I was driving when I heard David Whyte say something that stopped me cold:

“The first step to something deeper is stopping the conversation you’re having right now.”

I sat with that for the rest of the drive.

For the past six months I’d gone quiet. Still thinking. But nothing felt ready to say. The voice I’d been writing from no longer felt like mine. It wasn’t just a voice. It was a version of me I’d constructed — curated, future-focused, and overly positive. But I’d quietly outgrown him.

When that happens, an anxious whisper creeps in: Who am I? What am I doing? Where is this going? Have I wasted time?

But I’m starting to see it differently. None of it was wasted. It was part of something.

Stepping away to find something deeper isn’t quitting — if anything it takes more guts than pushing on. Sometimes it’s the only honest move left.

What it requires is admitting something uncomfortable:

The voice I’ve been using is too small for where I’m going.

So you stop. You give it space. You let it dissolve.

Rush back before something has actually shifted and you just rebuild the same thing. Different words, same voice, same problem. The output feels off but you can’t locate why. Because what actually matters hasn’t surfaced yet.

I won’t romanticise it. The last six months were hard. The kind of hard where several things shift at once and none of them are under your control. There were weeks I thought the creative part of me had died — gone forever! For someone who has always counted on that part of themselves, that’s a terrible loss. But the one thing I didn’t do was force my way back. Strange, as I never consciously decided that. I just instinctively let the silence happen.

But I realised — David Whyte describes it as the inner core becoming molten. Not broken in the way we usually mean it. Something older than that. Molten. And in that state you can’t rush anything. You can’t force clarity. You can’t manufacture something honest just to stay visible. You have to wait until something settles into a form that can actually carry the weight of what you’ve been through.

The voice isn’t louder. But clearer. There’s something to say again, and this time it feels like it’s actually mine. Not a return to where I was. Something else. Something I don’t have a name for yet.

So I’ll ask you this:

Where in your life might you need to step away for a while?

Because if you’re constantly forcing the next thing, there’s a real chance you’re missing the thing that actually matters. Not because it’s hidden. Because you’re moving too fast to see it.

And sometimes the most honest thing you can do for your voice is to stop using it for a while.

It hurts the most that I have not been writing.
It hurts the most that I am no longer making music.
It hurts the most that I stopped doing things for myself.
It hurts the most that I let my creativity die.

Still, it never died in my heart.

It hurts the most that I no longer make time for reading.
It hurts the most that I only walk in the evening darkness.
It hurts the most that cooking has become a rush.
It hurts the most that I am so distracted by the phone in my pocket.

Oh, how I crave that clear, open space.

It hurts the most that I no longer travel to places that make me feel alive.
It hurts the most that I only see my friends a few times a year.
It hurts the most to have walked down countless dead ends.
It hurts the most to think of all the dreams I'll never have time to pursue in one lifetime.

But somehow, I make my peace.

It hurts the most that I don't smile as much.
It hurts the most that I chose money over passion.
It hurts the most that I can't remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep.
It hurts the most that a glass of red wine is my escape.

Anything to quiet the mind.

It hurts the most that I waste my days worrying about things that never happen.
It hurts the most to long for what I can't have.
It hurts the most to feel helpless.
It hurts the most that I have this ability to procrastinate on every damn decision.

What hurts the most is that I have no faith in myself.


It hurts the most that someone I love is dying.


And what rings and rings in the depths of my ears, is the time you said,
"We never have fun anymore."

It hurts the most that I have nothing left for you.
It hurts the most to realise that by disappointing me, I disappoint you.
It hurts the most that my kids mostly see the tired, angry, and exhausted version of me.
It hurts the most to think of all the ways I am failing as a parent.

But then I look at you, and your beautiful face,
and I realise
I am lucky
and I am
happy.

I've been away for a while. This is what came out when I finally sat down to write again.

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In what ways are you 
diminishing yourself?

In what ways are you 
diminishing your work?

In what ways are you 
diminishing your partner?

STOP.

It's time for you to rise.
It's time for your work to shine.
It's time for your love to blossom.

Spring is here.
If you choose it.

It starts with 
you.

Reflection

Reflect on the three questions opening this piece.

Life is hard enough as it is without all the extra unnecessary load we burden ourselves with. And there are the million ways we like to chop ourselves and our loved ones down.

You do this habitually, much to your better self’s disappointment in you.

But there lies the tricky bit.

Those habits.

