Travel teaches us to be present with Hannah Ivanovskis.

Hannah, quite simply….keeps it real. Mum of 3, now living on the Surfcoast in Australia after moving from the UK. Travel taught her how to be present but also knows….its’s not always going to be that way.

About Hannah

Hannah Ivanovskis is a woman of many hats! Mum of three under 5, ex-pat Brit living on the Surfcoast in Victoria, qualified life coach, communications queen, exercise junkie and storyteller. She tells it like it is, and keeps it real, in every forum. Her corner of the 'gram is a mixture of mum life, positivity, motivation, laughing and swearing. 

Since Hannah left home to go to uni at 19, she has always taken chances on starting over in new places. So when she met her husband at 33 and he was already moving to Australia, it was inevitable that she would give it a red hot go. She moved thinking it was temporary but it became clear quite quickly that Janis had no intention of going back to Europe. So began a 5-year struggle with settling into ex-pat life.

There were so many things Hannah missed about the UK, until she realised it really wasn't serving her or her family. In her 40th year, she finally realised she had to stop pining for home and invest properly in being here.

“The idea of presence [when you travel] you’re taking in absolutely everything.”

— Hannah Ivanovskis

In the episode...

• Hannah followed her fiance to Australia, having known him for only 5 weeks. She never went home.

• How growing up in the UK, travel was so normal… she took it for granted.

• Stories from her backpacking adventures through South East Asia as a teenager.

• How the further you go the more ‘foreign’ you feel.

• There is still a culture shock in a similar country to your own.

• When you travel, you have to trust your gut and your instincts.

• Hannah is feeling so much more aware and present in her environment during this pandemic.

• Being mindful as a parent is not something you can always embody as you are having to focus on so many things at the one time.

• Hannahs story of immigration to Australia.

• When Hannah finally let go of the idea of returning home to the U.K.

• The importance of personal development and a healthy mindset for Hannah and her husband and how it has served them SO well.

Why Hannah continues to seek out travels and adventures…The promise of something new.

“Your gut and your intuition definitely play into it when you’re so far from home.”

— Hannah Ivanovskis

Links

Instagram - @hannahivanovskis

Fostering resilience, gratitude and independence during travels with Rowena Mabbott.

Rowena stepped out of her comfort zone and begun to form her independence. She now helps others through difficult transitions.

About Rowena

Rowena is a Life Coach and writer and was bitten by the travel bug early with her first round-the-world trip at age eleven. Since then she has travelled to attend school in the US, lived and worked in the UK, travelled through Europe and Africa. Rowena loves planning family travel and is now committed to ensuring her two boys are also bitten by the travel bug.

As a 16-year-old, Rowena attended school in the midwest of the US over Thanksgiving & Christmas. Then, as an 18-year old she worked as a housemistress in an English boarding school for 12 months on a GAP year, travelling through the UK and Europe on weekends and during the school holidays.

Both experiences tested Rowena's resilience and broadened her view of the world putting her out of her comfort zone and living with people she either barely knew or who were complete strangers. That alone was an adjustment. Rowena also became much more aware of how fortunate and grateful she was to live where she does

“Travelling is really different and it’s amazing but its also quite a good reminder about how fortunate we are that we don’t have to have that experience of living in one space and not know anything about anywhere else.”

— Rowena Mabbott

When coming home...

• Emotions Rowena faced - She felt lonely and alone with no friends. She felt like she didn't fit in anywhere. She felt uncomfortable and a sense of longing to head back to the UK.

• What changed for Rowena - Willing to meet other people (and her how people) and put your self out there. Being friendly and opening conversations.

• Biggest stress - No money and being a complete dependant with no job to return to. Fostering new and old friendships back home.

• How Rowena used her mindset - Used mantras like "you can do this." and "it's not so bad." Knowing that she was stronger than she thought she was because of her travelling experiences. Feeling grateful for her family and living in Australia.

• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. You never know someone else's story and not to judge people based on your own assumptions.

2. Change is a constant but we can choose how we approach it.

3. Travelling is the best way to learn about yourself.

• Advise to herself for returning home - Don't stress out, it will all work out. Give yourself time, find your people and it will all fall into place.

“Everybody has got a story and unless you take the time to say hello and greet them, you might not know it.”

— Rowena Mabbott

Links

• Website: joyhopelove.com

• Rowena Instagram: @rowenamabbott

• Travel Light Kids Instagram @travellightkids

Aimee Wilson - Trusting herself and following her passion of working with horses.

1.5 years abroad working at summer camp in the U.S. and in London, coming home and following her true desires.

About Aimee

Aimee is a Life Coach, Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator, Speaker, Sacred Space holder and super passionate about the power of working with horses.

Aimee took off to work at a Summer Camp in the United States. She then travelled to London and returned to the States for another summer. Upon returning home she found her partner, her passion and started a new life.

Aimee is now an Intuition & Embodiment Coach who encourages women to listen to their inner voice, unblock their fears, and pursue the things that are calling to them from deep within.

“I started with what I knew.”

— Aimee Wilson

When coming home...

• Emotions Aimee faced - Unsure if she should continue travelling. Felt like the time to go home. Strange, like she had not been away. Things were the same. It felt good to be home but also felt mundane. Aimee felt lost.
• What had changed - Nothing had changed! Had a better sense of self. Tried to recreate the travelling vibe by moving to the snow.
• Biggest stress - No clear career path, no money or savings.
• How Aimee supported herself - Starting with what she knew and went back to hospitality work.
• How did her mindset change - Positive mindset and being able to rely on herself.
• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. Trust yourself
2. I had inner strength that I could use and rely on.
3. I was capable

• Advise to herself for returning home - Not much as there is so much learning on the journey. It will all be ok. Trust your passions and what lights you up, dont just do whats expected.

“I came home with a much more positive mindset because you have to rely on yourself to figure stuff out.”

— Aimee Wilson

Links

Website: www.helloyescoaching.com

Nikola Instagram: @helloyescoaching

Facebook: helloyescoaching

“You find people more like you, which gives you more confidence.”

— Aimee Wilson

Julianna Barnaby - Soul searching in Central America.

Going full circle from travel writer to lawyer, six weeks in Central America and following her soul calling to return to travel writing.

About Julianna

Julianna is a travel blogger and creator of 'The Discoveries Of.' A travel writer who retrained as a lawyer and worked in London before going back to her original passion of travel writing.

Julianna took the six weeks to spend time travelling in Central America and did a road trip up the West Coast of the US, before returning home to the UK.

“Trying to be aware of my own feelings and my own thoughts a lot more rather than doing things automatically.”

— Julianna Barnaby

When coming home...

• Emotions Julianna faced - Hard, tough and difficult to face returning home from travel. Sharp contrast. Felt like there was not much control.
• What had changed - Didn't want to be a lawyer full time anymore...but what do I do?
• How Julianna supported herself - started writing again
• How did her mindset change - being conscious of what she was feeling
• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. There is never a good time to do something. You need to make the time happen.
2. Be open to experainces
3. Some things are worth taking a gamble on.

• Advise to herself for returning home - I wish I had travelled sooner to figure out what I wanted to do.

“I wanted to write a travel website that I would want to read!”

— Julianna Barnaby

Links

Website: www.thediscoveriesof.com

Juliannas Instagram: @thediscoveriesof

Twitter: @discoveriesof

“There is never a good time to do something, you can keep on waiting for the right time to do something....sometimes the right time is just the time you do it.”

— Julianna Barnaby