I used to work in an office. Not just any office, a financial planning office. I was the Practice Manager and my job consisted of working my arse off, managing the team, dealing with clients, preparing reports, ordering the supplies, buying the milk, getting clients mortgages, taking out the rubbish and a whole lot more stuff in between. It was a good job, I enjoyed it, and I worked my guts out and I know I was a good employee. I then worked in a big bank in the city, doing Executive assisting work for various General Managers there. Same sort of thing – working hard (though not quite as hard as I did before that), reports, excel spreadsheets, clients, so many meetings, diary management, travel.
God, it seems like a life time ago.
There were times when I was in that last job when I was dreaming about a different life. A new life for me. For Rob and I and for our girls. Everything just seemed so fucking hard – the living life in the city. The rushing around. The dropping miserable kids off to daycare. The being in a job that while good, didn’t really fulfil me in any way. The running somewhere, all the time, but actually going nowhere. Me, Rob, all of us, it just wasn’t working. For any of us.
I wrote a paragraph on a post almost 3 years ago now:
“Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right anymore. For me. For us (I think?). Maybe? What if we look at what we have. The flexibility of Rob’s work and use that to our advantage. Really look at life. At the one chance we have at it and make it something amazing. Not suburban. Not everyday but AMAZING. Imagine loving,really loving where you live. Loving what you do. Loving how you spend time, who you spend it with, because you chose it. Not because it was the ‘right’ thing to do?”
I still can’t believe that we actually did it. Plucked up the courage, said “fuck it” and actually did it. I am not so naive to think that this is something that everyone can do – we were it in financially secure position, had the flexibility of Rob’s work etc, but I think that for many of us, those excuses we come up for why it wouldn’t work, are just fears getting in the way of a life that could be, truly something. Or something more. We knew NO ONE. We completely started over. And look at us now. We ARE loving where we live. I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I LOVE what I do and how I spend my time. It’s crazy and busy and hectic but it’s just so bloody good. You know?
Today we’ll all get up, rush to the fire and check that there are enough coals to keep it going for the day. I will drive up to Sydney, as I will do once a week now, to film a small segment on a new TV show. Rob will put some finishing touches on a new project he has been working really hard on that he is feeling great about. Daisy will go to School, learn some more stuff, hang out with her lovely friends across so many ages and be confident and happy. Harper will go to Preschool and have a wonderful day, playing with friends, learning, painting, slowly ever more confident. We’ll come home and we’ll eat together as a family, as we are blessed to do every day. We’ll have some friends come over after that, share some drinks, have a laugh and watch the soccer and probably stay up later then we should. Then we’ll rush to bed, dive under those layers of warmth, touching our toes on the hot water bottles until sleep comes. And in my heart, I will be happy. Truly happy and grateful for all that we have been lucky enough to be given, what we have been able to create for ourselves, take risks on, say WHY NOT to and who knows but WHO CARES! Look back at this life that we have made for ALL of us. For our family.
I used to work in an office.
I used to live in the city.
I wonder what else I’ll be able to say I used to do.
Whatever you think you can’t do, I bet you can. I just bet you can.
Great post love. And good luck today! X
Thank you! It was great fun…so glad the first one is done x
You leave me feeling so wistful for the life I COULD be having. You know my ever-present desire to leave the rat race. I’m living your old life. You were the first person to give me courage to find my new life. I’m still looking, but posts like this give me more strength. You’ll kick arse today darling. Congratulations on another fantastic chapter in your new life, you inspire me every day. Much love xxx
You’ll get there, you just will. When the time is right. Promise x
Far out Beth. Some days it’s like you are inside my head. I am lying here having done my back – rushing around with three kids. Carrying a baby all day, trying to work, look after kids, keep clients happy etc etc and I’m looking out the window at gloomy Melbourne day thinking why? Would it be better if we made a huge change? Or would it be same s–t different place? I don’t know but I’m so glad you did and I’m so glad you bring us a little ray of sunshine every morning. Thank you. When can we see you on TV??
I don’t know how you do it Gail – all that work, all those sleepless nights. At least you know you are not alone x
Show is on every day but our segment “The Debrief” is on Tuesday arvos. It was SO MUCH FUN.
I am going to email you with our dream. So I can tell someone who gets it. Do you mind? It is a biggie.
Email away…can’t wait! The bigger the scarier but sometimes the better! THE BEST!
Good luck today. I get where you are. Love where you live. Love what you do. It is how it has to be. Sometimes you just have to jump
Indeed. I know yo are living the good life too Ali 🙂
A great post Beth, I always think that you never regret in life what you do but more those things you long to do but don’t. It’s great that you are loving village life and making it work for you. All the best today. What a good opportunity for you. Fiona
Thanks Fiona…pinching myself really. About all of it.
You give me so much hope! Thanks Beth. My home right now feels like a half way house. Grateful we are all safe but know there is something bigger and better for all of us and something we are truly happy with. And they’re the changes we are working towards. Xx
I just know that if you WANT change, it will come. I’m sure of it. Good luck!
EXACTLY.
PUZACTLY.
LOVE a sea change! So many ways of living and possibilities if only you tilt your head and look at things a slightly different way. Well done for taking the LEAP!
Thank you! Best thing we EVER did.
