And so, another year has flown by…
While 2021 felt like Groundhog Day, 2022 was an adrenaline run that lasted an entire year. It flew by at the speed of light, as I was constantly in a “what next?” mindset as I went from one thing to another.
Despite the fast pace, I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved this year. I pushed and challenged myself – physically, mentally and emotionally – and because of that, I ended the year with a slightly more improved, grounded and wiser identity.
Sure, I can still be a hot mess at the best of times, but it’s definitely reduced in its frequency. That’s progress. So, what happened in 2022?
Travelling is back, baby!
I was practically on an aeroplane nearly every single month of this year.
After two years of lockdowns and monotony, travelling was long overdue. Although most of the trips were interstate and for work purposes, I was just thankful I could get out of Melbourne and still return in one piece. I also went to Singapore for the first time, and I had an absolute ball.
As a summary, here’s where I went this year and why:
- Adelaide – Fringe Festival
- Launceston, Tasmania – Freelance Festival
- Sunshine Coast – Birthday month holiday
- Sydney – Beauty Expo
- Brisbane – Emotional support for a friend in need
- Sydney Round #2 – Beauty Conference (aka a total disaster…thanks Jetstar)
- Sydney Round #3 – Clever Copywriting Conference
- Singapore – First time here and for a much needed holiday
The three destinations that really stuck with me are my trips to Launceston, Sunshine Coast, and Singapore.
It was in Launceston where I had the epiphany that I no longer wanted to live in Melbourne. More on that later.
It was in Sunshine Coast where I reignited my love for the beaches, coasts and spending ample amounts of time by myself. A classic introvert move.
And it was in Singapore where I made the decision to move to Wellington in New Zealand. Again, more on that later.
The last international trip I made was in 2019, where I got to explore Hong Kong and China. So coming to Singapore, I felt a bit like a rookie traveller again. How will I get around? Will I get lost?
I realised shortly that I didn’t need to worry about any of this, because Singapore was the epitome of efficiency. Trains (MRT) are only a few minutes apart from each other. You could track your bus like an Uber on the Google Maps app. Everyone spoke English and were very kind. The entire country is clean as a whistle. The food was absolutely divine, especially their famed Hawkers Centres.
They also have a shopping mall every few metres. I wasn’t planning on shopping, but I did. A lot. I completed my Christmas list, next year’s birthday list and bought things I had always wanted but never got around to. Let’s just say I had to be extremely strategic with packing when I returned to Melbourne.
Would I travel back there? 100 percent. But next time, I’m bringing an additional empty luggage.
Goodbye, Melbourne
When I was in Launceston for the Freelance Festival, there was something incredibly refreshing about being by myself and on my own in a brand new environment.
It was in Launceston that I realised that I didn’t want to be in Melbourne anymore. It was an epiphany moment that occurred on my return flight. As soon as the plane hit the tarmac, my whole body reverberated as it screamed “you shouldn’t have come back” and “you shouldn’t be here”. It honestly hit me like a freight train.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Melbourne and I always will. My friends are here. My family is here. It’s a beautiful city where something exciting is constantly happening.
But I realised that I’ve lived in Melbourne my entire life, when there is a whole world out there for me to see. I never once believed that life should be lived in one place, and yet, that’s what I had been doing this entire time.
Simply put, I had outgrown Melbourne. I was bored.
Which then kick started all of my trips around the country and to Singapore. I was chasing that feeling of freedom I felt whenever I was anywhere else but Melbourne.
So, I’ve decided that in 2023, I’m moving to Wellington in New Zealand.
Redundancy #3
Another job in the startup world, another redundancy. Can you believe it’s the third redundancy in my career? In fact, all of my redundancies were in startup companies. I’m pretty sure the universe is trying to tell me something.
While I’m a little disappointed and saddened by it, the biggest feeling I felt when the news broke was relief.
Why? Because 2022 was a year where I really got serious about my own business as a copywriter and content marketer. For the longest time, I had been doing it part-time alongside another permanent role.
In the past, it was a 50/50 ratio balance. As this year progressed, it became 70/30, 80/20 then 90/10, with the former being my commitment to my own business.
It was growing, and growing fast. It was getting to a point where I’d be working 12-18 hour days, seven days a week. Breaks and any rest in between were an anomaly and a gift.
If something didn’t change, I was going to become burnt out.
And then just like that, the universe helped me out in the form of a redundancy. Yes, it hurts. I’ll definitely miss my amazing team from that company. But the redundancy needed to happen.
Rather than look for another permanent gig, I’ve decided that 2023 is the year I do my own business full-time.
Meeting Brendan
When I was on the Sunshine Coast for my birthday, I met a man named Brendan. What initially began as a one night stand turned into a friendship I now hold dear.
I’ll never forget the night we met. He messaged me online, and I invited him over to my resort for some sexy time. However, I forgot that electricity maintenance would be done from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am, so during that time my place would have no electricity.
