#16 - Maddie Cole on Finding and Chasing what Matters to You.

We talk about Maddie's challenges, the eye opening, benefits of reducing to a minimalistic lifestyle, appreciating and enjoying the smaller things in life, being present in the moment and the importance of choosing an empowering environment. This was such a great conversation. Make sure to check out her Instagram page in our bio to follow her journey. I hope you guys enjoy it.

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Tazzy Nice. Tasmania. So your traveling around. Yeah, that's right. We left 29th of April. Yup. So I don't know. Yeah, we've got six weeks ago. Yep. Left. Tazzie and I've done a fair bit of Victoria beanie mutual, raw for nearly two weeks now. Yeah. I'm about to head off later on today to go to the Grampians traveling around in the, the troopy in a caravan and just, yeah. Taking it as it comes. The Australian dream.

Yeah. All the backpack is during one of those quiet, back to two Aussie for backpackers. Yeah. Yup. Um, and that's why we've snuck in a conversation this morning because one on one to see you to wanting to get you on here. Where at black milk having a coffee. So good in here. It's like 8:00 AM. So that's why it's so early and Matty hasn't been up to much. I haven't either. But this is awesome. Riveting waffle live. Yes. Yes. Who else can side of doing a podcast at 8:00 AM this morning?

I'll tell you of my friends last night. And they're like, ah, that we always used to catch up for coffee on Wednesday mornings and they were always teaching each other. It's like, Oh yeah, see you at seven o'clock. And I was like, Oh yeah, I wish I could be there. Yeah, I'd say, but I've got a date at seven, seven 30. So they're like, what are you doing? What are you most excited about in life right now?

Um, for me, I think it's the unknown and that's a big reason for what we've decided to do this year. Traveling and leaving a fair bit behind. Um, so yeah, I think that excites me. Not knowing I won't really know where we're going to be next week, which is cool. Um, what we're heading heading to the Grampians today. Yup. Um, but I don't know, four stay there for a week. I don't know what we're going to do there and what we're going to say. So I think that's, yeah, pretty exciting.

But then also the people we're going to meet, like we had always planned to come up to a Jura to do some work. Um, we haven't been lucky enough to find someone to love that we can adapt and talk to the guy. It doesn't matter. We'll move on. But so awesome. We've got to meet you.

I started working as a secretary, um, and did that for, for a year and I was then meant to go to university. But yeah, just kind of talk myself out of it and just couldn't really say it, giving me the life that I wanted. Um, so yeah, because we settled down into Currys early, um, kind of met. We kind of got started with life early too. I guess we kind of missed out on the fun stuff and we didn't do any of the trouble that a lot of people do when they're, when they're younger.

Um, and we bought houses and as I'm glad that we did that, but at the same time it definitely held us back from doing a lot of things that we wanted to do. And because both of us had a house, we had two mortgages. Um, so things were pretty tired at times. Um, and I don't know at this point in life, I was probably about this time last year, will playing the monopoly game together one night. Um, and as Glen Glen's written a little bit about it and he's like, it was pretty much our own use.

Skype from the life that we're living at the time was the by the stupid game of monopoly. Um, and we'll just hope, what, what are we doing that we're not experiencing life and why do we feel are probably more so myself? Why did I feel like a hat to stay and keep doing what we're doing? If I wasn't happy? I was like, what, why am I doing this? Like it's just these forced feeling. Um, and then yeah, we'll just like, well, what can we do to change it? I'm like, let's do it.

Let's travel around Australia. And the plan was to probably do it again, do it in five years time and yes, it ourselves up a bit better and then whatnot stuff it, that's a long time. Why? And who knows what's going to happen between now and then. So very true or whatever. But, um, I think a big part of it for me was, um, I don't think anything in law fees for sure. Um, and I've seen, I think we've talked about it a bit, parents and their generation.

I'm working until there, um, at retirement at 50, 60 years old. Um, and I was like, Ooh, like I don't know if I'm going to make it, like who's to say I'm going to make it to that? Like, oh, I really hope I do. Um, there's, yeah, no guarantee that we're going to make it there and I don't want to work my ass off and then get two years to, to experience it all. So it was like, stuff it, we'll, we'll do it now and, and work it out from there.

So we just sold one house and rented out the other and got our set up and got on the road. Nice. And it's, it's so different. Like I can see how people would be like, oh my God, why would you do that? You had houses, you had everything set up and then you just like, no, I'm not comfortable. I'm not happy. We're not happy, we're not comfortable. Let's, let's go out and explore the fleet too comfortable.