The thing I love about you most Beth is that you have an eye on the bigger picture even in the day to day grind. I’m so happy you’re happy. You’re right that people do put obstacles in their way. Sometimes it just takes a huge leap of faith to get where you want to be. X
Oh lovely Cat! Even the grind has some gold in it right? xxx
I think so….mostly…. 🙂
So I don’t suppose you’d be interested in an admin job in a financial planner’s office in Moss Vale, lol!
Ah, yeah…NO! But we do need to come and see you!
My husband (mainly) made the huge decision to travel and work for an indefinite period after being a third-generation horticulturist. We are loving life and are currently farm-sitting and shop-sitting in Wee Waa!
Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith :))
LOvely Wee Waa! I spent many a School holiday there at my best friend’s cotton farm up there. SO pretty…enjoy!
And this is just exactly what I needed to read on this ground-hog day Tuesday… after spending the usual two hours of getting to work, I sit at my desk overlooking Darling Harbour, blankly staring at a bloody Outlook calendar, trying to figure out how I’m going to fit 10,000 meetings into my EGMs 10 hour working day tomorrow…….. all the while, I’m wishing I was somewhere else, doing something else that I love even more, with my little Poet and Hubby by my side…….. I can do it………. Because you’re living proof we can ALL do it! Ta x
I hope you can do it! And GEE, do I NOT miss that calendar management.
I bet I can do the opposite of what everyone else day. Up stumps and move from the beach to the city. Not so much a risk but a starting over that has me excited about no longer being a commuter family. x PS. You will rock it today.
It is going to be the BEST thing for you guys. Bianca did the reverse thing too, and a few other people too. Can’t wait to have an excuse to visit you in BrisVegas x
Love this post. You are just another voice telling me I can have the life I want if only I let myself.
Last week I told Tim I want to move to Tasmania, have a little farm, have baby number 4 (!), live a different life to what we have now. It’s a crazy ridiculous idea. I’ve never been to Tassie. I’ve never been a farmer. I know nobody there but I just have this feeling it’s a life I want, not just for me but for all of us.
Surprisingly Tim said ok! We talked about it for the last few days he was home. We were both excited our two big boys were in tears & threatening to tell prospective buyers of our house it haunted ( lol).
I don’t think it’ll happen now but the seed is planted & I’m excited to see if it grows. Posts like this make me think we could do it. Thanks Beth xx
Just saying it out loud makes it real. Good luck! x
This is a beautiful post Beth ,love it hon and wishing you all he luck for today,i will be watching xx
Thank you Lisa! x
This is so perfectly timely for me, my husband has just taken a job 4 hours away. Away from the coast I know and love. Now we’re moving to a country town where we know not a soul. I’m nervous and excited!
Oh good luck! These small country towns are filled with people and community and I’m sure you can make the most out of whatever you put in x
Gday there and great post I read today..
I also moved from Melbourne to Benalla in Victoria 3 yrs back and I love it. I dont know why more people dont give it a go. The lifestyle is just brilliant, but I still am close enough (2hrs) to go back any time to see the folks and friends.
I must tell you that your folding of fitted sheets video must be pretty good as in this months Real Living mag issue, a handy hint from a reader was exactly your video but in writing. Fancy that!! You popular old girl you! Well I thought of your blog anyhoo!
Oh and I did try the sheet thing, and on the floor…Bloody Einstein. Cant believe i didnt think of doing it like that before.
Here’s to country living and chooks in the backyard! Buuukk Buuukk!!!
Elisha Ross
Thanks Elisha! Those sheets are famous indeed! It’s a great life isn’t it? So glad you are enjoying it too 🙂
Almost every single day I look around and say: “Oh my god, I live in the Middle East. Not just visiting, this is my home.”
We had dreams of moving to the country but with my hubs work it wasn’t really an option. We were so ripe for change that we kept putting it out to the universe and kept our eyes open for any opportunity. It was really scary (and exciting) to pack up our family and move to a country (part of the world) we’d never even visited, but it’s been the most wonderful adventure. We’ve seen amazing things on a daily basis, met incredible people and opened our eyes to so, so much. I now know there is NOTHING we cannot do.
Sure we were lucky to be presented with the opportunity, but it was us that grabbed it, took the plunge and left the security of what we knew (a lot of people wouldn’t). I’m so glad we did, our lives are so much richer for it.
Strangely enough, that life in the country could now one day be possible because we took this leap. Sometimes you have to travel from point A to point D to get back to point B. That’s the adventure of life!
It sure is! Grab EVERY opportunity you can! x
Did you sneak into my thoughts? You know, the deep ones I barely have the courage to whisper to myself, let alone the ones I haven’t yet discovered myself! You cannot imagine just how timely this post is for me, for us, and how much I will think about your words, tonight, tomorrow, next week and so on. Thanks Beth, for kicking my arse and making me realize that well, life is too fucking short for what ifs.
Go Bec!
Our move to the country has certainly been life changing. I often reflect that if I had been told when I was 18 what my life would be like, I would have ran away, but I love it!
Wouldn’t we all! Remember how HARD we thought stuff was back then?
Beth, I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. I am reading as though you are writing only for me. Thankyou x
and.. while I love your profile pic up there, I think you should change it to your sexy, short haired, glowing self of right now! x
Yes! I need to get onto that…agreed!
I used to be scarily ambitious. I wanted to get ahead just for the sake of getting ahead. I used to live in the future and now I love the moment. Everyday is a treat and so are you.
Thank you Jane!