So, I Moved to Australia… Now What?
Why rebuilding your life can reconnect you to what matters.
A week into living in Perth, I found myself staring at two things sitting quietly on my desk.
A small camera and a desk plant.
It sounds simple but both somehow became symbolic of this entire move.
The camera reminded me that perspective changes everything. No photo is ever truly picture-perfect. What we capture is often shaped by angle, lighting, timing, editing and what sits outside the frame.
The desk plant, though, hit me differently.
It’s from a “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” set and mine is the one covering its ears: “hear no evil.”
I just so happen to spot it randomly and at first thought nah I won’t get it but once I left the store to mull around the local mall, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So went back for it!
When I got home, it dawned on me, why the pot plant made an impression and now it’s become one of the biggest lessons of this move so far.
The lesson…
Shutting out the noise - not just external noise, the internal noise too.
The overthinking, comparisons, pressure to have everything figured out. The self-pressure to perform or do something big as a mover and shaker.
Although, I consider myself an upbeat, positive person - the voice in my head will always appear, the uninvited guest, the murmurs of sound that whispers doubt, questioning whether I’m doing enough, earning enough and progressing fast enough.
Truth be told I’m not earning enough (status – unemployed) because I’m only just job hunting now – so that answers that question. Though, I do believe I am still progressing each day. I mean how do you measure “enough” when navigating change. You don’t!
Admittedly it’s only been 7days since I landed in Perth, so in all honesty, I should just calm down ha-ha!
After being made redundant (Wellington), the only decision I made was that I’ll spend a couple of months in Australia after Xmas with family before activating my “One foot in front of the other” method.
Because when you move countries or do something different, strip your life back into a 3-piece luggage set and backpack, attempting to rebuild from scratch and in my case, build from scratch again (Auckland to Wellington, 2019 – 2026), those thoughts of doubt can get loud.
My move to Australia has been all the things. From exciting, uncomfortable, grounding to freeing.
Last year, my life looked very different financially and professionally. This year, I’m potentially looking at an income that is around 40% less than what I previously earned. My theory is that I am new to the area and I need to start somewhere and strangely enough, I feel okay with the prospect, it’ll be a way to reconnect to myself and to reevaluate what’s truly important. Not because financial pressure is what we want or need especially with the cost of living as it is. But because rebuilding within your means, I believe forces clarity.
I’ve noticed I’ve stopped living on autopilot and become intentional again.
Every purchase is more conscious and considered.
Every decision more deliberate.
Every “want” gets separated from actual need.
It made me realise how modern life quietly teaches us to accumulate.
More clothes.
More things.
More external validation disguised as success.
When I flew to Perth with my 3pc suitcase set, trusty backpack and new addition to the luggage family – my podcast microphone carry case. It hit home that what you see in photo below are my physical possessions in life, a thought that has stayed with me all week, is my minimalist lifestyle and can’t explain how much joy it brings me.
Minimalist living!
Somewhere along the way, many of us confuse accumulation with progress. But stripping life back has reminded me that freedom sometimes comes from needing less, not constantly chasing more.
That doesn’t mean ambition disappears. If anything, I feel more ambitious now, a fire starting again, just differently and something I’m yet to discover as I lead my life in Perth, Western Australia.
Focused more on sustainability, alignment and freedom versus instant gratification. This move has forced me to reflect on the life I built over the past 6years because starting over even when it’s intentional can feel deeply vulnerable.
Leaving behind familiarity, routines, part of my identity and environments where people already understand your story. Suddenly rebuilding new networks, rhythms and confidence in real time.
As I enter this new season, I’ve also been questioning my social media presence, which is HUGE for me as I’m always on socials!
It’ll hardly show the behind-the-scenes challenges of moving. Instead, it’ll be the airport photo, the exciting announcement on the IG (Instagram) story.
Not the quiet nights questioning, recalculating budgets, learning to sit with uncertainty without trying to numb it through spending, distraction or comparison.
At this new start line, I choose to remain grounded while life reshapes itself around me. The camera on my desk keeps reminding me that perspective matters. A season of rebuilding can look like failure from one angle and freedom from another.
The little “hear no evil” desk plant reminds me that sometimes growth requires shutting out the noise long enough to hear yourself think again.
Truth is, not every path will make sense to everyone else because it’s my story, journey, my one foot in front of other method and I understand we all have different success metrics or situations and, in a world, constantly encouraging us to consume more, prove and compare more. Right now, I’m learning to appreciate slower growth.
Embracing simpler routines, no rushing around, I welcome less pressure to appear “Got it together”
So, I moved to Australia…. Now what?
I haven’t got it all worked out but what I do know is that I’m grateful that my home situation is sorted. I’m with amazing friends who have been key to this transition across the Tasman. I’m able to move around and access public transport, honestly, its mostly things, we take for granted.
I’m beginning to realise, there’s a difference between building a life that looks successful and building one that feels sustainable, true to myself, values aligned and maybe Perth drew me in to remind me about what the essence of life is with its chill vibe.
A question to ponder - If you stripped life back to the essentials, what would that look like for you and what would matter most to you?
As you think about that, here are some observations I’d like to offer from my week:
Rebuilding your life often reveals how little you need.
Perspective can turn a season of uncertainty into a season of growth.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is shut out the noise and trust your own timing.
Flight path to the City of Light
A full circle moment, worth acknowledging, as I write this edition of Power in Change on the 08 May 2026. The City of Light sparked the Power in Change newsletter idea which officially launched in Perth on 08 January 2026 and as I continue to immerse myself in my new City, I wonder what paths will illuminate for me in the next few months.
Until next time, speak soon.
Zee
Move with Confidence
