I’ve been thinking lately about how funny social media is. If you follow me on my Instagram (@therunawaydiaries) you’ll see a perfect, edited version of my life; travels, food, beauty bits. I constantly look at other peoples lives on Instagram and find myself feeling incredibly jealous! Our news feeds are flooded with people who travel more, wear better clothes, have amazing relationships (or so it seems), perfectly sculpted bodies and quite frankly just all round better, more glamorous lives than us. I have to remind myself on a daily basis that what may be a perfect Instagram photo of someones fabulous life may not necessarily be reflective of how fabulous their day was or even their level of happiness.
While it’s incredibly easy to look around us and see the things we don’t have, it’s so important we don’t forget to focus on the things we do have. Let’s face it, in life there’s always going to be someone smarter, prettier and richer than us but there are also others that have a lot less than us too.
This all brings me to my trip to Scotland. My best friend and I were touring the highlands and visited the ‘Rest and Be Thankful’ Highway stop. I kid you not, that is it’s name! I’ve had a bit of a tough week this week adjusting to London life (yes, still) and was struggling to stay positive but when I came across my pictures from the Scottish Highlands I felt inspired to write what I’m thankful for.
My Health
I’m incredibly grateful for my health and it’s something that I try and not take for granted. When I was 17 I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes, and as a result I had to endure chemotherapy once every fortnight for 5 months. This time of my life wasn’t easy but it taught me to never take your health for granted. Without my good health I wouldn’t be able to travel, work and do what I like.
My Travels
In the past year I’ve been lucky enough to have visited nearly 20 countries. Travelling is my biggest passion and I try to do it as often as my bank account will allow me! I love experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, seeing new places and eating all of the food (ALL of the food).
My Opportunities
For no other reason than dumb luck was I born into a loving family, go to good schools, live a comfortable lifestyle and see the world. Because of how I grew up I’ve had the opportunity to go to University, move to London and all the while see the world. Although it’s a total cliche, the world is my oyster and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been given to live the best life I can lead.
My Family & Friends
I feel like everyone will be expecting this one but it’s true! I’ve taught many children who aren’t as fortunate as I am to have a loving family and caring friends and I’ve seen first hand how it can have such a profound impact upon a person’s happiness.
My Home
Although I’m living in London at the moment, I know I won’t call it home forever. I’m extremely grateful to be from Australia and to call it my home. The weather, people, food and beaches in Perth are like no where else and with all the crazy things going on in the world, I’ve never felt more safe than I do in Perth.
