nerve-racking. There were plenty of moments where I felt selfish, silly, irresponsible – but the more I trusted and saw evidence of healthy positive change, the more I came to understand that life is not meant to be predictable.

It’s a journey of self-discovery, of breaking down prisons in our minds and seeing whether we have the courage to do something we never knew we could. And a result of our boldness we can give to others what we have learned and they too can do this wonderful journey of life with a little more bliss, a little more empowerment, and a little more self-acceptance.

Has this inspired you or challenged you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.