How a Moment in Time Can Change Your Life
Have you ever had an epiphany? A moment where all the planets aligned and you went “OH MY GOD WHAT AM I DOING?!”.
I seem to have those moments quite regularly, and it is often a seemingly innocent thing that sets me off into a direction of complete clarity, like the feeling when you have had dirty glasses, or bird crap and dust all over your windscreen, and you finally wipe it clean. All of a sudden you can SEE.
I have always been a person who is a bit of a Flibbertigibbet ( a bit like Maria), full of whimsy and magical thoughts, taken by the wind on just a single whiff of adventure. I also seem to be a bit of a chameleon and can become something or somebody else by sheer will power and heady lust for some unseen golden pot under the rainbow, or the thrill of something new – I am easily bored, and easily frightened.
When I was small, everything in my life was about words – reading words, writing words, singing words. Even in music and singing, one of my passions, the words meant far more to me than the sounds. I could be found reading the back of the cereal packet at breakfast if I had nothing else to hand. Books were read while walking. I would borrow a box full of books from the school library in the holidays and read from dusk to dawn. I was a member of the Possum Pages in the Sunday Mail, and would send poetry and short stories, often winning prizes. I won a book week award for one of my very first books in reception at school!
Words are in my blood. My parents, both English teachers, filled my head with words – poetry, film, plays, books, travel to far flung places. Stories and words were my everything. From this it made sense that all I would ever want to be was a writer. I lusted after the chance to change the world, because you see, my bohemian parents also instilled a sense of justice and humanitarian work inside my soul. A fire in my belly to change the world through the power of words, led me to wanting only to be a journalist. This was my only career choice and all of my work epxerience was in this area in high school. I even got a byline with my story in the Port Augusta Transcontinental for my piece on the local women’s shelter – the perfect combination for my social justice, word loving heart.
Yet it was not to be. I was distracted in year 12 by my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, which ruined my self esteem and made my life hell as I traveled through high school. While I still topped English (because I needed no effort where words were concerned), I struggled with some of the other subjects and whilst I passed quite well, did not score high enough to get into my number 1 choice – journalism. Instead I settled for social work, which was down the list a little and much more about the social justice part of me than the words. I tried other ways to get into journalism, sitting a cadetship exam at the Advertiser, but sadly my lack of general knowledge and politics did not get me over the line. In this case words were not enough.
And so I went on into a career as a social worker in child protection. After a while and many broken children later, it broke me. I won’t go into that story here, but the years that followed living with depression and anxiety were tough. It was words that got me through – both in therapy and in poetry. Poetry healed my soul and made sense of the journey.
Then the internet happened and I fell in love with the idea of sharing words and helping people via the web. I left my work as a social worker and founded www.diabetescounselling.com.au – an online counselling service for people with diabetes. I have been able to keep this going ever since.
In 2013 I was craving more words, more stories and less diabetes, and Recycled Interiors was born – the passion I have for the planet, for people, for animals, for humans and for justice in the world, all wrapped up in words – a blog. The perfect place for me to spend my time. It connected with many of you out there and grew far quicker than I could have imagined. Suddenly I was a WRITER. I was writing every day, I was changing lives and making a difference to the world through the power of words. Perfection.
Yet something drew me away, the need to support my family, to find other sources of income. And that old nagging desire to shift once I was going full steam ahead in a strong direction. People started to ask me to help with their blogging and social media. I could see that there was an opportunity, another pot under that rainbow, so I started consulting in social media. I liked it. I liked using my skills and knowledge to help other people in business become successful, yet still my heart was in a state of unrest.
I had built an online community of over 100,000 followers for Recycled Interiors, and here I was starting from scratch to try and build a new community for my social media business. My idea to run some online courses and do a bit of consulting was starting to take over from my real passion – writing.
I recently launched this business as www.care4social.com and am excited about the possibilities for this and where it could lead. Yet I have tossed and turned at night, and been unsure of myself yet again.
Then a couple of things happened.
This –
And I read “Life in Half a Second’ by Matthew Michalewicz
If you have not read it, you must. It reminds you that in the scheme of the planet we have just HALF A SECOND of life..that there is no time to be wasted waiting, or settling. You must take control of your life and do what matters to you.
What happened for me was twofold. I realised after the koala experience, with this koala I had been interacting with for over 6 weeks on my walking trail, that I wanted to do something for animal conservation, that the thing I should have done in life was to work with animals and the environment…. But, I said to my son, how would I do that at 48 years old, finishing a PhD and running numerous businesses? I will have to settle for what I have, I thought.
Then I read Matthews book…and I realised that the thing that was always there, the words, the making a difference to the world, to people’s lives and to our planet….it was RECYCLED INTERIORS….
It is here that I get to write every day, more than once a day if I wish. It is here I can make a difference in the world through collaborations with the right people, through public speaking, through workshops, through words. It is here that I can combine my love of creativity, of home, decorating, vintage style, of family and people, of animals and our planet – it is here I can speak to you.
I am making sure that Recycled Interiors becomes a powerhouse when it comes to blogging in the world. That it becomes a place people come when they want to know how they can do more for our world, when they want to do better for themselves, for the planet and for each other. It is here I can reach out to you and ask you to make a change and every small change feeds into bigger and biggers ones.
It is here I am home.