The other thing, there's the other trap of getting too comfortable in something and then not exploring from that. Yeah, yeah, that's right. You just, and they get set in your ways. And I think I've written about it. I'm like, you just fucked yarn, Sam. Work lifecycle. I can just like this last week just felt like the same one that just went, I'm just, it's just not really exciting and as much as you like, oh I want to go do this, I want to see this, you don't have time to do it.

Um, and I'm sure everybody can agree that yeah, by the time you get to the end of the week, you pretty tired. And if you got houses usually pretty busy cleaning those or gardening or doing renovations. So yeah. What does like, no, why are we garden your garden that we only ever get out anywhere we wage. It's pretty ridiculous. So true. So for those that don't know you, what's, what's a wrap? I suppose you gave us a lot of a wrap up there, but what about before that?

So your life before the move or the adventure? Yep. So for the last three years I was working as a personal trainer in a studio in Devonport and two of those years I was also managing it up until we left. Um, which was such an awesome experience. Um, so like managing the team and working with them. Um, and yeah, just all of the INS and outs and the behind. So the business basically, um, which was such an awesome experience. We May and I learnt so much and grew so much from doing that.

Um, but then I think it also took away from that passion of the personal training and why I started it and probably made it a bit more serious. Um, which was good. And I think I took on that role because I was always had this belief that I had to be better all the time to be happy. But I think that's one big thing. I've learned that you don't have to do that at all. So yeah, I was personal training.

Um, and yeah, we had two houses, um, so were living in the one that I owned more renting out Glenn's house, um, and it had a bit of trouble with the, their rental and shine and we ended up being back in the other house. Um, and that was basically that time we were like, okay, where are we? Like what are we doing? Um, and that's when we sold the other house and, and move forward with our plans. So you kind of took a, a chick on life and you're just like, where are we at? What do we want to do?

And then made a plan or was it just like, let's just travel and figure it out as we go? Um, those probably more so planning on getting there under the road. There's not a lot of plan of where we're going or what we're going to do. Um, and I think that's a big part of why we're doing it. We don't want to kind of put ourselves in a position where we feel like we have to do something at a certain time.

We just want to be like, okay, we can change at any moment because our whole life has always just been like one thing after the next half to be in a certain place. So it's nice just having that freedom and already I'm just noticing mindset shifts and priorities changing and things that I'm interested in having an opportunity to learn new things, which is really cool. Um, yeah.

So, so how are you finding that transition from obviously managing a PT studio and being a PT to then having free time and not having a routine schedule? It's been challenging. Like I love it, but it definitely has been challenging. I think I'm lucky to have Glen cause he's very relaxed and that helps me relax. Super relaxed. Relaxed. Yeah. He's sleeping right now. That's that relaxed here. Um, can you get any more relaxed? Definitely not when he's sleeping. Um, where was I going with that?

Uh, yeah, so the transition. Yes. Um, so yeah, it was definitely a lot harder for me than it was probably for him cause he loves downtime. I've always been someone like I cannot sit down. Like I have to like I'll get home and I'd be straight into like cooking and then cleaning and like just go, go, go, go. Until it was time for bed. Like I just, and I just find things like I was just so stupid. It just pines stupid things they do because you feel like you have to keep your hands busy.

Um, so yeah, it's been a challenging transition because of the personality than I am, but it's been really good for me at the same time because I need to learn to slow down and already yet, but I'm learning to see, see the world in a different way and, and myself as well. Um, and then appreciating the small things because you actually have time to slow down and see them. Yeah. Well now you've got like the time and the presence to just be like, what are we doing today?

Let's go explore, let's go running. Which is another thing that you are keeping yourself to explain that one char. Yeah, just a little challenge for my myself. So, obviously being a personal trainer, we always walk the talk and you've got to be a really good role model.

Um, and obviously went into that industry because love health and fitness anyway, and looking after myself, but I was a little bit nervous with this trip coming up this year and not being around that environment that I'd get slack. Um, because it's, as much as I keep my client's counter where they definitely keep me in check without knowing. Um, so I was like, right, I run all the time. What can I do to keep myself accountable?

So I said wrong and a run every day this year and it just has to be a minimum of one kilometer. So it's literally five minutes of her. I really don't feel like it if I feel feel like crap, it just five minutes, like you've usually feel better. And I always do. I always feel better by the end of it and it usually start doing something else afterwards, so I might even go further. Um, or I might start them, you know, the workout after done the one k but it's, yeah, it's been cool.

I've really enjoyed it. And it's probably good for my sort of personality. I'm like, okay, I have one thing to do each day at least is to run. Um, yeah. Compared to old life, you got to 1,000,001 things to do. I literally just have, yeah, no commitments or priorities or anything, which is a bit weird. But we only client right now as you know, I haven't got that far yet. He did come home one run. I think he's come from one. Yeah. That's sort of better bait him. So you can cook tonight.

