At 23, I worked in a job going nowhere. At 25, I’d spent the best part of my early years in a place that didn’t inspire me. At 27, I led a lifestyle that left me wanting for more.
By 30, I had changed it all.
In my twenties, I quickly realised I’d given up any control over my life. I only saw longing and regret stretching out before me.
I needed to take the control back.
I knew there was more to life and I wanted to discover my calling at work, home and play. I needed to go out into the wider world and find something different. Discover my true passion. Create the life that I desperately wanted to lead.
I knew I had to search for my life less ordinary.
Ten years on and I know one valuable thing. I couldn’t wait for someone else to create the life I wanted for me. I had to go out there and create it for myself.
I also learnt that I could never stop searching, exploring or looking for more so I could constantly grow as a person and achieve the most from my time on this planet.
I think about and work hard to create the life I want to lead every single day.
It’s not a one-time decision or sudden flash in the pan.
I didn’t move abroad to rest on my laurels once I got there. I didn’t find my own tiny piece of paradise to then sit still and kick back. I didn’t choose to work the way I do only to tread water without progression. I’m always searching for ways to make life better.
For me, the path to a more meaningful and fulfilling way of life rests on three key elements:
- Location – finding the environment that brings out the best in you, both home and away.
- Lifestyle – being active, healthy, with family and generally outdoors.
- Occupation – the job that lets you live that lifestyle and a way of working that gives you the freedom to lead the life you truly want.
Location. Lifestyle. Occupation.
L. L. O.
Life. Less. Ordinary.
I look at where I live and whether it’s still right for us. Are we connected to, and inspired by, this environment? Can we afford this life without losing our quality of life? Is it right for us longer-term?
I consider lifestyle and challenge whether I’m travelling enough? Am I active? Spending enough time with family? Healthy in body and mind?
I assess my business and how to make it better fit the way I want to work. Do my clients match my life philosophy? Have I created true location independence? Am I writing the kind of content that keeps people coming back for more?
I review, revise and move forward. Search, discover, create.
I’ve found that unless you’re one of the lucky few that 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.
If you think you’ve created the perfect life, don’t stop there. Adjust the edges, widen the boundaries, broaden the mind.
Never stop searching. Never stop discovering. Never stop creating.
Never stop looking for more.
How do you ensure life is lived the way you want it to be? What do you do to make sure this is the case? Share with me in the comments below.
Wow, Russell, this is one of your best posts ever. I got goosebumps reading it! As you know, I absolutely agree with you. And my journey is similar to yours: always striving for the best, creating a life you truly want to lead and that resonates with your heart – never settling with less. In so doing always finding/maintaining your balance. I make sure that I lead the life I want to lead by regularly checking in with myself, questioning does this feel right? Am I happy? What small step can I take to do something about this if it’s not working out? Journalling, meditating and walking in nature all help me to (re)connect with myself.
By the way, I love what you did with LLO! 🙂
It seems so simple when you see it in words but how many people actually stop and think about their lives in this way? The cocky yet shortsighted ‘sense of entitlement’, increasingly prevalent among the ‘youff of today’ is not going to deliver unless honed into a workable plan and stuck to. This post is proof that needn’t be as daunting as it sounds.
I would say not many, Aisha. And it really shouldn’t be that daunting. The ‘youff’ need to pull their heads in and start figuring it out. Great to hear from you 🙂
Thank you, Carrie! Lovely of you to say so. And why can’t we constantly review where we’re at with our journey and make adjustments to set us on an even more fulfilling path? It might sound like mumbo jumbo preachy rubbish but it works! It’s about wanting to lead the life you really want to lead – don’t settle for less, strive for more, keep on searching. It could seem like hard work to some but it’s changed my world and I want to share the things I’ve learnt 🙂
Hi Russell,
I enjoyed reading your blogs! I love the photos of the places you’ve been to. These photos are memories to last you a lifetime. The places you have been to and are going to see need not be
forgotten. I can’t wait to read more about your travels and view your wonderful photos.
You can actually share your photos and videos to more people. I discovered an awesome website that lets you share pictures and videos and helps you remember specific locations you’ve traveled to.
Have you ever taken photos on a trip only to get home and not be able to remember where you took “that” shot? http://www.Trailu.com is your Travel log, Travel Diary or travel companion. As long as your phone or camera is set as “GEO Tagging” or “Location Tagging” to ON, the GPS data of exactly where you took the photo will be decrypted from your photo and #Trailu.com will place your photo on your very own personal travel log map of the world so you can quickly and easily see every photo you’ve taken and exactly where it was taken.
Just yesterday I was talking to my #travel buddy that I do a “blokes Trip” with once a year and I was looking at a photo that I swore was taken in Da Nang in Central Vietnam – But when I uploaded it, the GPS data said it was taken in Southern Vietnam and then I compared it to other photos the same day and yep, it was taken in Vung Tau in Southern Vietnam.
Very powerful and totally FREE – I hope it is useful to you. It’s very user-friendly and you’ll never forget those wonderful places you’ve traveled to. Just create an account (quick and easy) and share your amazing photos for more people to see and enjoy.
I really hope to see all your photos on the Trailu site!
Thanks Tanya. My first thought was to take down this comment but then I thought it might be useful for others reading this post, given we all take so many photos these days.
Love this post. Thanks for your insights Russel. I’m about to make a move abroad and this is great timing.
No worries, Jonathan. Appreciate your comment and the very best of luck with the move! 🙂