Why I decided to design my life:
Like many people, I grew up with lots of messages that told me what to believe and how to live. It felt easy for me to default to following the crowd and the traditional narratives without asking myself – is this what I want?
A few years ago, I discovered the concept of designing your life. This is when you use design principles like research, experimentation, prototyping and iteration to create a life that is full of joy and meaning – and most importantly, right for you.
So on the brink of my 30th birthday, I decided that instead of listening to external (and internal) ‘shoulds’, I will spend a year exploring different possibilities – and becoming the best version of myself. I had always wanted to be a digital nomad, so I spent 16 months travelling 16 countries and working from them – including Colombia, Bhutan, Mexico, India, Peru, Italy and the US.
During this time, I made some pretty unconventional choices. I threw myself into a wild variety of things – tried freelancing for the first time, visited and lived in all kinds of communities, got to know people with completely different lived experiences, talked to locals and other travellers, took up new hobbies, discussed big concepts and ideas, and learned a hell of a lot.
I’ve recently returned back to Australia feeling much clearer about what I want and don’t want. I’m still on this journey, but I’ve realised that you don’t have to quit your life to design it. It’s a lifelong pursuit and a mindset that can be applied wherever you happen to be in the world, including at home. I fully intend to stay curious, get out of my comfort zone, actively seek out new experiences, and meet people with different perspectives.
If you’re keen to find new ways to live in alignment with your values and beliefs, Designing Your Life is worth a read.
For more big ideas, check out Unconventional – a brand new publication that aims to challenge the way that society is, and how it can be. I’m hoping it can be a reminder that there are so many weird and wonderful ways to not only live in the world, but change it for good. @georgiaabroad
