I’m Russell Ward. I’m an expat and a writer. I share my experiences of making major life changes for the better – from moving abroad to changing my working world, exploring the great outdoors to learning to make time for the things that matter.
I created In Search of a Life Less Ordinary (ISOALLO) because I wanted to live my life to the fullest, not watch it pass me by. I wanted more from this life and I point blank refused to settle for less.
I knew there were others out there like me who didn’t believe that passion, wonder and adventure were reserved for the special few. I knew there were people out there who did what they loved and focused on the things that mattered most. People who created lives with more adventure, opportunity and even the chance to live someplace new.
If this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place. Through my own experiences, I help you navigate these major life-changing events. Through my own journey, I help you bring about positive change.
What I write about
Moving Abroad
I write about moving abroad and discovering environments that bring out the best in me and mine. I’ve moved internationally four times and I write about the highs and lows that follow.
Travel
I write about my passion for travel, adventure and exploring the world, be it local, national or international. I prefer to escape the cities and head into the unknown where the wild awaits.
Career
I write about changing my career from the corporate grind to a way of working that suits my lifestyle, not the other way around. Location independence and a flexible set-up are key.
Lifestyle
I write about being active, healthy, spending more time with family and in the great outdoors. I try to create a lifestyle where I live my life the way I want, not the way other people expect.
I work on these areas every day to create the life I want to lead. They are at the core of everything I write about and everything I do.
I’ve found that unless you’re one of the lucky few who always knew what they wanted or were happy to accept their lot in life, you can’t afford to sit back. You have to be curious, open-minded and action-oriented. But, most of all, you have to be brave.
The brave strive for more, push harder, look deeper. The brave don’t accept the way things always have been and the way they will always be. The brave want more.
And If you think you’ve created the perfect life, don’t stop there. Adjust the edges, widen the boundaries, broaden the mind.
Live where you want to live. Travel to where you want to go. Do what you love. Be who you want to be.
Never stop searching. Never stop discovering. Never stop creating. Never stop looking for more.
More about me
I’m a British-born expat and writer, traveller and blogger who left England in 2003 in pursuit of less stress, more emphasis on the great outdoors, and a healthier, fuller way of living life.
My tendency towards exploring the finer details of creating a new home abroad makes In Search of a Life Less Ordinary just that – less ordinary. After a stint in Canada, you’ll now find me fulfilling my life goals in Australia. I write about the various aspects of my adventures in being an expat abroad, leaving no stone unturned.
Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with my wife and son, I have written for The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, Mamamia, Fodor’s, Medibank, HSBC, eBay, Tourism Tasmania and others. I have featured on Sydney local radio and appeared on House Hunters International, a top-rating U.S. lifestyle television show about moving abroad.
In Search of a Life Less Ordinary is an award-winning blog and a finalist in the annual Best Australian Blogs competition. As a blogger, I work closely with various organisations to create fresh and dynamic online content for their brands.
In a former life, I was a policy and communications advisor with the Australian and Canadian Governments and worked in senior advisory roles with professional services firms in London and Sydney.