Not so easily changed. And so we continually find ourselves doing things we aren’t proud of. But maybe that change could be a worthwhile pursuit…

How freeing would it feel to relieve yourself of that weight?

Just making all this conscious is a massive leap forward.

Once you are aware, you can act.

YOU can act.

If you choose to.

On today’s walk — the moon was spectacular! I’m endlessly fascinated by the beauty of the moon. How cool is it that we get to see it?

We all have our weak points, 
some more obvious than others. 
Are you aware? 
Or are you blind to them? 
If you know them, 
you can learn to live with them. 
If you don’t, 
they will rule you
and, 
eventually,
ruin you…

Reflection

Too many fall for their blind weaknesses in a momentary lapse of judgment, often in a pathetic way, which could have been easily prevented.

Pair with this quote from the Greek philosopher Diogenes:

“I have seen the victor Dioxippos subdue all contenders at Olympia and be thrown on his back by the glance of a girl.”

You have strengths.

But you also have those things which you know can bring you undone.

How can you better prevent those lapses from ruining you?

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On today’s walk — a family of ducks:

What you seek 
is closer than you think.

What you need 
is already in your life.

Where to go next 
is so obvious it’s hidden from you.

How to get there 
is by being more of yourself

When to do it is now, 
it’s always now. 

Your intuitions 
are truer than you like to admit.

Reflection

What is your intuition telling you in this moment right now?

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Misty mountain tops:

Sometimes I imagine 
having a beer in heaven 
with all my old work bosses and colleagues.
What a strange but wonderful thing 
it would be 
to all get together again, 
one last time.
The good and the bad.

It makes me realise 
how precious those times were.
Even the ones I didn't like, 
I have a strange fondness of now.
I think this is because, 
as I age, 
I realise that life is short, 
and bitterness only intensifies 
the suffering. 
You have to 
let go 
of what hurts. 

Where did they trend after we crossed paths?

To the mean ones, 
did they ever feel sorry 
for what they did?
Do they seek forgiveness?
Or are they just as blind to it now 
as they were back then?
I'm curious,
Did they ever work through their sh*t?
I hope they did 
for their sake 
and their loved ones. 
As I mature, 
I realise that everyone has their reasons
—their struggles 
and their pain. 
It's rarely personal 
but rather a reflection 
of what is happening 
inside. 

I want to say:
I forgive you.
I wish you well.
I wish you happiness.
And to be free of suffering. 

To the good ones, 
my appreciation and respect.
It takes a beautiful soul 
to show up with presence and grace 
in the face of adversity 
and let people know 
you care. 
Even when you don't see 
eye to eye,
There is a way you can carry yourself, 
That garnishes a certain 
admiration. 

And for the roles I played in the mess,
I am truly sorry.
But for the lessons gleaned 
I am eternally grateful.

Reflection

It’s fascinating how perspectives change over time.

Who did you think of during this piece?

Is there an action you need to take?

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Why don’t I have anything good to say 
today?
I don’t know.
The well is dry.
For too long now, 
it seems, 
I have wandered these dry, salty creeks, 
drawing no fruit from my labours.

I begin to wonder:

Why am I doing this?
What am I doing it for?
Is it worth it?

A voice screams from deep within:

"Yes."
"You are doing it for me!"

And for that one life 
is all the motivation 
you need.

Reflection

Hint:

“I” is “You”.

You are doing it for you.

Keep going.

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And there are plenty of other people to do it for… Here I am with my 2 boys last Sunday, celebrating Father’s Day here in Aus:

How often
do you think of your father?
And in what shade
of light?

Whether you like to admit it
or not
He occupies a cell 
inside your heart. 

Eternal bricks in your wall,
some good parts 
and some bad.
As much as you try to shake them
They live within 
you.

You smile 
at the ones you are grateful for.
And shudder 
at what you are not 
so proud to 
admit.

Your father,
A driving force in your life.

How did he shape you?
How did he inspire you?
And in what ways has he 
let you down?

Here lies a treasure trove of lessons,
Which becomes your gift 
to the world.

It’s interesting to ponder,
Who is your father?
Do you know him? (or did you)
Like, really, 
know 
him?

My guess is no, 
you only knew a part of him.
You only knew the part 
he wanted to show you.
Or the part he was 
incapable of 
hiding.

Think how much you 
hide 
from the world. 
Or what you can’t even remember 
to share. 

