Hi there.
I’m Simone.
From then to now
In 2015, my husband and I got rid of 90% of our belongings and took a trip from Melbourne to Munich.
It took a bit of convincing to get me there, but we ended up calling that quaint city in Germany home for over six years.
Now we’re back in Australia (along with our two Munich-born kiddos), forging a new life in this home that doesn’t quite feel like home.
The past 7+ years = many experiences…
2 x Completed PhDs (me + my husband)
1 x Post doc (me, in cancer biology)
2 x Energetic young boys brought into the world
1 x Reawakened passion (in me, for writing)
1000(+) x Lessons learned about myself, the world, and life
One of the challenges in living far away from most of what you've ever known (and returning to a place that is completely different from when you left it) is that it can be lonely, unimaginably scary, and lead you to invite doubt into everything.
“This life I’ve chosen and cultivated has brought me face to face with things I would never have dreamed of previously. I’ve been forced to learn a lot, often on my own.”
Enter: Life Inspiration File
Life Inspiration File is literally the name of a file on my computer where I throw thoughts, ideas, lessons (from my own experiences, what I've read, and what I've heard). It is not so much a diary but my version of a Commonplace Book.
Here, I distill these notes into in-depth articles covering a wide terrain: the bittersweet aspects of parenting, finding my way as an Australian in Germany, my former life as a scientist, finding an unexpected purpose in writing, and, not least, how I constantly seek to live better.
Why am I doing this?
Because I believe in the following…
Wise words from the queen of vulnerability.
I was always a fan of Charlotte’s Web.
I have been lucky enough to read some great survival guides.
This has been a major realisation for me over the past year
“Here I will (try to) be vulnerable - I will tell you stories of the mountains, hills, bumps I’ve climbed, and even, the wide open fields that I’ve run through unencumbered without breaking a sweat. It is in a spirit of generosity that I invite you to learn what I’ve learned, and hope that I am capable of using the right words to make you feel seen, feel heard, and no longer feel alone in your experiences.”
A Life Blog
I call this a "life blog" because it's definitely not a "lifestyle blog" - despite loving beautiful things, there's no 'style' (in the obvious sense of the word) around here.
Here we attempt to dive deep. My scientific training has taught me to question, experiment, analyse, and try to explain things that seem unusual. Because in experiments, as is true in life, things often don't turn out how you expect.
Here are the results of my experiments in life so far, my lessons learned, my protocols or guiding light for those who may be experiencing something similar to what I've experienced (Hint: I don't have all the answers, but I have my answers and maybe they will be helpful for you). These lessons will come in the form of personal essays, how-to guides, detailed lists, and deep dives into research or literature.
I’ve definitely had a lot of novel experiences over the past few years - including trying archery at my Hungarian family’s house (note: I do not speak Hungarian well!)
Who are you?
Are you a reflective, depth-oriented, somewhat philosophically-minded human who is interested in understanding your life and tweaking it for improvement? Or perhaps you just want a little help from a friend?
If so, welcome - I think you will like it here.
“This is my Life Inspiration File, but I hope it will (at least in some way) become yours too.”
In seeking to create an interactive space here, I encourage you to:
Read
Reflect
Reach out - through commenting and/or by contacting me here or over on Instagram. I will respond to everything that comes my way.
Because of the expansive nature of this blog, here is some navigation to get you started.
Click on the button that is most relevant to you presently.
Want to get a bit more specific?
My writing can also be found in a number of other places (click on the image to be taken there)
I wrote an article about how the height of the maternal wall has risen because of the pandemic.
Discussing global parenting with Anna.
Listen to me being interviewed
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Where I share all my favourite current sources of inspiration (not to be found anywhere else).
+ Reflection prompts and ideas
+ Extra goodies
+ A quick re-cap of what's been happening here (so that you know exactly where to go)