My name is Susie and I am delighted to welcome you to Simple Balance Today.
My early years
Born and brought up in North West London, in a suburban neighbourhood, I was a fairly quiet kid. I enjoyed spending time with friends, playing the clarinet and saxophone, singing in a choir, days out and family holidays, and numerous other activities. I worked hard at school and got some good qualifications. However, I cannot say it was always an easy ride, especially interacting in large social groups five days a week! I dreaded competitive sports and would often hide in the music room to escape cross country running. I signed up for many musical activities and especially enjoyed home economics, history and English. After attending college, I left home for university at eighteen and that was a turning point for me in terms of gaining confidence and widening my social circle. It was my first time away from home and my initial taste of life outside what I had always known.
Passions and interests
I have always been passionate about food and nutrition; physical and mental well-being, and personal development. I spend time reading, researching and writing about topics that interest me. For many years I have strongly believed in natural health, immunity and the self-healing capabilities of the body. My other big love, music, has continued into adulthood. I now belong to a fabulous all-ladies choir, am learning to play the piano and have played saxophone and clarinet in some great bands . I am a naturally curious person and have an inquisitive mind. Even with increased knowledge, our understanding of the universe is still fairly limited so I am open to possibilities! My curiosity also extends to exploring new places and going on long walks. I love that sense of freedom and adventure.
Life challenges and progress
I am grateful that life has been fairly kind to me; spending time with friends and family, enjoying hobbies, days out and holidays. However, life also has put some obstacles in my path, such as work stress, being overweight, relationship break ups, and general anxiety and worry. I managed to lose a fair amount of weight about ten years ago and gained a lot of confidence from doing so. However, I put a lot of that weight back on years later. I became an expert at yo-yo dieting. As many people who have had weight-gain problems can testify, it’s a big life challenge, especially with the abundance of tempting food and restaurants we have available! In recent years my love for natural health and nutrition has intensified and has helped me feel healthier and happier. Although it is a constant battle, I have made great progress with keeping to a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activities for my mind, heart and body, like meditation, yoga and Qi Gong, and have developed healthier habits to manage stress and anxiety, and build self-confidence.
Working 9 to 5 and lifestyle changes
I entered the world of full-time work aged 21. My first jobs were in administration and customer service and that’s the type of work I ended up working in for most of my career, including project and people management roles. I have had some great learning experiences working in all my jobs and have certainly been challenged at times. I always ended up being drawn to public sector jobs, and worked mainly in health, education, heritage and social work. I suppose all these experiences make me the person I am today.
So where has life taken me now? Well, my partner got a job working as a campsite warden in Sussex a few years ago, and after staying with him many times over the course of a year, I decided to give up my 9-5 civil service job in central London and go live with him in a caravan. And boy was it a change from my previous life! I was introduced to a more minimalist lifestyle and met people embracing this different way of living. Now I must admit, it did take time to adapt and to give up some of my previous conveniences, such as having mains running water, a normal flush toilet, a power shower and space! However some of the gains I have made are being closer to nature, having more of a sense of community and re-evaluating my priorities and attachment to material things. This lifestyle also provides a test for any relationship. Whilst my partner and I have the occasional disagreement and get on each other’s nerves sometimes, like most couples do, this experience has definitely strengthened our connection to each other. My partner and I have continued this more minimalist lifestyle and enjoy whatever the next adventure brings.
After taking a break to integrate into this new lifestyle, I took on some part-time office work which gave me the opportunity to build new relationships in the community and have shorter and more scenic rural commutes. I opted for part-time working by choice and according to my needs at the time. This was dependant on having lower outgoings, which was made possible in this simpler way of life.
Recently I made the decision to leave my office jobs entirely to explore other opportunities. The main frustration I faced in my working life was trying to find a job to fit into rather than finding a job to fit me. I sometimes wonder whether I lost my connection to what my hopes and dreams had been in my early life. Many jobs may not, unless you are very lucky, give you sufficient opportunities for personal growth due to the general remit of the job or the demands of the job itself. I feel that people are more than a “set of skills” on a job description. People can be creative, innovative, great problem-solvers etc if they are given the opportunity.
So here are some aspects I am now seeking from my working life:
- More opportunities for personal growth and creativity
- A role more aligned with my aspirations, values and lifestyle
- Increased flexibility to organise my own schedule
- Identifying my own unique contribution to society
- Connections with mentors and experts directly related to my interests.
So not wishing to be confined to a pre-defined role, and my own circumstances allowing, I am now venturing into the unknown and creating something I am hoping will be valuable to others. It is obviously never an easy decision to change from the working life I have always known, and give up that regular income and team camaraderie. However, I’m excited to see what evolves, the people I will connect with and what I will learn along the way.
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