I Left My Comfortable Life Behind… Here’s What Happened

You are listening to The Awakening Woman On The Rise. If you are a woman who is seeking to live

a more authentic life but are feeling not enough to step out fully just yet, you are in the right

place. If you are a woman who is looking to live your personal truth and make the impact you truly

desire, you are in the right place. I'm your host, Wendy Yacboski. Let's step out in this together.

Welcome everyone to the second episode of season three and I'm excited to introduce to you a good

friend of mine, Lisa Bewley, someone that I have always admired. Ever since I met her, I felt a

connection with her. She is just so spontaneous, so life-filled, so courageous to me, some of the

things that we'll be talking about today. I just think that she will have some really

meaningful things to say to perhaps look at where in our own lives we are wanting to do something

or think it's a good thing to do and we just kind of go, meh. Lisa's not like that. So I know that

we're going to talk about a lot and I'm so grateful to have you here, Lisa. Thank you very much, Wendy.

I'm honored to be here. Oh my gosh, so we find you now. I met Lisa in Coquitlam, BC and now she's in

Phoenix, Arizona, correct? That's correct, yeah. Yes, on a temporary life change.

Yeah, I just, one of the things that inspired me to invite Lisa was I was visiting with her at her

home one day and she had very recently bought a truck, like I mean a truck, and a trailer and

she was soon on her way to visit one of her daughters who was going to be having a baby

and has now had a baby and Lisa was able to, right, be with her and experience that with her

and have some time with her too. So I think I've mentioned to you a bit before, Lisa, that

I've heard of various, I know you're not moving to live where your daughter's living, but parents

moving closer to where their children are so that they can have more connection and time with them.

So how has it been for you so far? You've been there, how long? So I've been here about almost

a month now. Okay. Yep. And it took me, when I left Vancouver, it took me five days to get here,

towing my trailer, 2500 kilometers. Yeah.

And then arriving and I had a couple days with my daughter and then the baby came so I was just

kind of in a panic to make sure I got here before the baby came. Yes, exactly. And I can imagine,

and I know for a fact, but I can imagine that there were moments where you thought,

what the heck am I doing? Would you agree? Yeah, well, I mean, it's been a real, Wendy,

it's been a real experience. I mean, first of all, the journey down here took, I think,

more than I thought. I was white knuckling quite a bit of the way. I did have a blowout at one time,

I ran over something and my tire blew and that was a whole ordeal. But thankfully,

someone came to my rescue and it only took about two hours out of my journey and I was on my way

again. And then getting here, that was a whole experience because it's just, I think I hadn't

really like the adrenaline was still there from like doing that big drive. And then the new

environment around me and I never lived in a trailer. And Arizona has like scorpions and

black widow spiders and bears. Bears are easier and bigger, right? But these little tiny little

things. And so it was like trying to figure out like, are they going to come in my trailer with me?

Like, how do I protect myself? And then the weather, the weather when I arrived, it was

about 45 degrees Celsius when I first got here. It was literally too hot to swim. Like you couldn't

go outside. And so everything melts. And so that was a whole new experience. And that meant that

my AC and my trailer had to run 24 seven. And it's a small trailer. And so it deadens the sound

of everything. So all I could feel was vibration and all the blinds had to be closed to keep out

the sun. So I felt almost like I was in a deprivation tank. And so to answer your question,

I'm like, what am I doing here? Like, what am I doing here? And I actually, I looked up, I mean,

besides being here, of course, for my daughter, my grandchild, I looked up, you know, what's

happening in Phoenix, like the energy and the ley lines and things like that. And then I realized,

oh my gosh, Phoenix, it's all about the Phoenix rising from the ashes. I am here for transformation.

Oh, my God.

Yes, that's what I'm here for. And it's been, yeah, it's already started like a

wham. Like, yeah, there's a lot going on here.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, no, absolutely. I can't even imagine. You know, one thing that is just

striking my mind right now is about how sometimes when people make a change,

um, before they go, maybe they've got everything all figured out. And I know that you had some

things figured out, but some people think they've got everything figured out. And,

you know, the experience will be like they figured it out. But you have obviously had

different experiences already in a month and getting down there where you've had to go,

Okay, what now?

Yeah, I think exactly. I've had to, I kind of had a feeling what I would experience.