The struggles, 
triumphs, 
tough trade-offs, 
love 
and heartbreak. 
The ways you’ve grown, 
and things you'd rather forget.
It’s all there, 
in a human life.

We’re all 
a work in progress, 
and people are lucky 
(or not so lucky) 
to catch us 
at various stages 
of that 
progress.

And that 
is something 
all fathers 
wrestle with, 
whether they show it 
or not. 

Reflection

It’s Father’s Day here in Australia tomorrow…

Sit with this one.

There is something to be found.

How does this piece speak to how you want to show up for those you care about?

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On today’s walk, the sky was alive with passion:

Today, I pulled out an old journal, 
which I was excited to read, 
until a shadow cast over me.

I was shocked at how lost I was, 
how confused I was, 
and how scared I was.

And it wasn’t even that long ago.

The second thing that struck me 
was how now I could see those issues 
with absolute clarity. 

There were no longer any unresolved questions, 
and there was no noise muddying my mind. 
What was once a turbulent grey ocean 
was now a perfectly calm blue lake. 
I could see straight through that scared little boy 
to the heart of the issue 
and the right path forward.

Reflection

I don’t know what you are currently stuck on, or how lost you feel.

Maybe you have woken up in a deep, dark forest. You’ve grown tired of your current situation. You’ve started to question if you have been chasing the wrong things.

Hang in there.

Time has a way of revealing the answers you need. You wish it could be faster, but that’s not how the world works. We all process things on our own timeline.

Comparing to someone else doesn’t help. You don’t have the full context.

Be patient.

Have faith in your ability to find your way.

Cause you may learn just like I have from my trusty journal:

What you may now feel is of the utmost importance may be irrelevant one year from now.

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The season is starting to turn here. Longer, warmer days. Tonight was the first evening walk in a while walk without a winter jacket.

There are people who do the thing.

There are people who talk about doing the thing.
But they don’t actually do the thing.

There are people who are forever “learning” how to do the thing.
But they don’t really do the thing either.

Which one are you?

Reflection

There is something deeply meaningful to you.

You would love to be doing it, but you’re not.

You go to bed thinking about it and wake up pondering it. You talk about how you want to do it. Or you keep it to yourself and stew on it throughout the day. You soak up content like a sponge, learning all you can so that one day, you will be ready.

…

You are ready.

Get real with yourself.

Time to start walking the talk.

How can you start “doing the thing” today?

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I wanted to take a photo of the Super Moon this week. But then I forgot to do it as it appeared over the horizon, looking its largest. Later, I remembered and raced outside. This was the best I could capture:

Today, I hurt my back.
It’s true; 
the sick person only wants 
one thing…

Reflection

We are brutally reminded of our fragility and mortality in times like these.

We realise we have limits and can’t always push ourselves too hard without some form of consequence.

We now recognise that health is the most important thing, not false idols like money, power, or fame. Without health, it can be hard to enjoy the simplest of things.

And if that wasn’t enough, we punish ourselves internally as we sink into shame for neglecting all the ways we knew we could have prevented our pitfall.

How can I better protect my health?

Or how can I make myself strong?

Pair with an insight from Stephen R. Covey that always stuck with me:

Protect the goose that lays the golden eggs.

The goose is you, my friend!

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A beautiful winter night sky from a recent walk:

How does it feel knowing your best years are behind you?
How does it feel realising now that you didn’t even know at the time they were passing you by?
Did you enjoy them?
Did you have fun?

One day, you will probably come to see these current days as part of the “best years”.
Are you enjoying them?
Are you having fun?

Reflection

Do you ever catch yourself reflecting on your version of the “glory days”? And then you are stuck by some form of sadness, knowing they are long gone.

Here’s something I have noticed…

As time passes and we evolve through new experiences, those glory days expand or reappear in different forms.

You might feel like your best days are behind you now as you struggle to let go of a past self who was known for a particular thing or hung out with certain people you no longer align with.

But what you cannot see now is that you are on the cusp of a new horizon, a new chapter, and part of you hasn’t caught up yet to the change that is happening.

And that “new self” you are about to become may value slightly different things or appreciate new people and experiences.

What you think of as “best years” changes as you grow.

Eventually, you ripen like fruit on the tree and willingly enter this new chapter. Or the caterpillar turning into a butterfly is another metaphor for transformation. We may live one way for a long time and then seamlessly transition into what feels like a new life.