So I will not be trying to change directions. I will not be trying to make Care 4 Social the biggest part of my life. I will still be creating social media courses and helping you with your social media because that matters to me too, because when I help you to use your words on social media, that helps even more people and makes a difference. But I will be focusing most of my energy right here. Right where I am meant to be.
Thank you to the Koala for the feelings and Matthew for the words.
Have you had one of these moments lately or are you wondering where you are headed in life?
Helen
xx
Great writing.
thank you
Great Helen. Really enjoyed your thoughts. Flick Lobban have a look around this! U0001f499
thank you so much Jan Withers
thank you Janet. It’s our beach shack
thank you Ann. It was a special night
I’m in the transition – waiting – for – my – epiphany – but – stuck phase which is a struggle but I look forward to the day I can look back and see why this hell period was necessary. But till then…… Thanks for sharing. Thanks to the koala too! Animal epiphanies are the best.
hang in and do what you need. It will come when you least expect it. And be sure to share with someone. My koala has been so wonderful!
What a wonderful journey! I wish we weren’t half a world away…I would invite you out for coffee to celebrate your new “beginning.” I will enjoy following you and seeing what you create next!
Beautifully written Helen.
thank you Meg, it was a wonderful moment!
Wow.. Thanks for sharing the link, amazing. Just what I’ve needed right now U0001f44d
fantastic, hope it is useful and you get where you need to be
Lovely post Helen, thanks for sharing. I will look up this book and videos.
great stuff, I hope they are useful
Incredibly beautiful photo….wow..
Indeed…l can be trying to resolve an issue internally for ages and have woken from my sleep with a resolution and a new way forward U0001f603
that is brilliant Ronda. Such a good feeling!
That is a lovely post! I imagine it will resonate with many people who realise that life is too short and far too valuable to not do what makes your heart sing. Fantastic that the first post I have seen from you in ages in this one – just lovely.
thank you so much Lesley, that is such good feedback and you have made my day 🙂
That just looks magical!
thank you so much Meg Solly
you are so welcome Monique Cahill I hope it is helpful
thank you Fiona Horton I hope you find them useful, it is so important to find people who really help you work it all out
thank you Christine Swain
thank you Julie-Dianne Gates it is at our beach shack and was one of those perfect nights
than you Kaye Jones it was such a perfect evening
Ronda Ellen that is wonderful to hear, I hope you are headed where you need to be now, great work
oh thank you Lesley Beshaw that is my hope in sharing this post. I think life is too short for us to wallow around wondering what we are doing. I really appreciate your words
it was one of the best nights, we are lucky to have sunsets like this at our shack Stephanie Umlas
thank you Beccy Campbell it was a spectacular night!
Yes! Very lucky!
thank you David U0001f60a
Well I really look forward to watching the site – I’ve really enjoyed your blogs, both writing & subjects!
Bought the book today… Look out world U0001f44dU0001f603
yeah baby! !!
Yes. I have had a few over the years. That’s when the truth of the Holy Spirit breaks into your existence like a freight train. Scary but exhilarating stuff.
I really love this post Helen, so honest and I can relate to it so much. I think sometimes we can get swept up with things and we need to stop and remember what it is that we really want, what we really love doing and just do more of that! It sounds like you are excited for the future- I wish you all the best.
thank you Sarah – that is so true, we just get onto a path sometimes like a runaway train! I am definitely very excited and focused and feeling good! thanks for reading and sharing x
What a messenger the koala is, delivering you the answers stopping you in your tracks and saying slow down you already have the answers.
Love you honey!
loved reading this – in some ways i feel i am so similar to you but in others i am so very very different – you inspire me to do things – i am still trying to figure out what lights up my soul but hopefully i will one day 🙂
thank you Sharyn – I am sure you will find what it is you want to do, it may be sitting in front of you like it was for me – keep you eyes out for koalas!
thank you Eden U0001f496
You’ve made a difference to my life Helen. I look forward to all your posts & feel a connection. Keep up all the good work U0001f60a
thank you Brenda that is such heartwarming feedback U0001f496
Beautiful. …I know I look forward to seeing and reading your posts. With all my struggles and difficulties in my life, your site has given me inspiration. I am soo glad you are following your heart and passions. Reaching out and teaching the world is so very important. You make a difference in one person’s life and they make a difference to another person’s life and so on and so forth.
thank you Emily, that is a lovely thing to say and I agree, we are all connected in some way and it is so important to share so other people can see they are not alone
definitely a ripple effect – thanks for reading and sharing your beautiful words
Sharyn W I am sure you will – keep your eyes out for koalas! thank you for reading and sharing x
myvintagechild so amazing and since that day he has gone after 6 weeks or more of popping into my sight most days! Love you too! x
SarahdipityBlog thank you Sarah – it is so true and I get like a runaway train sometimes! Thanks for sharing. I am excited about the rest of my life as a writer 🙂
indeed it can be a mixed lot of feelings!
thank you so much Lesley 🙂
very much so – you need to take life and breathe right into it – thanks Lesley
that is brilliant Ronda!!
thank you Julie-Dianne it was a special night
fab! You will love them!
fantastic Monique I hope you find them useful on your journey x
thank you Meg
@Betsy Muse I would love that!!
it is so hard to be in that phase but knowing you are there is half the battle and the way through
thank you Emily Jayne Brown that has made my day reading this. It is so important that we make a difference in the world I believe
I sent you a message. I can relate to nearly everything in this post. It’s uncanny!
oh that is great! thanks for reading