I have pondered what I was going to write about, as my first post from Sydney, Australia, since the day I arrived. As a writer, I think it’s natural to find a message in just about everything that happens in life, and to then get caught up in delivering it perfectly. It is however, a beautiful thing, and such a gift when we learn to do that for ourselves. That is,  to find a message, a lesson, strength, insight, awareness, and a new tool for living, in all the little challenges we face each day.

So much has been happening on this journey, in such a small amount of time, I kept thinking, “where do I begin” and “how can I possibly express and share my experiences with my readers in the most effective way.” Well, the answer I came up with was….”JUST BEGIN.” Afterall, this is only one article, and one of many opportunities to write and share my thoughts and experiences with you:)

One teaching I have received as I have walked my path in life, is that of living life authentically. This word is one we tend to hear about often, but do you ever stop and really explore it, and what it means for you, for your life, and for your unique expression?

Many years ago, when I began working with my Life Coach, I was struggling with my career path. I have always had a love-hate relationships with Personal Training, because it constantly challenges me to find ways to work in my industry that feel supportive of my deepest intentions and beliefs about what Fitness really means to me and how it can play a role in healing people’s Spirits and lives. Tracy said to me “Erin, if you could do this job in a way that was unique to your expression of life and fitness and what you believe about its healing powers, how would that look for you? How might that change the way you design people’s workouts and how you speak to them about their own wellness and the choices that they make?”

When Tracy asked me these questions, I felt fear, but at the same time, liberation. I had never thought about it this way. I had never considered the option of really creating my own expression of health, wellness, fitness, and life skills. This was how my journey really began to evolve and as a result, I got to discover more and more of my authentic self and how that plays a role in the world.

When I chose to make this move to Sydney, Australia, after building a life in Los Angeles, California for the last 7  years, I knew it would come baring many challenges, and it would require more strength and courage from me than I was currently accessing. This is exactly what attracted me to making this move, for as much as I feared, what I wanted was a much greater pull than my fears. I wanted to experience true transformation, in a way I had not previously been ready for. The last seven years of my life were preparing me for this move, and I know that in my bones. I did not, and still don’t, know exactly how this will all unfold. However, I know that when we remain committed to our process and to the journey, and stay with it no matter what fears try to yank us off the path, that there is pure goodness waiting on the other side for us. Well…I want that pure expression of goodness as me and my life, so here I am.

I believe we all crave expansions, expression, to have a voice, to feel heard, to feel loved and accepted, and to know we are validated. Well, my attempts at achieving all of these things taught me, that I cannot go anywhere else to receive these gifts, but inside of myself. I now understand that challenges, change, confronting fears, and stepping into new places and roles that require new levels of strength and courage, are all avenues for us to access our inner selves, and that ultimately lead us to a place of more self-love and compassion, forgiveness, healing, self-respect, self-esteem, and the kind of  inner joy that is unwavering regardless of external circumstances.  THIS is why I do things like move to Sydney, Australia to embrace a completely different and new experience.

It is different here in ways I did not expect, and not so different in the ways I did expect. None of this is good or bad. It just is what it is. It’s funny how just not even knowing how to cross the street anymore, can really make you feel like a newborn baby, feeling everything for the first time. It can send you into a sense of  HOLY SH** or a sense of AWE, but we always get the choice.

Literally I have to check the parked cars, before crossing streets on my morning runs, so I know which way to look for on-coming traffic. I also keep finding myself on the wrong side of the running path, as everyone here does everything on the opposite side of things as Americans. I know I will get use to it, so for now, I am really embracing the childlike energy this keeps me in, as I look to the people around me, to teach me what to do. It challenges me to look outside for guidance, whilst staying completely connected to my own inner guidance to point me in the direction of the right people to ask and places to try.

I have always owned a car. Public transportation was always fascinating to me, but not something that was readily available anywhere I lived. In L.A. it was more accessible than anywhere, but still, that city really isn’t set up well for it. Here, I have been learning to catch buses, and grocery shop without a car trunk to put it all in, and to be creative with the ways in which I get my groceries home. These things all seem so small, but they inspire such BIG change as a result.

This move has required more trust from me than I had available when I got here. So this is where I am now…learning even more about trust. I am exercising a new muscle, the one that keeps me feeling the fear and doing it anyway, willing to be uncomfortable for the sake of discovering more truth and living my life in the best possible way for me. This is the kind of workout that falls under the umbrella of my unique expression and beliefs about what fitness really means 😉

Fitness is about living a Fit Life. It’s about stepping into uncomfortable situations that reveal our weaknesses to us, so we can make them stronger. Fitness is about nurturing our bodies, minds, and spirits in all the ways we can, by making conscious choices about what we eat, what we think, the words we use, how we treat others, and the way in which we spend our time. Fitness is a method, a way of life, and a philosophy that has the power to support expansion, connection, and to transform the world.

I will have you know, that although I have days that feel scary, and there are decisions I must make that I feel undecided about, and there is so much left in the unknown that it sometimes hurts and gives me a sick feeling in my stomach, I will not give up on myself, I will not give up on this journey, and I will not give up on you.

I invite you all to turn within, to be gentle with yourselves, to breathe deeply, to give yourselves the love and nourishment you deserve, and to allow yourselves to be vulnerable enough to reach out when you just need someone to give you directions, while at the same time staying connected to your truth.

I will be here, asking for directions and watching others cross the street so I learn how. I will be catching buses that may take me to an unknown destination, and I will be getting lost, only to find my way again. I will remain willing, courageous, and vulnerable. I will reach out for help, yet at the same time, I will be checking in with myself, and following my intuition, staying committed to walking this life as the most authentic expression of myself. I hope you are doing the same:-)

Please share your stories, or any questions and comments you may have for me, right here. I absolutely love hearing from you!

Sending you all so much love and light!

xoxo,

Erin