Suddenly, you are overflowing with possibility as you realise your best years are not behind you; you are making them now.

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Possibility on the horizon:

Words alone 
can’t heal 
this 
great tragedy.
What we would give 
to bring you 
back.
Great doesn’t feel like the right word, 
it’s just f*cking tragic.
Life can be so unfair.
Cruel even. 
But I don’t know what else to say.
We never think these things 
will happen to us.
They shouldn’t happen to anyone. 
But once in a blue moon, 
they do.

Reflection

❤️

We’re all drowning.

We haven’t yet evolved for the modern digital age of swimming in endless notifications and emails while simultaneously juggling 26 different projects. And maybe we won’t ever fully evolve for this.

Maybe humans are built for something else, like focusing on bringing the few meaningful things in their minds into existence.

We thrive in simplicity.

But we love to overcomplicate things.

Something I have come to learn is trusting that you will find what you need to find when you need to find it rather than worrying about being on top of everything. A metaphor could be stepping into a river to catch a fish. You don’t try to catch the whole river; you just get the fish you need.

It’s all about seeking the right goal.

For example, maintaining inbox zero is not your life’s work. You never win. The next day, it’s piled back up again. If you’re not careful, this constant clearing of the decks can crowd out your most important work, the stuff you would be proud to have achieved one day.

And if you get really good at responding to everyone, guess what?

You’re rewarded with being known as the responsive person, which leads to even more responses to answer.

Have you ever had one of those frustrating bosses at work who never seem to answer your questions? They are secretly hoping you will rise up and answer your own questions.

I remember once speaking to a friend, saying that I wasn’t coping with DMs on social media as I juggled work, writing, parenting two baby boys, and trying to live a fulfilling life. I came to see social media as a trap which was sucking up my free time. He shared something I needed to hear:

“As for behind on messaging, don't worry too much about it. If we force ourselves to keep all convos going, we'll suffocate. I often think the important convos will make their way in front of us.”

What resonated for me?

The idea of having faith that who we need to converse with will rise out of the sea of noise.

Rather than getting hung up on trying to respond to everyone in the moment, I could trust that I will get back to who I need to, in time. And that’s ok. I shouldn’t be losing sleep over it.

Especially since having kids, I’ve found my bandwidth for chatting to random strangers on the internet has dried up as all my free time is now occupied with family responsibilities.  

I’m not sure what it is about me, the introvert inside or my years of shyness, but the thousands of shallow “connections” on social media don’t do it for me. I prefer diving deep with a few people. I know some people love it, but the endless requests are draining!

However, one good thing about the internet is that you can find a small tribe of like-minded peers where you can connect, support each other, and grow together. This is truly wondrous!

You’ll find what you need

I have found this idea of trusting you’ll find what you need to be solid.

Tonight, this was proven.

I sighed as I opened my inbox to see 2,303 unread emails staring back at me like I had inadvertently stumbled onto the stage of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden. I had a quick scroll, then randomly clicked on an email from a newsletter I subscribe to but haven’t opened their weekly posts for months.

You like plenty of things, and you would love to support them more, but you don’t have the time, so you tune in when you can.

I dove into the email, and its contents struck me as exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.

Call it coincidence or divine power, but the magic of the situation really struck me. Things arrive just when you need them. And it’s ok if you ignore the noise in between.

Then again, a friend reached out during the week, sharing some good news in their life. He accompanied the news with this:

“Sometimes, and I feel especially in times when we feel lost or don’t make progress – these things come just when the time is right.”

Too right.

Reflection

How can you pull back from the brink of overwhelm and start to trust that things will work out fine without stressing over every single minute detail?

And that what you need will arrive when you need it?

Curious what it was that hit me at the right time?…

Read more

I remember the famous line from a movie:
“You can’t handle the truth.”
Is it true?
We can’t handle the truth?

I’ve also heard people say:
“The truth will set you free.”

So which will it be?

Perhaps a marriage of the two:

“The truth will set you free, if you can handle it.”

There is a truth you have been hiding from—something you choose to ignore. You know as well as I do that ignorance is a source of great pain in your life. 

Imagine how free you would be if you moved beyond it.

What would need to happen to do that?

Reflection

I was scrolling Instagram, and a reel popped up with a much younger Jeff Bezos speaking passionately. He said something like, “Anxiety comes from when we fail to take action on that which is within our control.” You could see he had learned the lesson the hard way and wasn’t going to do it again.