But I also know that it's I knew I would be up against some challenges because,

you know, I can't obviously be with my daughter all the time. She's got her own family they're

settling into. And I don't know anybody here. So it's forced me to really go outside of myself

and join groups, meet people. It's someone once said to me, they said, you haven't really lived

until you've had to restart your whole life in a new location. And I feel that's what I've been

doing. Like, I've transplanted myself here for a good five months anyways. And now I have to like,

you know, I'm not just going to isolate for five months, I'm going to join and live. So it's really

putting myself out there and in situations and meeting people. And yeah, well, not always fun,

but kind of.

Yeah, I can't even imagine the idea of kind of like starting life over again, but but five,

five to six months is quite a while. And, you know, and just, I mean, you're a friendly person

anyway. You know, it reminds me of a story that I heard Lisa about, there was a fellow that was

walking along the road on the way to a new town. And there was a guy that looked pretty wise,

I guess. So he stopped by the guy and he said, I'm going to this next destination, what kind

of people will I find there? And the guy said, what kind of people did you have where you left?

And he said, well, they were they were like nosy, they were mean, we didn't get along at all. And he

says, that's probably what you're going to find there. And then another guy comes along, same guy

goes up to him and says, I'm going to stop the road to this place. What kind of people am I going

to find there? And he said, Well, what kind of people did you leave behind? And he said, they

were awesome. They were really good friends. They were supportive and helpful. We had a lot of fun

together. And he said, that's the kind of people you're going to find there. And so I share that

story, Lisa, because I can't imagine that you wouldn't be meeting how many ever there are so

far, people that that wouldn't reflect things that you enjoy or things that you do, like,

how have you found sort of reaching out that way? What kind of a process is that being for you?

Yeah, I think I think you're right. You know, everyone is a mirror, right?

So I joined meetup groups, because that's a good way to meet people. And the one thing that I'm

really come to understand is, is I'm kind of looking at finding or building my community.

And so I went to one event. And I mean, the people were nice enough, and I talked to people,

but I realized they weren't my people. It wasn't the type of life that I'm looking at creating for

myself, even maybe I might have lived that life in the past, but it's not where I'm at now.

And so I joined another group. And, and I almost didn't even go into the group,

because when I got there, I'm like, I don't even know if I really want to go in. And I thought,

okay, just you're here, just just do it, because I felt a little nervous. Shy, I guess. And so

I went into the group. And I had a great, that was a really great group. And I actually

met some new friends there. And then we went together on our first little girls night out

here. And we've decided that we're going to meet regularly to do this. And so yeah,

not what I was expecting at all, but really appreciative and wonderful. And the ladies

that I met are very similar to, to me and to the friends that you know, types of friends I've had

Yeah, wow, that's so fantastic. And are you able to use the pool yet?

Yes, I've been able to use the pool. And I also joined a gym so that I can go in

when the weather is not that good. I can go inside and go to pool there too.

Oh, that's fantastic. So Lisa, I'm just curious, how do you would you say that you support yourself

when times aren't like meeting that good group of people or that kind of thing? What would you say

you need to call on in yourself to help you not go I'm out of here?

Oh, yeah, Wendy, that's a good question. Because it has been it has been hard. There's been

times where I've kind of, you know, really wondered about my whole my whole life, right?

Like, why am I? Why do I do these things? Am I am I crazy? Like, am I crazy? Like how many people

uproot their whole entire life? So I see I have got a reflection. Let me see if I can move

something. Okay, no, that doesn't do it. Sorry, that's gonna be okay. So yeah, I just I go to

these places. And I keep thinking, Oh, what have I what have I done? Like, you know, like, should I

be here? And I go inward in those times. You know, I have a lot of faith. I have a lot of faith

that we're never alone. And that we're always guided. I do a lot of journaling, I write out

my thoughts. I talked to my friends back home, my friends, like you and others are so wonderful.