I'm going to run. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Or you can just sit there and I'll come back. And then so how's that been as well? Being in the outdoors? Is that something that you've been used to? Did you like camping or was it just this is a new experience? No. So how long ago was it? Probably nearly three years ago, we bought a little camp event. Um, and we've always enjoyed going out and camping, like, oh, let's get a camper van. So it's a little bit simpler and everything's kind of set up.

Um, so it was real cheap. So we just, we got that and that was probably the first taste for me of living a life without a plan. Um, so at first when we got it, are there ways like week in advance, like sat planning out what we're going to do on the weekend, like where are we going to go and like where places were going to visit and all that sort of thing. And I think it probably frustrated Glen a little bit.

Um, because you notice it if something didn't go to how I wanted it to, I would get really frustrated and disappointed. So he was just like, what, you don't have to play and things out. We can just jump in the car and go. I think he's created a bit of a devil in me because now he's like, where are we going? I'm like, I don't know. Where are we going? Like I don't really care. So yeah, I think it all kind of started from there. I'm loving the camp trips doing that.

And so when we really asked ourselves, I suppose when you're like, oh, what am I going to do when I retire? I suppose that answers a lot of like what you're interested in and what you love doing. And I'm like, well, there's nothing stopping us from doing that now. Um, and no point putting off like what I would to go climb mountains in Hawaii. And I'm sure people can do that when they're 50 and 60 but I'm sure it's also a lot harder. I would have just try new things without yeah.

And like I've experienced that as well from going away and then, you know, you can always come back to that life. But if you don't try those new things, you never get to experience it. And like for example, yourself in that schedule and that routine, you were looking after clients, you needed to plan things for them because you were looking after other people. Like if you had a family as well, you got to feed the kids, all that sort of stuff. But you had a choice in that.

That was your choice to work in that. Now you're like, well, we want to do this, we want to explore life. And I think that's so awesome. And I think it's something that people think they

But I don't know how other talk, talk to the guys and see if I could do it like from over there and never thought it's okay to leave. Like I don't know, I just, I'm a control freak. Not as much as I was. I was control freak. Yeah. How have you found, because I've only done a two week vein experience, van trip up the east coast of Australia and I loved it. Lived out of a suitcase, kind of got over it towards the end, but it definitely opened my eyes on a few things. But how has it been for you?

It's literally your car, you caravan, that's it. Is there any, like, I know it's minimalistic, but is there any like, ah, I want other stuff or I miss that? Uh, I don't think so. We've always been pretty simple in the way we've lived, but we'd never want a fancy furniture or anything like that, so we don't, we didn't really care about our possessions that much. It was more about the things that we enjoyed doing. Um, so it hasn't been too hard. Um, I'm trying to think of this.

If there's anything that I would really love to have it. We've just been house sitting for the last week. Um, probably having a different room to go into each other sometimes is nice because you were literally within a couple of meters of each other, 24, seven. But I am slowly learning to get out and do some things by myself, which has been enjoyable as well.

So I think that was probably the biggest change for us because when you're working and going through life, you don't actually see a lot of each other and we need to, or you're tired and you just finished. Yeah, yeah. You have to Cook Tay, you got to clean up. And the foreign we get to be like, Oh, I'm pretty tired like David. Um, and now we've got all this time together and I think we're learning a lot about each other, which is really fascinating.

Um, and we, we honestly haven't had much, many challenges living together, which has been a real life. That's awesome. But yeah, we've, yeah, we've always kind of enjoyed living that way and simple. It's, um, yeah, I don't feel like there's a lot that we need to be happy, um, and being able to go around because we're, if we're living in a caravan back at home at the caravan park, it'd be pretty boring. And like we've already started to get a little bit bored of where we are now.

Um, so yeah, if I could see here every day and you want to be so bad, but it's cruise. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got a job. So, um, yeah. So I think the opportunity to be able to move around and I'm like, oh, we kind of stick at this now, let's go. That kind of keeps it exciting and yeah, we're always on our toes. So do you find like the relationship is so much closer now? Yeah, definitely. Um, I don't think we're any different with how we were before.

Um, but yeah, we're definitely learning a lot more about each other and seeing the changes happen, um, from this transition. Um, and yeah, I think it's just nice to spend that time together, but not really feel like you have to be talking all the time. It's just nice to be together. So it's, yeah, it's pretty rewarding. Not a lot of people get to do that, so we're really lucky.

