Max's Island

During his career, seasoned TV personality Simon Reeve traveled too many places around the world presenting television shows…but it was Africa, especially South Africa, that really captured his heart.

From the moment he first visited Zimbabwe in the 1990’s, he was captured by the smells, the air … the charms. So much so, that in the late 1990’s he moved his family to Botswana and formed a production company attached to a safari operation.

Arriving by Qantas jet in Johannesburg they immediately bought a 4WD and drove the 1500 km’s to Botswana and set up home in Maun, a service town for the safari industry.

For the next two years they lived the adventurous life…with Simon producing TV Series’ and capturing the real life experiences on safari to sell this “dream” to the rest of the world.

He describes this time by saying, “You are truely living … you’re not just existing”

This obsession continues for Simon to this day. Experience this feeling from some great imagery and stories at www.simonreeve.com.au

Courtnee Nichols may only be in her late twenties but she has made a multitude of mature decisions to reshape her life … and career. Many of these decisions occurred when she considered going to University as a mature aged student, after originally qualifying as a Jewellery Designer from TAFE and then 10 years working in retail.

The compelling influence behind this decision to go to Uni is summed up in her own words:-

“I still wanted that “ME” coming through … that possibility of a career lurking in the distant to come back to after children … it was driving me”

Her choice to enrol for a degree in Interior Architecture was also inspired by the ethereal concept of “space”. Courtnee has a great sense of how ‘biased’ spaces can be, especially against people with disability. Whilst she acknowledges achieving Australian Standards are essential, she strongly believes we need to be more open minded about … how people feel … how we can make them feel … and making sure we keep our spaces specific to the cause and open for the cause.

Disability is best defined as … “A physical or mental condition you have to plan around … EVERY DAY”

Natalia Hodgins future continues to take shape, even with the challenges around chronic and invisible illness and the acknowledgement of her disability. In her own words, the view of a bright future has been set after … “accepting that I was disabled and leaning into that community and that word”

Taking inspiration from other disability role models, including Caroline Casey and Carly Findlay, Natalia’s proactive approach to her life is now shaping a bright future.

In this episode, Natalia introduces her involvement with the The Hireup Board Observership Program, a program aimed at increasing opportunities for people with disability.

https://hireup.com.au/the-hireup-board-observership-program/

Connect with Natalia on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-hodgins/

Natalia had just turned 30 and was living the dream … achieving the #1 thing on her bucket list.

She found herself living and working in New York City. Working for the Australian Consulate and hanging out in a share house in SOHO, Manhattan. Daily life involved going too many incredible cultural experiences and this included one where she was “standing next to Nicole Kidman … and with Bill Clinton in the aisle across from her”.

BUT, then the dream turned into a nightmare.

Natalia caught a virus and was exposed to “toxic mould” … this triggered an illness where she got sick … and never got better.

She became trapped in a situation where it took 2 years … and spending $100,000 of her own money … just to get to a point where finally someone in the medical world was able to help.

Her experience to find a diagnosis was lengthy, stressful, expensive and totally frustrating.

Elena Brand is an avid second hand shopper and on one trip she discovered a book … a book that triggered a life change, relationship changes and ultimately a career change.

The book was “The Tibetan book of Living and Dying” by Sogyal Rinpoche.

All of Elena’s life changes occurred after reading just 25 % of the book and engaging in a 10 minute exercise about dying … so, with some experience in living but no experience in dying, she had the realisation there was more to life.

The career pivot into “counselling” and developing her human skills saw the universe deliver a dream job where her newly acquired wisdom was matched to her previous career experience.

But most importantly, this process changed the way she viewed the role she played … in her own life.

Travis Thomas started Team Buffalo with a deep belief that there can be a space for conscious, leadership driven organisations.

He built this company on the idea of being honest and “calling things” as they are.

His WTF Wednesday’s are testament to this.

And did you know … when a storm approaches, cows run horizontally along the plain to get away from danger. Unbeknown to the cows, they are too slow to outrun it AND most storms move horizontally on the plain. This means cows, seeking to avoid pain, spend significantly more time stuck in pain and scrambling to survive. Poor cows.

Conversely, buffalo anticipate the storm. They monitor it and charge directly into the storm. Why? They know it means they spend less time in pain and that the best results come from embracing the inevitable change.

Learn from Travis how this can work for your business. www.teambuffalo.co

Jacinta had a life changing health incident in her early 30’s.

Her father had been “nagging her for 4 years” to get tested for a cancer gene he knew he had … and had a 50% chance of passing it on.

Finally, after much coaxing she visited the medical professionals to be checked … and hopefully cleared…BUT that wasn’t to be the case. The resulting 3.5cm tumor in her bowel meant she was in surgery within 3 weeks.

Taking the time to reflect after the surgery she began to focus on what was ahead of her in her life…and her mortality.

Her positive approach to life and general sunny disposition has helped, as she has taken the time to re-evaluate her life … and at such an early age.

Listen to her story and her advice … it’s important.

“What happens to a DREAM deferred?”

Susan is from New Mexico in the USA, but has lived most of her adult life in Perth, Western Australia.

The desire was to take her husband and two boys to the US … to live, to connect with family and be “part of the mundane in each others lives.”

BUT, after over 3 years of careful planning, the ‘moment’ of leaving WA coincided with the world being exposed to a global pandemic. The plans, the future, the expectations of a different life were literally tipped upside down.

The risk to her family and the prospect of being separated if they became stranded in another country, was too much.

So after selling most of the families possessions, including the TV, beds and the couch, … preparing the house for rental … being left with only 4 of each eating utensils … IT HAD ALL CHANGED.

Now, one year on from this confronting situation, Susan reflects on what could have been … and also on the loving and positive experiences she has received from her friends and the community.

Vicki Barry is a leader in Perth when it comes to planning for end of life. She will talk about it to anyone and loves to help people plan for it.

She found this ‘purpose’ in life by accident … literally by an accident when she was only 17 years old.

Vicki was only seconds away from death after a car accident, just after finishing high school, when she was saved by a friend who tragically lost his life in a motor cycle accident within a year…AND this all happening when her dad (diagnosed with cancer 9 days after the accident) was dying. In fact he passed away on the day exactly 12 months after the date of the accident.

This passion has lead Vicki to become involved in the “Advance Care Planning” movement, where she teaches people how to be pro-active in carefully planning for their death. This has resulted into her setting up a Not for Profit called “The Departure Lounge”.

You can find Vicki at one of her “Perth Death Cafe” gatherings where interested people come together in a safe space to discuss everything about death and dying. Check out their Facebook page for the next event:-

https://www.facebook.com/PerthDeathCafe

Neil Harrison joined the Whitfords Sea Rescue over 6 years ago as a volunteer with the idea of just helping out the community of “boaties” on a weekend afternoon.

But never in his wildest dreams did he think he would become so involved in “emergency first response”… and even attend a fatal shark attack during his first year of volunteering.

Nonetheless, he has embraced the passion of a Voluntary Marine Rescue (VMR) volunteer and has now become a fully qualified VMR 5 Skipper and regularly attends to people in need.

This very serious pastime does however have some fun moments. As he described when first joining … "I thought it would be cool playing with other people's toys", … Neil does in fact get to command and control boats that range from 12.5 Tonne workhorses to a couple of speedy, more versatile boats that can do up to 45 knots in the right conditions.

People like Neil are truely valuable members of the community and hopefully his story will inspire you.