Cuts deep.

It hurts when we aren’t taking the actions we know we should be taking.

It’s most painful when we only have ourselves to blame.

But not mindless action. To move forward, we need to start by being honest with ourselves and facing those hard truths. Then, we can carve out a strategy for where we need to go.  

The good news is we can change that. We just need to act.

Want more good news?

A tiny step forward is an action. You can start small.

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Today’s walk by the river:

I’m surrounded 
by all these crazy people 
making crazy statements.
It doesn’t make sense 
to me.
I realise 
I’m out of place.
I don’t belong 
here 
in this conversation.
I should return 
to what is 
mine.
Where I feel comfortable in my skin, 
where my breathing relaxes, 
and where my mind is at ease.
Where my gifts can be expressed 
and 
appreciated. 
There is no place 
like home.
You’ll know it 
when you find it.

Reflection

Have you ever woken up mid-conversation and thought:

• Where am I?

• How did I get here?

• How am I so different from these people?

You don’t even like them. Why are you trying to be like them? Why are you participating in their games? And why are you seeking their approval?

You realise it’s time to return to the conversation that feels more like home—the one where you can be yourself and talk about what you actually care about.

And if you haven’t found that “home,” keep exploring with curiosity and openness. You’ll know when you land on it.  

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I’ve been getting up earlier to walk with the sunrise. No device inputs. Just the cold air, breaking sunlight and my thoughts.

I went on holiday 
to a beautiful tropical location.
How wonderful it was 
to escape the dreary winter 
of home. 
Warm sun on my skin, 
white sandy beaches, 
surrounded by rainforest. 
But no poetry 
came to me.
Nothing.
Not a 
thing.

Strange, 
I thought the paragon of 
perfection 
would 
inspire 
me. 
I’d excitedly packed my leather notebook 
and finest pen.
But no, 
the creative rivers 
were 
dry.

I was simply content.
I'm sure it works for some people.
But not me.
I'm inherently drawn 
to the meaning 
that comes 
with 
darkness.

The true beauty is the 
imperfections, 
the struggles.

You see, when life is too good, 
you don't have it in you.
You need some adversity, 
dare I say, 
a bit of 
suffering.

It can't all be smooth sailing.
That, my friend, 
doesn't make for great poetry.

Reflection

The funny thing was when I got back home, in my cold, wet winter setting, I was hit with a wave of creativity. Ideas and writing poured out of me.

This begs the question:

Does the free-flowing creativity come from being back in the homely surroundings that you love?

Or is it amplified from the break? Time away refuels our creative tanks. It may seem like nothing is happening, but something is working in silence below the surface while you rest.

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Here’s a couple of pics from my travels:

Stunning beach.

Trekking the rainforest.

Why are you being so lame 
and predictable?
It’s boring.
You know it.
They know it.
And I know it.
Time for a change.

And what’s worse, 
you know you are capable of so much more, 
something extraordinary.
Yet you choose to fly under the radar, 
smothering your true self. 
You choose to play it safe, 
avoiding the necessary risks for real progress.

Here’s news for you: 
In your comfort zone is boring.
It is for you.
And especially for us.

We don’t want to watch paint dry.
We want to see you soar above mountain tops.
We want to hear your voice roar through the valley.
We want to feel you more in your powerful presence.

Stop hiding your weirdness.
Stop covering up your flaws. 
Stop muting your truths.
It’s time to play full out.

Welcome to the next chapter of your life, 
the exciting chapter. 

Reflection

Sometimes, we need a bit of tough love—that candid wake-up call that pushes us into action. It triggers a butterfly effect that unlocks the next creative epoch in our lives.

Where do you need to be honest and truthful with yourself?

What part of you isn’t seeing the world?

What is the little nudge you need to finally take that meaningful action?

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The people who I worry about 
judging me 
will be dead soon.

And so will I.

So why do I bother 
worrying so much?

Who will be left?

Do you think my kids, kids, kids 
will care 
that I lost sleep tonight?

Heck no, 
they will barely consider me, 
if they even do at all.

But the pain feels so very real 
in this moment.

Have faith; 
it will pass.
 
It always does, 
making room for some new pain, 
ready to occupy 
the vacant 
space.

When you see the cycles for what they are, 
it gets easier.

Today’s one of those clouds, 
soon to pass.

Reflection

What would you be better off letting go?

How free would you feel?

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