You know what, so be nice because there's no, like you said, there's no pressure of the day job or the career and then everything else is coming home, household duties and then hang, usually you're in a bad mood because you're tired and you're taking it out in them because they do one little thing that you didn't like. Um, yeah. So it's been really nice taking away all those pressures and just being able to enjoy each other's company.

It's definitely, you've got to be selective in someone you would travel, travel with, um, learn a lot about someone when you travel with them. Yeah, absolutely. Um, but I think because we've been together for so long, um, it was, it wasn't ever going to be a problem and you've been camping before and we love our time by ourselves. I think beforehand going camping and whatnot, it was like an escape. Um, and now it's like full time escaping. It's like, oh, this is weird.

Wouldn't experience in, like you were saying the other night, like, uh, Ooh, playing a board game the other night we had dinner and um, Maddy in Glen was saying that some nights we just sit and watch the fire because it's just mesmerizing and the time just flies. And I'm like, every time I've done that, it's the same thing. You just, you don't, you're not necessarily doing anything, you just being present and enjoying that moment and it's just a sign on to ask some really big questions too.

So we get some pretty interesting conversations. I have. That would be a random question. Glen were like philosopher Mattie. Yeah. So that's, yeah, I like, yeah, we love just sitting around the campfire and just, I think it's, yeah, that simplicity again, like you don't sit down and just stare at your wood heater and um, cause there's too many other things going on around the reverse cycle.

Does the heat pump, we call it and has a code that ob yeah, so it's, it's really nice just being, yeah, like I said earlier, just appreciating those really simple things. And I think when all of the mess around you is gone in terms of buisiness and things to do, like I don't have a house cleaner anymore. I don't have anything like it's, yeah, really interesting just to sit down and just let your brain is just tick over and see where it goes and then yeah, you do sad.

Ask them, ask them questions. Yeah. And in terms of like having your career before and, and obviously now like that transition as we were talking about before in your mind right now, are you thinking about that? Are you like, what's next or what am I passionate about or what am I, where's this going to lead to or is it you're just like, I'm just going to take this as it comes and probably more so just taking it as it comes really. Um, I definitely always end up wanting to help people.

It's just in my nature from like day dot. I was going to be a nurse. Um, and then like that was us, that's what I was meant to take on a uni for. And then I was like, oh, I don't know if I really want to be doing night shift and once you have a family and whatnot. Um, so that's kind of why I didn't do it and that's probably why I ended up doing personal training. I was like, well, I can help people before they have to see in this. Um, so I always want to be able to help people.

Um, but I don't really know what I want to do right now, but it's been really awesome stepping away from everything and stepping away from the feeling of having to have something sorted or worked out, um, to be able to let myself, like just let it happen. Um, and I, I already feel like I'm pretty calm in the fact, cause usually I'd be freaking out. What am I doing with my life? Um, I think being away from my normal environment has helped me to switch that off. Um, and it's really interesting.

Just things that are kind of coming to mind. I'm like, oh, that'd be, that'd be cool to do. Um, but like I don't have to do it. Like we are traveling in the moment, I have to worry about that, but maybe when we go home could do that. Um, and there are things that would never even think, think of doing before, but now that we've stepped out of that environment environment, we're able to really see like what things we really love and enjoy and what we have to offer out of the people.

Because I think naturally as humans we're, we're here to serve, we're here to help people. Um, so I think I'll always fall into fall into that eventually. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. What's the worst thing that has ever happened to you and how is that the best thing that has ever happened to you? It's such a good question. I love it. Oh, I sink now. This is so many things. I always try to find a silver lining. Glen and I were talking about that one last. Yeah, yeah.

Oh, we didn't even get a campfire last night. Oh Damn. I was literally, I pull up getting to bed. Our lights weren't working, so it was like a head torch set up last night while we got assessed. Head torches, other bomb we I need discovered in like a couple of weeks ago, we knew about them, but we didn't think about getting one. So like a necessity now. Um, yeah, look, I don't know if I would need one now you bought, if you go for a run at nighttime, there has been handy.

Yeah. So from soccer training and a blind or the bikes, I can be a good tactic. Um, yeah, so probably in terms of getting us to where we are now, um, the worst thing that's ever happened, that's ended up being the best thing. I've been pretty privileged. I've had a nice life. I'm so not a lot of bad things have happened to me. Um, I don't know if that's because of my mindset and I always try to find the good in everything. Um, and a reason for why it happened.

Um, but a couple of years ago, I think I mentioned it before, we had a bit of trouble trouble with our rental property and a fair bit of damage by the tenants and headaches and whatnot. And we're all always like, oh, well we're getting in the property game that will be out in game. Um, well yeah, just manage properties and we can retire when we're 40 and whatnot. And there was kind of like a big wake up call like isn't a bad yeah, exactly like this.