They really, my friends are the best, honestly, and they check in on me. And they make sure that

I'm okay. And I think, Oh, I'm, I'm just so blessed. I'm such a fortunate person. And yes,

it's a little bit hard. And it's helping me to define what it is I really am looking for in my

life. Yeah, exactly. And that personal growth that you were talking about, or the learning that you're

talking about, you've kind of always, always been that way, haven't you? Yeah, I'm a lifelong

self growth person. Yeah, and transformation is really important to you. Yes, it is. Would you

say? Yeah, always trying to be my best person always. And I think there's always, you know,

room to grow. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You know, this is interesting. It's just popping into my

mind transformation. I'm thinking about the listeners as well, Lisa. And you know, some

people think transformation is like, one, perfect. That means we'll never get scared again,

we'll never do something risky again. And and wonder if we're in our right mind. Tell me what

you think transformation is and in the experiences that you've had over the past years. What do you

think it is? I mean, I think when I think of transformation, I think of Richard Rudd from

the Gene Keys, who talks about the dragonfly and about how basically, you know, in that chrysalis

stage, you go through mush, like literally, all of you is turned into mush. And then it reconfigures

and it comes out into something spectacular, like a dragonfly or butterfly. And so it's messy, that

transformation is sloppy, messy, gooey. It's painful. But you know, it's always worth what

comes out at the other end that that state of being. Yeah. And I would imagine to like when I

think about the dragonfly or the butterfly, but I think more about the dragonfly because it does

kind of soar, doesn't it? You know, whereas before it was crawling on the ground, and now it's got a

whole new world, a whole new life, and a whole different perspective. And yeah, and I see that

as what you're doing, because gosh, Lisa, you've done so many different things. When I met you,

you had just purchased a business, winemaking, is that what they call it?

Yeah, a wine store. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Yeah. And wow, what a what a thing to take on and,

and, you know, various things in your life, like relationships and, and gosh, what else? I mean,

even right now, you're you're still working, you're you're teaching, doing ESL, you have a

Master's of Education, did you say? I have a Master's in Education, but right now I'm doing

Orton Gillingham tutoring. Okay, yeah, yeah. Oh, that's fantastic. What a help to others as well.

Yeah. But, but just all the various, various things that you've done. And I just, I just find,

I think the word that's coming up for me right now, Lisa, is unstoppable. And I don't mean to,

you know, kind of like, put kind of pressure with that kind of word. But it just seems like,

no matter what goes on, you don't quit, like you're willing to look into yourself,

to find your core, your strength, as you were just saying, in terms of your beliefs,

because our beliefs make all the difference in the choices that we make, right. And, and you find a

to move forward. Would you agree with that? Yeah, I think, I think the biggest thing for me

is to live life. Yeah, not to just sit by and watch it go by. I mean, Dr. Brené Brown,

one of my favorite authors talks about, you know, being in the ring, in the ring, like the gladiators,

you know, there's those that sit and watch, and there's those that are in the ring with mud on

their face. And I am, I get myself into more situations. And people say, you're doing this,

you're doing that you're doing this, you're doing that. And I used to people used to think I was

flighty, because I'm always trying new things. But I've heard more and more and more from people

that I inspire them, because they say, Wow, you're just never afraid to try something new.

I'm not afraid of failure. I've done so many things. And, and I don't think that we have to

just do something and do one thing. The reason why I chose to give up my life in Vancouver and come

here, instead of just visiting, was because my life in Vancouver was very comfortable. It was

it was effortless, I had wonderful friends, I had a great community, I had a very easy life. And I

thought, you know what, I'm going to grow old with this easy life, I need some challenge. And so I

thought, you know, adventure is better. I'll feel it, you know, whether it's good, it's bad, at

least I'm feeling something. And I'd rather to feel that I have so many years that I can grow old

later. But for now, I'm young, I'm healthy, and I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna live it.

I'm gonna live it. So I don't see you ever growing old in your living. That's for sure.

You know, I'm just I can, you know, and not that everyone that's listening needs to necessarily

sell everything they own, go across the country, create a new life. And yet, having said that,

no matter what change it is that we're wanting to make, there's something that needs to shift

in our in our minds. Would you agree with that? Like, I mean, I know that it's become something

it's become something that you do naturally, you just kind of move forward in that way.

Like if somebody that's listening is wanting to make a change in their life, whatever that is,

let's just say for change, there's no big and no small because it's it's like you met,

it's change. And that's scary. Like, how do you think that you would support them? Is there

something that you would say or, or, you know, I think everyone has to, if they desire to,

to make change that's within their wheelhouse. Some it might be a small change, you know,

maybe they add a small routine into their life that is new for them. Some people might, you know,

go to extremes. My this, this extremism for me, has been a journey to get here. It wasn't all of

a sudden. I, I'm a big believer that we create our own realities. And I sometimes I'm careful

with what I think, because I know when I think these things, they're coming. And I remember once

a long time ago, I don't know, maybe 10, more than 10 years ago. I used to go away for like a weekend

getaway by myself to clear my head. And so it was when I owned the business, actually. And so I

went away for a few days. And I didn't know what was going to happen when I was away, I went over

to Sunshine Coast. And I didn't know what I was going to experience. I was all by myself. And I

thought, you know, I don't, I don't want to feel I don't know what I'm going to feel like doing.

