Road Trips & Sunset Dips... (The path to follow your bliss...)

Last month we took the first Free Spirit mini road trip! Just a few days up the coast for me & my coalition buddy Alison, a fellow yoga teacher and creator & founder of Detox Yoga Mat Spray. Our mission was simple.. Discover some awesome little studios, spread the love of our brands, do some yoga, eat yummy heathy food.. And make it to Byron for sunset!!

I'm so grateful to have met Alison. Owning your own brand and business is of course totally awesome and very liberating but it can also be a bit overwhelming, scary and lonely! Having someone to bounce ideas off.. Ask for valuable opinions.. Whinge to even! Someone to ask "am I crazy or is this an awesome idea.." Is almost essential especially in the creative process. And the answer usually is "Yes.. You're completely bonkers.."

We stop at some beautiful yoga studios.. The Yoga Loft in Newcastle being one of my favourites, with it's beautiful views over the ocean - I can only imagine how beautiful it is to practice a morning flow here at sunrise!

We continue up to Byron Bay arriving around sunset just in time for a sunset dip in the ocean!

As it's Friday the next morning, I go down for a “Fluro Friday Surf” with Fiona, who I've met through the One Wave community, helping to raise awareness for mental health. Fiona also owns her own brand “Fair Tale” and hand makes all the clothes she sells. It turns out she's also on a road trip (be it a longer one) selling her creations in the markets and living the bohemian lifestyle that encompasses this dreamy laid back town of Byron Bay..

The more time we spend hanging out, visiting different places, beaches, cafés.. Chatting to locals.. I realise there's an abundance of this free spirited feeling here.. So many people loving the beach surf laid back lifestyle that they've made their life work for them.. Rare is it to find anyone with a 9-5 job here.. Instead it seems more common to start a small business doing what you love.. Whether that's teaching yoga, making clothes or being a creator of chocolate covered caramel popcorn (yes this small company exists.. Is in Byron.. And I want shares!) ..

It seems more and more people are ditching what is to be considered a normal working life.. And following their bliss.. and enjoying the simple things in life. Yes they may not have all the money in the world.. But they have a life that they love.. And that's the sacrifice you make when you make the transition from the big corporate world.. 

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Of course it's not all roses.. You often don't know where your next pay check is coming from.. You handle rejection every single day and try not to take it personally.. Your business is you and not everyone is gonna love you.. But some do and that gives you that little bit of light to keep on going! And although the worse part is that it's god damn lonely sometimes.. every day I meet people in the same boat.. Doing the same thing.. Following their bliss.. And then it's not so lonely.. And not scary at all.. It all just suddenly makes sense...

For we are all free spirits really.. Some of us just haven't learned to fly yet... xx