Yeah. Plenty of people that can still do it and are doing it. Um, but for us we had one little hiccup, um, and I'm like, oh, things can go south pretty quickly and it sets you back right back to basically where you started and that's okay because you learn from it and you grow and whatnot. But then it kind of was a bit of a wake up call to us, um, as in like, okay, what are we actually doing? Um, do we want to do that? Like, is that the path we want to go down?

Because it's, you've got to be pretty committed. Um, you probably can't go traveling around Australia when you've got a heat of debt. And I think that was one thing we found owning properties in having creases, we felt so tied down. Um, like we had to be somewhere and we have to, you have to have a job because you have to pay a mortgage response responsibilities at that time. Yeah, that's right.

So with the chapel we have with the rental property, um, we ended up fixing it up ourselves and renovating it with the help of Glenn Stepdad, um, which we're super grateful for. Um, and then yeah, things kind of changed from where we thought we'll be heading. Um, I suppose it probably opened up that opportunity for us to really think about, okay, what direction are we going? And it gave us an opportunity to, to change, which was really cool. So, yeah.

Uh, as much as it was horrible at the time, there are a lot of tears and frustration and anger. Um, I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. Like I always think as much as I don't like those people, I really do love them for what they did. Um, because there is absolutely no way I'd be sitting in this cafe right now with you if it didn't happen. I know that for sure. Yeah. Which is pretty powerful.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like that sliding doors movie, like one thing happens and it can change the whole course of your life. Yeah. That's so awesome.

I'm marveling at the fact that you're doing that and, and the fact that I was doing that and then I'm back in the other situation and it's like I want to go back out there again, but there's also, it's, it's only myself that's stopping me from doing that and I think the listeners are going to get a lot out of that because you were in that and then you just, you just had that realization and then you, you're out doing it and like we were saying before, there's nothing stopping you from going

back. No, but it's just a mindset. You've realized that life is short and anything could happen in the next five years. It's either going to be, it could be many different ways, but you taking it this way and yeah, some cool. Yeah, it's pretty powerful stuff in it's, it's, we'd like looking back, I think of that before and sometimes it's just the environment. I think you have to, yeah.

It has to change for you to your mindsets change as well, which it shouldn't, but I don't think that's why it's so important for us to work on that sort of thing as well. Um, and just to always be asking yourself the questions, um, especially like, okay, what am I doing? Is that getting me to where I want to be? Because for, for us it was w w we want to be able to travel Australia. Well, why can't we do that? Right? They're like, what's stopping us? It was literally just us.

No one else was stopping us. Everybody was so happy for us. So yeah, you're only stopping yourself and probably envious, but you're doing it as well. Is it the word? A lot of them say they're jealous, but sometimes I think, no, I don't know if you could leave on the ride either. Well, look, it's not for everyone, but monitor. Well, try it. Yeah, exactly. And just because that's my, my thing and my dream or our dream, the idea of the perfect life for us.

It doesn't mean that somebody else's, somebody else might love working or somebody else might love traveling Europe. But if for us it was traveling in Australia, but who knows, that might change too. Yeah. You're allowed to change. Yeah. Yeah. Might buy a boat and sail the world. Yeah, exactly. Invite me if you do that. All right, well then you'd have to deal with me every day on a boat. Yeah, that'd be, yeah. I can't steal or I dunno. I've never tried.

So we have recently Washington, all of the parts of the cafe, we have a little bit of scale. I'm sure that will come in handy. Yeah. What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? Um, I was working with a coach a couple of yeas ago, maybe 18 months ago. Um, topic coach, like a life coach. Yep. Yep. Personal coach, not, yeah. Sporting coach. Um, and he was probably an eye. Yeah. Told him before I left. Was it big part of that mindset shift for me?

Obviously they just listened to all the stuff here. You're saying, you just said to me one day, you realize, I don't know how he worded it, worded it exactly, but he's like, you realize you don't have to be, um, doing things for other people all the time. It's okay to put yourself first. And I never really thought of it like that. I was like, ah, why am I doing the things that I'm doing? Like I think I'm doing it for a lot about the people and not myself.

And that was really powerful because then I was like, well, what would I do if I had the choices to do something for myself? Um, and that was, yeah, a big part of what led us to that decision. Um, I think Glenn would have always done it and it's probably may holding us back. We never really talked about it that much. Um, but he's, like we said before, so relaxing crazy. I'll be like, let's do this.

