Road trips, Clare Bowditch & The Big Hearted Business (un) conference

Road trips. Don’t they just remind you of a little microcosm of life? Stuck in a car for days on end as you traverse the country, means you experience all the highs, and all the lows, of family life. There is always a settling in period in our car. A time where everyone is getting their bearings and finding their place in this little moving house, our belongings at first neatly packed in various spaces, crammed to bursting. It doesn’t take long before these lines get crossed and “space creep” starts to become an issue. Not to mention the crumbs and food wrappers! And eventually, the kids settle in to a rhythm and the travelling becomes our life. I love it.

There are moments of wonder when someone notices an animal, sign or natural wonder. Moments where you really just want someone to get you a fork so you can stab it in your eye, as the white lines go on and on and the children’s voices become a monotonous drone in the background. Moments where somebody needs to pee NOW (in the middle of a freeway, coming down a twisty mountain road or in the middle of a city you have never been to before). Moments of total hilarity when the family joke of the trip is born and told over and over, or when you are playing car games that make absolutely no sense and it does not matter at all.

Best of all there are moments where you realise that nobody and nothing else in the world matters right at this moment. Just these people right now, right here in your car, travelling down the road. Road trips, in fact teach you mindfulness. This becomes harder as the oldest in your tribe grows up and moves out and it is no longer “all” of you in that car. But the memories of all the road trips with him in the car are still all mingled up with the experiences of each new trip, and the reminder that life goes on, just as you go on down the road to the next town, the next sleeping spot, the next adventure. And that is life really isn’t it.

We have just headed off on a new road trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. I am going to the fabulous Clare Bowditch’s Big Hearted Business (un) Conference. I joined this event virtually last year. I laughed. I cried. I learned. I made some big life changing decisions. And that was just watching it virtually, well after the event had actually happened. I made the commitment to myself to get there in person this year. And here I am. Headed there right at this moment.

Clare describes this weekend event as “precisely the “educational community event” we wish someone else had built a long time ago for people like us.” She goes on to say that traditional business conferences really don’t ‘do it’ for people like her.

“There’s no art or beauty to them, the sandwiches suck, and they’re not very much fun.  Worst of all, they rarely touch on the fact that, for many people, business is about more than just making money (although, we teach that, too); it’s about making a difference.”

See what I mean? This may very well be a once in a life time, life changing kinda thing here people.

Clare also says “Most importantly, we’re here to help you build communities amongst yourselves, ones that last well beyond the weekend, and actually support you as you do this thing worth doing for the rest of your life: learn to make your living doing what you love in a way that contributes to the world.”

What a wonderful destination for a road trip. Oh, and we will be stopping on the way back for a few days in Dayelsford (always wanted to go there), where I will be taking lots of photos, scouring vintage stores (freight may be needed!), taking some time in the mineral baths and catching up with the lovely Monique from Dandelion Wood, where I will be learning how to use Websters Chalk Paint Powder and picking some samples up so I can get started with using and sharing this fantastic product with you, before it lands in my online store shortly!

By the time you read this I will already be on my way from our overnight in Horsham, to big old Melbourne. Our car will  be messy by then. Our outfits comfy. The kids will be happily listening to music and munching on holiday treats. Someone will spot a sheep or two, a cow and probably a horse. Much excitement will ensue. It will be cold outside of the car. We will stop for tea and cake. My hubby will be wetting himself with the excitement of seeing his football team play at the MCG tonight.

And I will be happy.

I will report back, tweet and post from the Big Hearted place I am headed to. Follow the hashtag #BHBC2014 to see it unfold.

Now to make sure I have packed that fork!

Helen

xx