I left my job and travelled to Bali - did it change me?

Aura cleansing, astral plane meditation and leaving part of myself in a waterfall...

Leaving any job isn’t easy, whatever you may read. It’s like moving house, starting a new school, or breaking up with someone. It sucks before it gets better but change is happening and you have to roll with it!

Earlier this year when we booked to go to Borneo and Bali, I felt the holiday had come at completely the wrong time. My husband works in travel so is constantly on the move and unless we did a holiday, I wouldn’t see him for a month. I blinked and our flights were booked.

I was anxious that I would miss press opportunities and events with the book launch pending. I felt like the timing was terrible, but I look back on the trip now, and realise it was completely 100% divine timing. I was supposed to go on that trip.

I left Isle of Paradise and immediately threw myself into more work. I was anxious I had to keep moving. What would happen if I… stop?

Before flying to Bali we began our trip in Borneo and plunged ourself into nature. Mother Earth washed over us. Staying in the rainforest for two nights followed by snorkelling on Gaya Island was THE perfect disconnect. My husband had a conference in Singapore so rather than fly home, I stayed in Bali. I’ve never had a solo travel experience outside of business trips, a day here or there at the end of a work trip doesn’t count. I wanted to be alone, exploring and being in full fluidity. I wanted to experience something solely and soul-ly for me.

I booked my hotel and I travelled solo to Ubud, hailed as a global spiritual mecca. One of my goals this year is to explore spirituality and have one spiritual retreat - oh man did I do it.

I experienced weird and wonderful moments - all sober. I didn’t want anything to affect my energy nor did I fake tan for the experience because I didn’t want anything on my skin. Plus… it didn’t feel right.

Rather than thinking everything is social media content or that I need to take photos of everything and share with my friends immediately I put my phone away and simply surrendered to the process. I didn’t have a tight itinerary but sure I reserved a few experiences on the trip (as Ubud, Bali tends to get quite booked up).

I lay alone in swimwear on a bed on a roof top being saged and cleansed with rose water by a healer with long curled nails. I had my aura cleansed. I had my soul read. I had my palms read. I visited a burping healer and life coach who unknotted my comparison issues. I attended a full moon ceremony where I wore all white, stood around a fire with sixty strangers and yelled to the gods of the North, South, East and West. I left my body and entered another state of mind during a sound bath and I screamed out the negative energy in a waterfall during a purification ceremony in the mountains. I found a new level of authenticity. I connected with part of myself that I knew had always been there but I’d pushed it down.

I didn’t go for Eat Pray Love, but I got it. It found me and bathed me in its beauty.

I’m done with overlooking my inner energy, because once you tune in you can’t un-tune from this frequency. You might think it’s witchy, or woo, or it doesn’t align with who you are - and that’s ok. This is my karma and you have yours. My experience in Bali taught me to give into the universe and let the week unfold how it was supposed to.

I let go of the bullshit I’d been carrying. I let go of the negative moments I had experienced during the last few years. I actively and consciously chose to simply exist rather than strive for perfection because being in this state itself was perfection.

Balinese people are incredible and they changed me. The deep spiritual connection they have to life, its energy and the earth resonated with me. Their offerings to their gods and also to nature felt so beautiful to witness. It made me question a lot about western culture and the level of ‘noise’ we have in our day to day.

Bali changed me. I’ve unlocked a part of myself that was dormant. I’ve let go of the bullshit I was carrying in my subconscious. I feel more authentic than I think I’ve ever felt, and this is exciting. I feel totally and wholly connected to the universe and it’s energy and if you feel a calling to ever lean into your spiritual side, to experience things that spark your curiosity, honey - go for it.

This is your sign. DO IT. No regrets, just enlightened experiences!

Love Always XX Jules

If you’re new here, I always post a picture of myself at the time of writing and publishing xx