Beauty is Fuel #28

What I brought home from this trip wasn’t a souvenir. It was a reminder.

A reminder that I need more peace than I usually allow myself.

A reminder that creativity doesn’t come from constant motion; it comes from having enough room to think.

A reminder that community matters, but so does solitude.

A reminder that beauty is not a luxury. It is fuel.

Press play.

 

I have always enjoyed my own company. What this trip reminded me of is how important it is to make room for it.

There were keynotes and conference sessions, dinners with friends, and conversations with people from all over the world. There were laneways in Melbourne, mountains in New Zealand, books, music, sheep, rooftops, street art, and hours spent simply looking out at landscapes that seemed too beautiful to be real.

Australians and Kiwis are travelers, so at the conference it was especially delightful to be surrounded by people I had either traveled with in real life before or had come to know through the videos, photos, and stories they share online. There is something special about moving a relationship from screens and comments to real conversations and shared experiences in people’s home countries.

The Digital Workplace Conference itself was fantastic. I delivered my keynote, led my session, spent time at the booth, and connected with so many people. But because I didn't produce this one and the time zone shift, I also found myself attending more sessions than I normally would, probably eight in total. That felt like a gift. I got to be a participant. I learned so much. You all were brilliant.

Melbourne is an A+ city in my travel book. I’d visited once before, but that trip was too quick to really understand it. This time, I got to experience the rooftop bars, street art, laneways, vinyl shops, music culture, food, inclusivity, vintage shops, people, AND the amazing Rising Festival. I’m halfway around the world and watching films about my home state and the start of Techno in Detroit, Michigan; my cup runneth over. Melbourne felt creative and alive in a way that few cities do. Everywhere you turn, there is art, conversation, music, and culture. And coffee!

 

And then… There is New Zealand.

There are places in the world that are beautiful, and then there are places that leave you speechless. New Zealand is one of those places. Everywhere you look is jaw-droppingly stunning. Mountains, valleys, water, sky, it feels almost unreal. And somehow the kindness of the people matches the beauty of the landscape. People couldn’t have been warmer, more welcoming, or more generous. The food is fresh, and I mean the air is delicious.

There was also time to exercise, journal, meditate, read, think, and follow my curiosity wherever it led.

Thankful for the people who challenge me and make me think.
The friends who ask good questions and notice cool things.
The communities that come alive when we gather in person.
The music that rewires my brain in all the right ways.
The beauty of mountains, cities, art, food, and landscapes.
The quiet moments of reading, journaling, meditating, and simply staring out a window. Nothing for me to fix, handle, or carry.
The feeling of being close to the earth. And the dizzy Whovian time-and-space zone slip.
The joy of learning.
The peace of being fully present.

The trip began as a conference. It became time with friends. Somewhere along the way, it also became time with me.

Not because I needed to find myself. I already know who I am.

But because sometimes life gets noisy, and even when you know yourself, you need space to deeply hear yourself again. That place in the core of your soul. The real you.

I came home, reminded that a good life isn’t built from achievement alone. It’s built from curiosity, connection, beauty, learning, friendship, creativity, and the courage to make room for what restores you.

And for that, I am deeply grateful.

On repeat, beauty, friendship, learning, community, creativity, and rest aren’t luxuries. They’re part of how we survive difficult times without becoming hardened by them.

This is what helped me refill my tank. Maybe it will remind you to check yours.

The world is hard.

Pay attention to beauty anyway.

Stay curious anyway.

Build community anyway.

Read books anyway.

Dance anyway. (always)

Travel if you can.

Call your friends. (silly short videos are my fave)

Stare at mountains, a tree, the ocean, or [insert your thang].

Listen to Prince, Madonna, and Florence.

Support women creating things.

Make art.

Make room for peace.

Protect your creativity.

Protect your joy.

If you don’t fill up your cup, who will?

Protect your queendom. Press play.

 

Sample

I want to give a big hug and shout out to Debbie Ireland, who runs DWC and is a dear friend. Thank you for your generosity and font choices. And big love to the Australian and New Zealand tech community, so happy to be with you in your world. A yay to Gabs, a talented chef and designer whom I met at my hotel and who helped me find the Wax Music Lounge on Flinders. Legend.

Track Notes

As I got into Melbourne, I asked Australians for recommendations on Threads. More than 100 people responded with ideas, favorite places, hidden gems, food suggestions, and local wisdom. It felt like being handed a giant community-created mixtape before the trip even began. Thank you, beautiful people - blog coming soon where I actually went from your recs.

I was reminded that some friendships don’t require effort; they require presence. The best moments often come from standing next to someone, noticing something beautiful, and saying, “Did you see that?”

I learned it is a thing to put a big slice of beet on your burger. Yes, beetroot, or as we say, sugar beets. My Midwestern soul loves this. (from a travel show on TV - Gundagai, Niagara Cafe)

I remain convinced that fluffy sheep improve almost every landscape.

Liner Notes

On Repeat

• Florence + The Machine

• Madonna

• Prince

Watched (on the plane)

• The Pitt (so hard, so good, so are you f’ing kidding me?)

• Prime Minister (Jacinda Ardern documentary) was cool to talk with New Zealanders about her, many takes. Seeing actual pandemic footage was wild. I don’t think we’ll truly realize how this thing has changed and continues to affect all of us, and for a long time.

Read

• Three books, which is exactly the right number for long flights and a little extra quiet.

  • Mary Magdelene Revealed by Meggan Watterson (2^nd time)

  • Reinventing Love by Mona Chollet (I am obsessed with her In Defense of Witches book)

  • Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman (great rec Debbie!)