Okay. Um, but yeah, so that was really powerful for someone to say that to me and realized that I didn't have to be doing what I was doing. I didn't want to be like, I felt like I, I owed people something or I, um, had to yeah. Do things because that was the right thing to do. And I think that was probably what it, what I've done a lot in my life was I did it because I felt like I should do it.

Um, and one of my clients just before I left, um, I dunno if you've learned about them and I need to learn about them more, but the shockers, yes. Um, I can't remember which one it was. I think it's like the belly and she said solar plexus. Yeah. I think [inaudible] she, she's like, you feel like you always have to, that you should do things that you have to do things. And I did. I was just like, oh, that's really interesting cause I do off of Mike. Glenn were like, why are you doing that?

Because, because the half day, no, no, don't have to do that. Um, so yeah, for that coach just say that to me was really powerful because I was like, okay, well what can I do? Like I don't have to stay where I am if I don't want to, but I felt like I did and the moment that he said that, I was like, thank you. Yeah. So definitely the best advice I've been given for sure. Awesome. And what, like what inspired you or moved you to get a coach at that time?

Was it a friend or was it just someone you sought out or he had recently just finished, um, training with Scott Somewhat, I think. Um, he's Anthony Robbins, like second man, that's Scott, someone I can't remember what it's called. Um, and part of it was, um, finding 10 people to do pro bono work with, um, so he could get experience, um, with working with people and then as obviously have testimonials and things like that.

Um, so he was actually a client where I was working and he was talking to me about it and I was like, oh, that's really cool. And he said, well, would you like to be one of them? I was like, really? I would love that. So yeah, that's how it kind of came about. Um, but I'm always seeking, um, to learn from people. And I think we're so lucky that we live in a world at the moment where we can, you can Google things, which is awesome. You can read so many books, you can listen to podcasts.

Like it's such an amazing world that, I don't know, probably 10, 15 years ago, we didn't have the potential to do that. We'll be buying like a couple hundred, $100 worth of Anthony Robbins DVDs or whatever they were, or VCRs, which, no, it definitely isn't a bad thing, but it's just a lot more accessible. Yeah. Um, which is really cool. So I, yeah, I always love listening and learning and you can take what you take, what you want from those sort of things as well.

You don't have to, just because someone said that's the way it is, it doesn't mean it's the way for you, but when you start to really vibe with something, it's really cool. Yeah, well that's, that's one thing I've noticed recently, um, especially on social media because that's how I meet all of the people I meet menu.

We met through social media, Katie who I met on Instagram who I still haven't met yet, so the friend that has so jealous you just right now, I haven't met her, but we've been friends for years and um, that's, that's how we're here today.

And even on social media, you can surround yourself with good things and even if it's not a personal mentor, you can follow different hashtags like self awareness or personal growth and just get different information that feeds you different knowledge than change your mindset or even open your mindset. And it's like you said, it's accessible now if you want change or you want something new or you want to learn, it's there. And whether it's hiring a personal coach, which I now have so good.

If you want those changes and you want something different, like with a PT, go and research it, go and find it. And if it, if you feel like you, you really, really need it, then get that help. It's okay to ask for help. Anything on the other side. It's important to know what you're putting out there, um, as well. Um, in terms of those sorts of things at you and you're looking at on Instagram or liking on Instagram, you want to be careful that you're not putting yourself in a toxic environment.

Um, and with the way, I don't know if the Internet works these days, things just pop up because you're saying that we're doing this. Um, so you want to be putting the right things out there. And I know even a couple of years ago I was like, oh, I like all the, the health and fitness in the fitness models and stuff on Instagram. Like they'll get me all inspired to do work out and stuff.

And then I've got to a point where I was just so critical of my body because I was looking at all these other ones and that will be the first decide that they don't look anything like that, like every day. So I just was like, I started deleting them all because it was so toxic for my mind. And it was such a awesome experience because it literally changed the way that I saw my, my own body by just taking that out, like that opportunity to probably compare myself.

Um, so yeah, I think it's important to be, yeah. Obviously make sure you're putting yourself in the right environment for what you want to be. Yup. Yeah, I agree. What advice would you give your 16 year old self? So long ago? So you were at high school 16. Yeah. Yeah. So where are we? Yeah, grade 10. Go to lemon. Um, just make Glen with a love story began. Yeah. Um, so I think for me, I've always been a massive overachiever, um, and that's not a bad thing.

Um, and it's definitely helped me to get to, um, a lot of places that have got, um, because I'm so driven and once I get my mind stuck on something, I'll, I'll get it done sort of thing. Um, and I was like that back then as well. And probably at a point in my life now where I'm not like it as much as I ever have been.

