Hello and welcome! Let me start by saying, I am SO excited to finally publish my first blog post! For years it has been a desire to write a blog – not just any blog - but rather one that is raw, open, and honest, sharing personal insights and perspectives from my own life experiences, and empowering readers, like yourself, to make changes, to create and live a life you love. I honestly believe my biggest purpose in this lifetime is to use the lessons and wisdom from my personal challenges and experiences to encourage other people to move in a forward direction in their own life journey. It took a long time for that to sit comfortably with me and to believe in myself. And I do. I live by two personal mottos, ‘be grateful, be kind, be you’, and ‘one you, one life’ - hence the theme of my blog posts. I honestly believe life is a one-time offer – there are no second chances. Let me set the scene and take a moment to share a little bit about myself with you. I’ve always had an interest in personal growth and development - actively seeking to read books, blogs, and follow social media accounts that inspire me to be better and live my best life. Attending NAC2018 (National Achievers Congress) and listening to inspirational speakers, including Tony Robbins, was an experience I’ll never forget. I’ve always been eager to ‘do the work on myself’, whether by seeking support from trained professionals, journalling, reflecting on my behaviours and how I respond to people and situations, and reassessing my personal beliefs and core values. I love imparting my learnings to the people around me and encouraging others to live through their values. But, I reached a point I knew I was contradicting myself. Here I was, encouraging others to make the small changes required to live a life they love, when I wasn’t taking action to change a major part of my life – my relationship with my (then) husband. After years of couples and individual counselling, struggling to regain trust that had been broken time and time again, leaving the situation and then coming back with the hope that the promises presented to me would somehow follow through and things would be different - I knew I had to make a decision. At the core of my decision were my children – if I stayed, what was I teaching them about love and relationships, and what was acceptable, and what was not? I didn’t want to teach my son that this was acceptable behaviour, or for my daughter to believe that this was how she should be treated - because it was not acceptable, and it was definitely not love. I had been manipulated into believing that I wouldn’t be able to survive on my own, financially. This limiting belief, coupled with the multiple breaks in trust left me feeling weak and fearful about leaving. It was a simple act of walking every day that changed my life - putting one foot in front of the other, gaining strength - physically and mentally. Walking turned into jogging. I started getting fit. I lost weight. I gained muscle. But more importantly, I gained determination, grit, and mental strength, and adopted a belief that I was worthy of living a happy life. I was 37 when I finally left that relationship, with my most valued possessions – my two children, our dog, a suitcase each and the dog food. We lived with my parents for over 12 months until I got on my feet. The room I stayed in was my bedroom and office space - but I knew it would only be temporary. I was grateful to have family to turn to – especially considering I’d given them no prior indication that we were coming. I took on the perspective that we were lucky to have this time with my parents, especially at the time of life they were at. Fast forward a few years and you wouldn’t believe what life is like for me. The kids, our dog and I moved into a 3-bedroom home – a place where finally, I felt like my home was my haven – filled with peace, love, and happy memories. My business has flourished. I have trained in NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) and Mental Health First Aid , coaching and training people face to face, and online Australia wide. I’m also in a relationship with a man whom I love and whom I know loves me. He is an articulate communicator, we can talk for hours on end, we laugh a lot, we love each other’s company, and he is my best friend. He is kind, thoughtful, and loving, not only to his children, but to me and to my children, and I know they are now able to see what a loving relationship should be. He has goals and visions for the future and encourages me to pursue my own goals and ambitions. Recently I celebrated my 40 th birthday, which has given me time to reflect upon some of the biggest life lessons I’ve learnt so far. And I want to gift these lessons to you. Lesson 1 - The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is you can literally change your life, if you are willing to take action to make changes. If you feel stuck right now, remember, nothing changes if nothing changes (if you know what I mean). YOU are the only person who can make the changes you desire. YOU are the only person who can do the work on yourself, for yourself. Change can take time. Nothing is ever a quick fix. But if you don’t take small steps, you will stay stuck, and feeling that way is not a nice place to be. Lesson 2 - Have you ever stopped to think, that you are the ONLY person who is going to be with you – through everything – forever? Believe in yourself. Be kind to yourself. Celebrate your milestones and achievements – no matter how big or small. Be your own cheerleader. Lesson 3 - Live with your future in mind. Do something each day that your future self with thank you for. Your actions and decisions now shape the way you will be living in your future. Set goals. Live with legacy in mind. What do you want to leave behind when you leave this life? And remember, your past (and your potentially your current situation) doesn’t mean your future. Lesson 4 - Human connection is a basic need. But here is the clincher; you will find more joy in finding connection with the right people – the ones who encourage you to be your best self. Of course, I’ve learnt A LOT of lessons along the way, and I’m sure they would be different to the lessons learnt by others. But above all, I’ve learnt this; Life is a one-time offer. Use it well. Feel welcome to use the attached Desktop and Phone Wallpapers as a daily reminder. Disclaimer: The perspectives and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the bloggers’ own. The specific decisions and actions described by and actioned by the blogger are not suggestions or instructions for the reader to implement in their own life. The reader is responsible for their own life situations, outcomes, and personal safety. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help now, call triple zero (000). You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.