Episode 46 Transcript

Heather 

Hello and welcome back to episode 46. So guys, have you ever heard of anything called the Melbourne Cup? If you are in Australia, you know it. You know it because it's, as we say, the race that stops the nation. So it happens at the start of November, every single year. And I was exposed to it first, for my first time, one month after I moved to Australia.

 

So I moved on the 3rd of October in 2003 and it was like literally a month later in November. Now, it's a race horse by the way, you guys, just so you know. So I was living in a share home with two other flatmates at the time. So like I literally camped out on a friend's sort of air mattress in her home office for the first two weeks when I lived in Australia. And then I moved into a share home and...

 

In that home, one of them was a pilot for Qantas, the airline, and another one was an air hostess, like a flight attendant for Qantas. So here I am, like just new to the country with these two people that were always like on long haul flights overseas, and most of the time never even home. So my flatmate who was the flight attendant, she was overseas, she was, you know, in a long haul flight. And so I could not ask the advice of a female with...

 

what was about to happen. Now my flatmate, the other one that was there was a pilot and he had a few of his boys, like his mates around and they came over and they were dressed in like these hilarious looking suits. Straight out of the 70s. I'm not kidding. They were like full on ruffles and like, you know, the ruffly lapel area. And then one of them was even rocking like a full velour velvet suit. So they show up and

 

I'm like, what is going on? And by the way, like fancy dress is a real thing here in Australia, for those of you that are not here, it's a thing. So he comes up to me, he's like, hey, Heather, you know, there's this thing, you know, like the Melbourne Cup is on, do you wanna go? And I'm like, cool, what is it? He's like, it's a racehorse, like a racehorse. So did I get that right? It's a horse race. You guys got the idea, it's a horse race. I'm like, okay, sweet, yeah, sounds good. And he's, and I'm like, okay, so.

 

Heather (02:25.846)

what do I wear? And he said, Oh, look, what you're wearing right now is fine. Like you should be fine. And since they were dressed really weird, he and his mates, I was like, okay, cool. Like it must be one of those like anything goes sort of events. And also because the only race I'd ever been to was in San Diego, which is where I'd moved from. And in that typical time on that race day, it was quite casual. The only time I had been, I just remember kind of just wearing like

 

standard little like sundresses and stuff it wasn't anything full-on. Some people were dressed nice from memory but who knows. Anyway that's why my exposure to the scene and I am still not sure to this day if he said I was dressed fine because he was pranking me or he was just literally a 26 year old guy not paying any attention to much around him.

 

No offense. No offense to 26 year old guys. Maybe he was 24. I feel like he was even 24. But anyway, I went. I went to the Melbourne Cup and everyone was dressed in designer suits, dresses, hats, high heels. Women were in fascinators. You know, there's like clips in your hair with like the feathers and the flowers. A few guys had like those funny suits on, but not

 

many. I think it's mostly like my flatmate and his mates for who knows why. And there I was dressed in a denim skirt, flat sandals, might have even been thongs, but I think it's flat sandals, and a plain t-shirt. Nothing special you guys, pretty casual. And actually, yeah, pretty much as casual as you could get. And I'm new to the country. So

 

When I get there, the boys take off, right? They're like, oh yeah, we got some VIP tickets, whatever. I don't know. And they just left me alone. And I'm literally standing by myself, totally not dressed appropriately. Didn't even really know how I got there. I was living on a backpacker's budget. I think they like split in to get a taxi or something. And I'm literally there by myself in the main area outside of like the seats where you go into the race. I will seriously, gosh.

 

Heather (04:52.898)

You guys, I will never forget it. So I'm sitting there and there's a couple, like I think, I don't know if they're dating or just traveling, but there are a couple of Canadians on holidays and they were hanging out as well. And they were sort of also dressed like me and they were in the same area. So we just gravitated towards each other and kind of hit it off in that moment. But I seriously, I remember this so well. I remember this so well because I never felt so awkward.

 

was being exposed to brand new culture. You know, I was just thinking to myself, gosh, if only I knew more about this event. If only I would have asked more questions. But if I lived my life like that, if I've truly lived my life like that, I might not have met the business owners who got me a visa to work for them here in Australia. Because, you know, I took the risk of

 

networking last minute by myself, just saying, yeah, I'm in without asking too many questions, I would have never have met them. Or because of that moment, I would have never have met my ex-husband by also taking a risk at a totally random event who ultimately I became a permanent resident in Australia because of that marriage or, you know, I wouldn't have ever started my businesses. Now, I say plural because some are some bombed.

 

I've lost a lot of money buying into businesses. Some were okay, some were not. But you know what? I wouldn't be where I am today in this business that I have. And ultimately I would have never met my partner of 20, not 25, what am I saying? 25 years, 15 years. Wow, not another 10 years pass that quickly. But 15 years ago I met him and became a stepmom to two crazy hyperactive boys at the age of five and seven.

 

and I might not have met them had I not just taken risks and taken action. If I had planned more and taken less action, I might be back in the States, working in a job I hate, living in a city I felt like I had no choice that I had to move there. I might be comfortable, but bored. I might have regrets. So there's a couple of thoughts I wanna leave you with.

 

Heather (07:18.598)

Less planning, more action. Less learning, more action. Less talk, more action. I think taking action is where you learn and where you feel truly the most alive, even if you're wearing a jeans skirt to a black tie affair. Until next time, you guys, have a beautiful week ahead. Bye.