Um, but what I would probably tell myself, um, my 16 year old self would be to do things for you rather than other people because I think that a lot of the reason why I was chasing certain dreams or climbing, setting certain ladders or I'm trying to reach a certain social hierarchy or whatever it was because of the pressures that I felt from other people or the society. Um, and I don't think I was really doing it for myself.

And that was probably what got us to getting on the road now was I wasn't really doing what I was doing because that's what I wanted to do. I was doing it because that's what I thought I was meant to do. Um, and what other people have probably said to do and they probably don't even know why you meant to do it. Um, so yeah, I think I would say to myself, I'm always just make sure you make a decision based on what you want to do and what other people think you should do.

Um, yeah, I think that's it.

Um, at the end of the day for me now being successful is being able to do what we're doing, but before it was, yeah, getting the manager's role and then what, what's next after that? Is that owning your own business? Like it's always that, that push to do more. Um, and I think, yeah, I think that's probably something we need to talk about. Um, because it's a huge thing at the moment, like the hustle and the grind and, and whatnot. Um, and I know I was falling into that trap myself.

Um, Gary v probably says it a lot and a lot. I still love his stuff and I'll listen to all the time because I'm on the other side. He talks about some really cool things, but the hustle and the grind, um, really kinda got me worked up in a way and I was, I felt like I had to be doing something, um, and I was kind of just doing nothing but doing stuff.

Um, so I think yeah, just really finding that purpose is important and like where, where am I going is what I'm doing right now are getting me to where I want to be. Um, because so often it's not. Um, and yeah. So I think that's probably a big thing that should be, people should just need to be more aware of, I guess, um, for why you're doing what you're doing.

And I, I love Gary v and I have seen all of his speaks and even even lie, not live, but his live talks and it's funny what gets put out there is also missing the other things he says about the patients and it's if you want this kind of life, this is what you have to do,

But if that's what you really want to do and then just do that so they will just love garbage. Yeah. Oscar the grouch. Yeah, exactly. But yeah, I think that's a really important thing for people to really ask themselves is, am I doing it because it's what I want to be doing or is it because I'm doing it because I want to look like someone else? Everybody else. Yeah. Powerful.

If this was the last time you seen me and I asked you to teach me something tangible that I could use every day to improve my life, what would you teach me? Jeez. I don't think I sent this to you. Yeah, I think you did, but not as a detailed. Yep. Um, this could be the last time we see each other. I hope not. I think Katie was planning a trip to somewhere. We, all of us in Connor. I was really, yeah, she did ask me. It'll happen. When will we be in Byron? So yes. I have no idea.

It's, it's now recording. So it has to happen in six months time. Like waking it be there. Probably not, but, um, think I could teach you tangible. This is who I'm going to see each other. Something I could use every day to improve my life. Okay. Yeah. Right. You can edit this out. I knew, I thought. Yeah. Um, I'm trying to think.

I think it's, I don't know if it's really a tangible thing, but, um, making you don't lose, um, you focused on, I think it's not being too caught up in where you want a be that you kind of forget where you are. I don't know if that's really a tangible thing, but maybe it's a question and you can ask yourself. Yeah, I have to take a good question. I think it probably comes back to gratitude.

Um, because I know my brain in the past, it's always been three, five, 10 years ahead of where I am right now. And that's an awesome thing to do. Cause that's how you grow and that's how you get to, to where you want to be and you're not, you're reaching goals and whatnot. Um, but I think it's so important not to get lost in what you have right now, um, because the grass is always greener on the other side, but it's not um, and greener where you water it.

Cause that's what I said to someone the other day. Yeah. That's what I meant. Yeah. The grass is always greener your water. Right. Um, and I think so many people, yeah. Get An, I've, I've done it so much before. Yeah. And then in hindsight, you look back at things you like, why do I appreciate that more when I had it there? Um, or we lost our dog last year and I look back on moments and I'm like, I really wish I just did more stuff with him. Um, I can't, I can't get that back anymore.

Um, so I think it's just that like when he gets, when you get home and he's jumping on, you're not pushing him away. It's, it's getting down and, and appreciating the fact that you have someone there that's so happy to see you, but when you're apart from Glen, yeah, yeah, yeah. Then walk in and he's just in his own way. Um, I do make a promise to myself, and I haven't done it, that when he went that I would make sure that I, I'm greeted him every day. Like, I, uh, was like a dog jumping a lot.

Um, so I think it's, yeah. Being grateful for what you have now. Um, definitely still focusing on the future. Um, but not getting so caught up in that, that you forget how good right now it's, yeah, absolutely. Um, especially cause we're always getting older and things are changing. Um, you never know when you're gonna look back and you think why is really good. But back then, but I wasn't even, I didn't even realize it. I agree. What does it mean to be conscious to you?

