So how did lili Life come to be?
For the journey, you need to peek into a little of my past.
Hi, I’m Mel, aka: Melissa, Bliss or Taybian, though the later two are at earlier stages of my life, people still know me as these names today.
You see, cracking the forty mark, you look back and think what have you done. Fortunately for me, my life has never been dull or boring. In fact, sometimes I actually think it would be nice to be bored, then I get over that thought and realise that it would not offer me any challenges. (Without challenges, there is no growth)! The lili Life journey commenced many years ago, but the catalyst for it’s actual development, was a sequence of life changing events that occurred in 2012. I have always been someone who has innately known that everything happens for reason. Age and life experience have only solidified this, in particular the horrible, tragic and shitty things that can occur in our life’s journey, can provide us with the biggest challenges as well as the largest opportunities for growth and learning – if we’re open to them. I was born and bred in Tasmania. I am proud of this fact and know that it’s pure environment, lifestyle and people provided amazing foundations for the person I am today. Whilst I love it, and it will always remain my home, I needed to move away to drive my career further, and in a way appreciate it more. In 2006 I moved to Brisbane with my husband. I now call myself a Queenslander, and proud of it! (Apart from the daylight savings!). June of 2012 was the beginning of some huge changes for me.
My grandfather passed away at the age of 99. He was a true gentleman and someone who I looked up to, and I would say get my strong work ethic from. It was a complete shock! I had always thought that he would reach 100, he was determined to see if he received a telegram or email from the Queen. I travelled interstate for his funeral. Everything felt surreal. It didn’t feel like it was happening. Whilst I was in Tassie, my neck seized up, by the time I was back in Brisbane, after a MRI, we discovered I had two slipped discs in my neck. In a very short space of time, I was completely incapacitated. I was literally on my back for a week. During this time of incapacitation, my father was admitted to hospital, had surgery and passed away. He wasn’t in the best of health, however was not ‘sick’ and his passing was the biggest shock I have ever experienced. I had always thought my dad would always be there. I thought there would be more trips with him overseas to see random and various rock bands (in dad’s latter years, he travelled the globe to ‘go to gigs’, from seeing ACDC in Japan – random, to the US to see The Eagles perform in several states). I felt numb, and none of it seemed real. I think the hard core pain killers I was taking for my neck actually helped soften the ‘reality’ blow. As I was completely incapacitated, I wasn’t even able to travel to Tassie to see him or say goodbye.
These three events all occurred in the space of one month. I knew the universe was testing me and my family, yet at the same time I strangely knew that this was all happening for a reason. I know that both my father and grandfather are at peace and watching over me and my family. This entire experience did not leave me wanting to live everyday as if it is my last, however it certainly ‘woke me up’, so to speak! Always being a passionate individual and living a very full and exciting life, I had fallen into a bit of a pattern of working too much and not living life as fully as I could. I know this is so common for many people. There was far too much of “I’ll do that someday”, I wanted to embrace the walk and not just the talk. The Colour Run (in late 2012) was when my direction changed. Normally this would be a typical event where I would say: “that would be great to do that someday”, well no more! I put it out to my friends on Facebook and now the two gals who signed up with me are now close and wonderful friends that inspire me every day!
So, there it is, one of the most personal experiences in my life, bared to the world. I don’t feel naked. I don’t feel exposed. I feel that by you reading this, you will have a greater understanding of why lili Life is important, not just to me but to you. You see, I want for the content on this website and our social feeds to inspire you to be the best you you can be. I want to support the ‘local’ dreamers and designers to live out their dreams.
So that’s it. Love it live it! Go forth and embrace life
With love Mel xx