I messaged him explaining the situation, but we were both so horny that he still came over anyway. We hooked up in the dark, and it was a night of fiery passion and chemistry. Of course, I invited him over the next morning and we did it all over again. And the next day. And the next.
I hitched a ride with him to Mooloolaba as I booked a whale sightseeing tour, and it was during this time that I really got to learn more about him.
He was closeted and discreet, which is actually pretty common on gay dating apps. But it wasn’t just his good looks or piercing eyes that caught me off guard, it was his honesty. He was totally blatant about it all, which I found incredibly refreshing. He never once lied to me. He also lived by a mantra that I’ve started to adopt in my life too, that being:
It is what it is. It’ll be what it’ll be. We are who we are.
Pretty wise, right?
We continued to stay in touch when I left. He’d come down to Melbourne for work. I’d meet him in Sydney when our work coincided together. And so on. We just got to know each other organically.
Eventually, after years of keeping his private life on the down low, he made the decision to come out. This is what propelled my impromptu flight to Brisbane. I wanted to be there for emotional support.
It was tough for him to say the least, but he’s out now, finally living his life honestly and authentically. As it should be.
We still stay in touch regularly, and it’s culminated into a beautiful friendship. Sure, there is definitely a potential for a relationship should we choose to pursue it. We already have chemistry and we both share a lot of the same values.
But with the way our lives are at the moment – that is, he needs to spend time on his own to figure himself out more and I need to explore the world – a relationship wouldn’t benefit either of us at this time.
Who knows, maybe one day we’ll end up together. Maybe not. I’m leaving that up to the universe.
That said, we’ve already agreed that we’re always going to be in each other’s lives. I’m glad to count him as part of my inner circle of close friends.
Oh, and Brendan, if you’re reading this – just remember that I’m so bloody proud of you. And I’m so happy I’ve got you in my life.
What’s next for 2023?
I’ve alluded to it throughout this post, but here’s some of the exciting things I’ve got planned for next year:
New year, new business. Say hello to Dewy Content
One of the biggest takeaways I had from the Clever Copywriting Conference was to stop marketing myself as a freelancer. I’m a business owner, and my services are copywriting and content marketing.
As soon as I made that change, it’s like the world shifted under me. Clients were taking me more seriously. I was getting more work. I was able to charge higher rates. Everything was coming up Milhouse.
During my flight back to Melbourne from Sydney, I made the decision to niche my clients. Previously, I was working with everyone from e-commerce to tech companies. But my passion lies in skincare, beauty, health and lifestyle. Launching Skin School was a telling sign of that.
In 2023, I’m niching my copywriting services to the health, wellbeing and lifestyle industries. To mark this achievement, it felt appropriate to launch a brand new business called Dewy Content.
I aim to have the website live by the end of January 2023, and will be run in partnership with Skin School. I’ll be working on these two full-time next year.
Think of Dewy Content as the service based business, and Skin School as the knowledge repository where I can write about what I love the most: skincare.
Hello, New Zealand
As previously mentioned, I’ll be making the move to Wellington next year. I’ll be balancing my time between there and the occasional return to Melbourne.
This wouldn’t be the first time I’m in New Zealand. I chose this place because 1) I loved it when I travelled there back in 2018 and 2) because I’m an Australian citizen, there isn’t a need for a long visa application. I can literally go there and stay for as long as I want.
That said, there’s a lot of planning and preparation to do. At the moment, I’m eyeing a move in March. This might be subject to change, but I think a three month timeline is long enough.
Of course, I’m also bloody terrified about it all. It’s a clean slate. I won’t know anyone there. I’ll be alone. But deep down, I think that’s what I need right now: proper time to myself to figure out the rest of my life.
Plus, and it may sound a little woo-woo, there’s something there that I need to discover. I don’t know what it is – it could be someone, an experience, a lesson or something else entirely. But my gut is telling me I need to go there and find it. This gut feeling actually stayed with me all throughout Singapore, and is largely why I chose to move to Wellington. That and a coin toss (yes, really).
Exploring what the world has to offer
Aside from New Zealand, I’ll also be doing more trips abroad. I’ll finally be exploring Europe, which has been something I’ve always wanted to do.
One of my close friends is getting married in Greece in July, which is my birthday month. So I thought I might as well enjoy my birthday month with a bang by exploring other parts of Europe since I’m there already.
In addition to visiting Greece for the wedding, I’ll be exploring three (maybe four) more cities throughout July. At the moment, I’m thinking:
- Berlin, Germany
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- London, United Kingdom
- One more city, if I can squeeze it in
Honestly, I can’t wait. And who knows, maybe I’ll fall so head over heels in love with one of those cities that I’ll make the move over there.
With that all said, bring on 2023. I’m ready to see what’s in store.
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