6.12.2021
Sometimes people ask me ‘what made you move to Australia?’ The answer is easy; warmer weather, beautiful beaches and exciting new opportunities. But I love to share a story so I usually give the people the full spiel...
I grew up in a small coastal town of South West England. Going back as long as I can remember I had a dream that I would live overseas. For many years the dream was nothing more than a ‘one day’ thought. I would picture myself living somewhere where the sun was shinning and where I’d skate the streets daily to get my groceries.
I’ve wanted to live overseas for as long as I can remember.
When I share this with people they usually ask me ’why is that?’ I usually credit the influence of my uncles, who had migrated to Spain two weeks before I was born. They’ve continued to live there ever since. At the age of four years old our family went to visit them for our summer holiday and continued to do so every year of my childhood for our summer vacation. Both of my uncles lived and loved rock music. When they first arrived in Spain they opened a rock music bar and cafe. My memories of childhood holidays include going to the beach in a jeep wrangler, with the top off, it was cherry red and the back was plastered with stickers of rock bands. We’d spend late nights in the bar with deafeningly loud rock music, playing pool with the locals, who all looked like rockstars covered in tattoos, piercings and jewellery. Id hang out with them and their loud motorbikes. I remember always marvelling at all the graffiti that covered the city walls.
With the bar my uncles had given me an example of taking something you love and mixing it with your work. The bar combined their love of rock music with a business that allowed them to enjoy making a living. The bar also served as a metaphor for building something bigger than yourself that other people could enjoy. Lastly the bar demonstrated that it was possible to do it for yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.
“This was the life.” I’d think to myself.
I always hated returning from our summer holidays. We’d land in England and get off the plane to the colder, wetter weather and i’d feel a sense of disappear. I knew i’d have to wait a whole year before I could return.
During my teen years the influences of skateboarding, music and art grew deeper and stronger. Mostly steaming from American culture, in the days before the internet all i had were a few magazines, CDs and DVDs to inspire me. This was enough to allow my imagination would run wild picturing what could be. I lived for the long and warm days of summer. Always trying my best to live my life as I wanted it to be manifesting what I could become.
As I became an adult my life seemed to just slip into place. In someways I followed the path of least resistance pursuing a career in graphic design, because I seemed to have a natural talent, and an interest in graphic design. The challenges of university nearly broke me a few times, but I persevered until I graduated and landed a job working at a local creative agency as a graphic designer. It took time to adjust to becoming a young professional but after a few years I thought I had it all sussed. I’d survived my teens and reached my early twenties to become an adult. I was enjoying developing my skills as a graphic designer, growing in my career, making money, spending time with friends, learning how to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle. But I still hadn’t satisfied that desire I had as a kid. The one where I pictured myself living by the palm trees. I still needed to get to where I wanted to go.
A few of my close friends had traveled Asia and Australia backpacking whilst I was studying. Originally they had invited along before they left, but because of my studies I couldn't go. Their travels did inspire me though. I wanted to see more of the world and to experience other cultures. I began saving my money and telling everyone that as soon as I had enough, I was going traveling. I had decided it was my turn to be free in the world.
At the time I was planning this trip alone. Then I met someone. A girl who wanted to travel with me. Our individual dreams aligned and quickly became a joint dream. It wasn’t long into our relationship before we decided to book a one way ticket to Sri Lanka. We may not have knew it at the time but that one decision changed both of our lives.
Before I left England if anyone ever asked how long I’d be gone, I would proclaim “Once I’m gone, I’m never coming back!” I knew what I wanted and I was about to go and get it.
Booking the flight was the step that put the plan in motion. With the departure deadline looming It was time to hustle. I needed enough money and to make sure I was ready to leave by that day. On the 5th December 2014 we boarded our flight to Sri Lanka and spent 5 months backpacking across Asia until we ultimately found our new home in Melbourne, Australia. My sister already lived in Melbourne and had planted the idea in my mind that it would be a great place to live.
Years later I still live in Melbourne, Australia. It’s sunny and dry often. I cruise the streets skateboarding to the supermarket to pickup groceries. I feel happy and at home. Yesterday I celebrated the 7th anniversary of the day I left England, and began my journey of fulfilling my life long dream of living overseas. As I reflected on the one day that changed my life forever, I appreciate what I did to make that happen.
Last year I began pursuit of a new dream; starting a creative agency. I have a vision of what the agency can become and everyday I’m putting in the work to create that reality. I find it helps to remind myself of what It took to achieve a huge goal and make that happen as I begin the journey of a new dream.
If you want something to change in your life I believe there are steps you can take to make it happen.
My dream was so concrete in my mind. I could smell it, feel it, taste it, hear it and see myself living the dream. The picture of what I had in my mind was clear to me. I believe you have to be able to see the future to be in control of it.
I don’t know who but someone great once said ’There is cannot be a plan B because it distracts from plan A.’ Stating that I would never return to my friends and family only made me more determined to make my dream come true. How would I look if i didn’t make it happen? How could I live with myself if I broke my word. Telling people what you want out of life can help to solidify it in your mind. Others will help keep you on track and hold you accountable.
Great things take time, they don’t happen overnight. Goals are achieved through the build up of repeated action. Our daily efforts compound overtime to become something bigger. A guy I met traveling said to me “people always wish they had something, they say ‘oh i wish i could travel like you do.’ what they really wish is that they wanted it.“ When you want something enough you can have it. You need to make the time, and put in the work, everyday if you have to. Whatever it takes to make it real. If you can’t do that are you sure you really want it? If you want something enough the work will come easy.
Life is for living. The goal is not the goal the journey is the goal. Arriving where we want to be is great and comes with a lot of satisfaction but only when you can look back and appreciate what it took to get there. In life there are rarely shortcuts. To get to where you want to be you may have to learn new things and overcome challenges. It’s what you become from those experiences that get you to where you are going.
It’s easy to say some day or I’ll do it later. Unfortunately that doesn't get you what you want. Today is the day you make the change. Every day you dedicate to your dream is a day closer to it. Every day you miss is a day father from it. You can’t ever give up. Not when you’ve come so far. Not when you’ve made it so close.