What I Have Learnt About ME...

This is a personal situation email, so stop reading now if you want something technical.

5 years ago I left Perth. I was a business owner of a $3M+ company with 17 team members which we grew from scratch in 4 short years.  I moved to country NSW (across the other side of the country), to live a different life and create a new “Trent”.

Before I left I was very stressed, working long hours and always chasing my tail to “get more” and be “more” successful. The choice to go country lifestyle was to settle down, move closer to family and get to know myself and my family more, with less pressure and more time.

YET, it has not all been roses. It has been a very hard journey because I did not know how to handle the solace, I did not know how to have a relationship with myself and my family and I did not know how to connect to people outside of the business context.

This may sound really stupid, but I really realised that the bulk of my attention in the past 5 years was about developing skills and prowess in business. Even though I learnt a lot about people skills and communication, I realised I was not apt at applying them to the most important people in my life – drats!!!

Last night my wife and I were talking about what we have learnt in this part of our journey and here are some of the lessons we have learnt;

• I do not need a large business to be happy and provide for my family
• I do not need a luxury lifestyle to connect to my family and feel happy
• I am ok with who I am and just need to live into this more
• The simple things in life are ALWAYS the best
• I do not need to hide away from people in the country as I love to connect
• I love being with family and friends and need to get back to it, with intention!
• LIFE is about connection, not success

You are probably reading this and think “oh doh” Trent, you did not need to waste your 5 years to learn this when you can read about it or hear this in many conferences, workshops or audios.

You are right, as logically this is right. BUT …

We, who are experientially built or kinaesthetic’s (we need to experience things in order to learn them, I mean truly learn them), do need to. I knew this stuff in my head, but not in my heart. I feel so silly writing this, but am doing so because there might be one of you out there reading this that can relate in some way and say “Yes, that is me too and it is ok to go through the journey!”

It has not been a waste as I have seen places I never would have seen before, I have met people that have changed my paradigm on life forever, I have lived in a place that is aesthetically beautiful and I have shared many special times with family.

So what now you might ask …

Sally and I have made a new decision with this newfound awareness (albeit with great fear, yet excitement) to enter back into the world of city life.

Life is not a destination, but a journey as the old cliché states, so just embrace it and be open to different learning’s and results along the way!

I have to say, it is refreshing being so authentic and vulnerable with you and if you have read to this point, expect more of this in the future.

Here is to a long life of learning, freedom of choice and confusion as to what is happening right now, so that we ask ourselves better questions and pursue the answers with vigour to live and grow to be who we truly are.

Have a light and reflective week

TT