Um, I think it's probably a big part of what I was just saying then was being aware of what's going on around you now. Um, yeah. Rather than having your mind in the past or in the future. It's just being right here right now, enjoying, I think that's, yeah, a lot of consciousness to me. And when you're in that moment, like I was saying before, when you're sitting around the campfire just mesmerized by the flames, that's when you really do ask those big questions.

Um, because when you're too busy focusing on the past or the future, you don't seem to ask those questions of yourself. Um, rather than, yeah. Right now what can I ask myself? Yeah, I like it in the present moment. The IRM. Yeah. Yep. Awesome. And where can people see more of your stuff and the follow you, um, were mostly on Instagram at the moment? Um, follow all the adventures. Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty, pretty epic.

Um, we get a little bit slack sometimes, but being busy caught up in the adventures as well. Yeah, that's really hard. And like we have a, we don't have unlimited data anymore, so that's, that's definitely been a challenge. Yeah, exactly. And sometimes good though. Like, okay, we're going to have to slow down on the Internet now. It's really good excuses to pick up a book. Um, was insane.

That was life five, 10 years ago where we didn't have it or we had like, only until you get, you couldn't make a phone call and it's like, okay, you got to get off MSN now because we've got to make a phone call. Oh my gosh. Um, what was the question? Where can people follow you? Oh yeah, I'm almost about to release a website. I've learnt so much making a website. It's so cool. It's like I say anything, it's like this whole nother world and I have it.

And I think that's one thing I've really enjoyed about, um, what we're doing this year because we've been able to step back, um, from our buisiness of lives and doing the same thing all the time. We ended up being able to do different in new things and it gives you a whole new appreciation for, for those people that do it all the time. I'm like web developers, they are amazing. I've worked so much, but I am probably 1% out of one I can learn.

And I, I went to a pole dancing class the other night and I went to aerial hoop class last night. And now like when you see those things like, oh wow, that's amazing, but you don't realize how hard it is now often. Like, wow, that's really, really cool that they can do that. So I think it's very important to try new things. Um, so you can get that appreciation back to what you asked me. Yeah. You can find this on Instagram mostly and we'll share things on there. So it's spending our youth.

Yep. And I'll tag that in the show notes as well, so you can click on that and go straight to the page and give him a follow. And I love that what you said before because I'm all about skill acquisition in so many different things. Just try different things and you're just going to learn so much. Just knowledge for you. I've never probably put myself in a, in an environment that I can do that as much as what we are right now and having a bit of a taste of it.

Um, probably more so over the last week is behaving in big city because there's more things to do. Um, but yeah, I even, we brought up bikes along with us this year on the trip. Um, we're like, oh, is this going to be like the world's biggest mistake? Carrie needs bikes around. Um, and we ended up parking at this campsite that we found on Wiki camps. And we had no idea that there was this like always mountain bike trails around us. And we're just talking to a couple of the campus.

Actually there were two other campers there and they'll both the other, they'll all Tasmanian, which was really random. And they're like, oh, I'll see you guys hit a mountain biker. You're like, no, no, no jobs around here. We never done it before. And like, we come from Cassie and a lot of people already know it's like some of the world's best mountain bike trails over there. And now we're doing it while we're traveling around here.

We haven't gotten mountain bikes, but we're just doing the best they can with what we've got. And we absolutely love it. And I'm like, why haven't we done this before? I think because we're so busy caught up in this busy life, um, that you don't even get the opportunity to go do those sorts of things. Um, and you kind of make up excuses because you almost don't really want to, cause he's so tired. Whereas now we're like, might as well give it a go. Come off over the handlebar. That's right.

You learn, you learn life experience. It's one to add to the memory book. Yeah, absolutely. Awesome. Well thank you so much for joining me to having me come in the morning before you leave to leave me for a long time, but it's been minimizing not too long. Yeah, we'll look, hopefully can meet again somewhere else. Maybe Bondai or was it Byron? Byron and then we can all be there and then we can do another podcast. How cool would that make it? Let's do it. Put it in the way, but thank you so much.

I can't make any commitments. All right guys, take care of boots. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen in on their conversation. Hopefully you've got some insights and values to raise your hand. If you liked the podcast please like and share on social media and leave a review on whatever platform. I would really appreciate it.

You can also keep up to date and our Facebook and Instagram pages, both handles are at the conscious podcast and also my personal account, which is at Carlow underscore, so below, until next time, take care and be nice.