Love, Growth & Running My Own Race

Six weeks ago, I packed up my life in the Northern Rivers and headed south for a change of scene.

I’ve never been much of a big city girl, but a smaller city right by the ocean, with warm weather, a slower pace and my adorable baby nephew? That, I can handle.

It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since I moved to the Northern Rivers. At the time, I was in the middle of a personal crisis. My health was at an all-time low. I’d been living in Brisbane, climbing the corporate ladder, and drowning in the soul-crushing truth that I hated how I was spending this one precious life.

Chronic Fatigue had taken hold of me, and I was dealing with debilitating headaches and vision problems—symptoms that, at their worst, kept me in bed for days on end. The doctors said I needed brain surgery (my second, the first being at 14) to address these issues.

I was terrified of the surgery, but more so, of staying stuck. Deep down, I knew my physical health was the symptom, not the problem—it was my body screaming at me to change. So, after much back and forth, I made a decision: I canceled the surgery and gave myself permission to rest. Spoiler alert: the headaches eased, my vision improved, and my Chronic Fatigue began to fade. I started to heal.

And what did healing look like? It looked like moving to the Northern Rivers,spending time in the sun, time in nature, visiting farmers markets, eating well, connecting with free thinkers who were building intentional and creative lives and building a life that felt aligned with who I was. That’s not to say it was easy. Those years were an initiation—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But they were also transformative.

During that time, I earned my Diploma in Kinesiology, gained clarity about my purpose, and uncovered lessons I know I’ll carry forever.

Here are my 4 from 4: four lessons the Northern Rivers taught me during my time on Bundjalung Land.

Read the full post on Substack here.