So I packed everything into my vehicle that I thought I might want to do while I was there.

Yeah. And I remember, as I drove away, I looked in the back of my vehicle, I thought, Oh, my gosh,

I have everything in my vehicle that I ever need to live with. Oh, wow. And I had that thought,

I wonder what it would be like if this was all I owned. And, I mean, it's no

coincidence that years later, I did exactly that I drove away with everything I owned,

almost stuff in storage, but I got, I worked up because I did do other things to get to this point

so that I could experience this. And I think I said to you before, one of my favourite quotes

is again from Dr. Brené Brown. And it's that you can be brave and afraid. So, you know, I've shaken

my boots as I'm making these choices to live life a little differently so that I can shake things up

and feel something different and experience something different. That is going to take me

to whatever I'm going to create next. And I already know what that is. It's in my mind,

and it's, I'm working on it. And it's, it's taking shape. I love that taking shape, taking form,

as I'm here, and being in this sensory deprivation tank and being in this uncomfortable

situation and being forced to really figure what it is that I want out of life is taking me

somewhere and my future is going to be much richer because of that. So for those wanting to

make change, yeah, you can't be afraid, it's going to be a little messy, but you can be brave and

afraid. And yeah, any change that you're wanting or willing to do, and, and the investment that

you make, and that is going to take you somewhere greater. Yeah, absolutely. And serendipity is

popping into my mind here as a term, because we can't always predict the good of saying yes to

what feels important to us. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes like, like you're like you're

saying, but I'm not sure if when you went down there, I mean, obviously, you you were there for

your daughter and the baby and, and all of that kind of stuff. But so much more is happening

that you couldn't have predicted, nor what you're learning, could you have predicted, right? So I

just think it's, it's, it's so fantastic. And one thing I want to mention to you have a website,

which is an amazing title, the inwardwanderer.com. I love that. So so apropos, and, but you are

starting to journal online, if that's the right word, some of your adventures as you're going?

How is that? Yeah, I'm blogging, my thoughts. So I think it's inward wanderer, because not only am I

wandering outside, but I'm also doing it inside. So I'm trying to relate to the events of my

journey to my inward journey, because I do think that people are curious about that. Like there's

a lot of things, like, you know, I did a blog on selling everything you own, like the thoughts that

that go through your head as you go through that journey, right? It's not just the mechanics of it,

there's a whole inward journey behind that. And so yeah, some, I just really kind of go through

the things that I'm thinking on the inside, my journey on the inside, as I journey in the outer

world. That's the inwardwanderer.com. Yeah, absolutely. And I can't imagine anyone, whatever

they're looking to make change in, or even just looking within themselves for whatever, that they

wouldn't be inspired by either of those blogs, because, because they, I think they have the

richness to bring us home. And by home, I mean to our own soul and spirit to our own value,

our own values. And I'm so grateful that you're doing that, Lisa, I really do. And I highly

recommend everyone listening to go to your website and to, to read those blogs and, and,

and be blessed by the, what's the word,

by the things that you're, that you're learning, because we're all connected, just because you're,

you've traveled across the country, doesn't mean that, that people can't relate to what you're

going through, and what you're learning. And so I feel excited to, to support you in, in people

reading your blog, and maybe connecting with you, who knows, on, on, on whatever that might be. So

in the show notes, of course, your, your, the link will be put there so that people can access you.

And I don't know, I know that, that you can't, hard to beat that quote about,

you can be brave and afraid at the same time. But is there, is there any sort of final comments,

maybe, Lisa, that you want to just share with people that are, are looking at change,

big or small in their life?

Um, no, I think you summed it up. And that that quote, sums it all up, you know, like,

be brave and afraid and do it anyways, get in the ring, get the mud on your face, you'll,

you'll never be sorry. You know, for what you've gone through. I always say it's those things.

We don't remember the good things always in life, but we certainly remember and learn from the,

from the things that are more challenging and difficult.

Yeah, absolutely. Oh, thank you so much, Lisa. It's so beautiful to be talking with you. Thank you.