48? How did that happen????

I'm finally launching the blog that I've been promising to so many people for so long. My first blog, "Eat, Pray, Love, the Kim Smith Version" chronicled my life changing 4 months practicing Ashtanga Yoga at it's source in Mysore India. People seemed to enjoy reading about both my inner and outer journeys during that experience and they've been encouraging me to start another. I've made several attempts but never really got very far...until my 48th birthday on July 3 of this year.

48???? How did that happen? I certainly don't feel 48. I think I look and know I feel better than I ever have! I'm definitely in better shape mentally, emotionally and physically than I was 10, even 20 years ago. So, while I tell myself that 48 is just a number, sometimes it seems like a big one.

But then again, part of what has made me who I am is my 48 years of experience. So which years would I wish away? Which experiences would I trade for a different year on my birth certificate? None of them!

The truth is that I'm happier, healthier and more comfortable in my own skin as a result of my 48 years on the planet. And, since I plan to live past 100 I'm not even 1/2 way through my life (but I am getting close to launching the 2nd half of it).

So, what will I do with the second half of my life? How will I spend it? What will I accomplish, who will I be, who will I serve? Who will I love? Big questions. Exciting questions. I hope that the insights that I share in this blog as I answer these questions for myself with help others along the way...or at the very least I hope they will entertain them.

I don't have a lot of ego. Many of the people who know me will disagree with that statement. To put it differently, while I have a healthy opinion of myself and my capabilities, I'm not afraid to try almost anything and I'm not afraid to look stupid or to stumble and fall...and I do plenty of that in my life. And I'm doing plenty of that now, being in a new city, starting a new business and, (gasp) dating at 48. I've had lots of adventures already in the 8 months that I've been in Sydney and plan to have many more to write about here.

So, a little background to get started for those of you who don't know me and to catch up those of you who do.

I grew up in the US (lived in Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, Ohio (go Buckeyes), Massachusetts and Texas (Austin, heaven on Earth!). I spent 4 years in hotel management at The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, a beautiful, turn of the century, renovated 5 Diamond property. Then I went to Ohio State and trained as an accountant (yuck). I worked for 2 years at KPMG in Boston and Dallas and then floated around a bit in other accounting jobs. I fell into recruiting in 1994 with Robert Half International...one of the best companies on the planet.

I had a fabulous 15 year career in recruiting, primarily but not exclusively with Robert Half. I got married in 2001 at the age of 40 and moved to New Zealand with my new husband to restart the 10 month old and struggling Robert Half office in Auckland.

I had an AWESOME 6 years in New Zealand. It was the best professional experience I've ever had. I was incredibly successful, was in the media a great deal, helped to build the office to arguably the number 1 brand for accounting and finance recruitment in Auckland, met some amazing people and basically had the time of my life.

New Zealand itself is a stunning country. It is, unarguably, the most beautiful country on the planet with spectacular views around every bend in the road (of which there are many in NZ). The Kiwis are the most friendly people on Earth and are very sophisticated, intelligent and worldly. An incredible thing for people who litterally live at the end of the earth.

But, paradise has its problems...and NZ's problem is it's weather. Specifically Auckland's problem is its weather. My ex-husband used to say that it's either raining, getting ready to rain, or just stopped raining in Auckland. The rain didn't necessarily bother me...but the damp cold did. Especially when your house does not have heat (don't get me started!) :)

So, after becoming a citizen and proudly carrying an NZ passport I did what so many Kiwis do (both natural and naturalised) I moved to Sydney.

Now, Sydney is a beautiful city with one of the most stunning harbours in the world. The weather is MUCH better than Auckland, I'm pleased to say. And the number of people who live in Sydney equals the number of people who live in all of NZ. So, there is more opportunity here.

I struggled the first 6 months I was here. Aussies are very different than Kiwis and Australia is a hard place to live. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the continent is the 2nd most inhospitable place to live outside of Antarctica! Maybe that effects the mentality here. I don't know. But I do know that the banking and telecommunications systems are better in some third world countries than they are here. I also know that customer service sucks and that there is a high degree of apathy that pervades the culture.

Having said that, I've met some really amazing people here and am starting to carve out a niche, a community...a tribe. In the end it's the tribes that you associate with that impact the quality of your life and mine is shaping up to be the best I've ever had.

So, come with me as I continue to explore my new city and country, build my business, date up a storm and practice my wonderful Ashtanga yoga.

I'll stumble and fall a lot, but I'll always pick myself up smiling and I hope I can make you smile as well.