Shelley Richens

It is my honor to introduce you to my reader of the week,

Shelley.

An amazing and inspirational girl I met at Uni many a year ago. We were the two who always opted for coffee / wine over class. We have both grown up a lot since then but still adore said coffee and wine with equal passion. Shelley has always been a great ear, a great voice and a great laugh.

It has been a few years since Shelley and I were in the same room as one another but she is one of those delightful friends you pick up along the way that you know you are always going to be in touch with.

A keeper.

Now I’d like you to meet her. Now, just because she hasn’t a blog to visit – please take the time to say your hello’s in the comment box. Personally, I think Shelley would make the most fascinating blogger and I hope that appearing here might inspire her to share her gifts with the world.

Introducing.... Shelley - isn't she great?!

Who is Shelley Richens?

Shelley Richens is a thirty something girl who has dabbled in many a career, lived in both city and country quarters, traveled to far flung lands, and is now trying to decide on her next venture. She is asking herself the hard questions of study, business, or motherhood and waiting for the authentic voice to give her the answers.
Through a process of various life experiences she is starting to realise that the grass isn’t always greener, that it is best to grow where you are planted and that women may be able to have it all but, really, who could be bothered?? Part of that life experience included working with all sorts of people – homeless youth, the elderly, disabled people (both physical and intellectual) and in a psychiatric hospital…..now THAT was a fun experience!

Where do you live and why do you love it?

I have moved from rural NSW to QLD and we are just about to move to Far North Queensland…..and I CAN’T wait!
Growing up on the dusty plains of rural NSW I find the flat, dry, dusty experience of rural NSW so very depressing. It reminds of drought, tough times and heartbreak. Consequently the lush surrounds of rainforest and pristine twinkly blue beaches really floats my boat!! It kind of feels opulent, decadent and peaceful all rolled into one. The people there seem soooo chilled and friendly, but who wouldn’t be in paradise?
I think it is so very important to surround yourself with beauty to remind yourself that the universe is far bigger than just ourselves and that it really is a priviledge being here on the planet.

What makes you laugh more than anything else in the world?

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Very hard question, considering I LOVE to laugh, pride myself on my sense of humour and really do believe that laughter is the best medicine. I love to find humour in the everyday. I also think it is very funny that people take themselves so seriously sometimes. Call me crazy but how funny is it when people get upset at others for que jumping in the supermarket. . . I mean really, just relax, loosen up and have a laugh.

Humour has been such an important part of my life. My 95 year old Nan still finds humour in so much and we giggle often. My mother used to always say “argh, we don’t have much money but we have a lot of fun”. Sums it up really.

What else makes me laugh? Well, my 2 dogs, Evie and Cyril make me laugh often. My 6 chooks make me laugh most days – have you ever seen a chook run? Ha! Billy Connelly, he makes me laugh lots, what a great, great funny man. Freudian slips and spoonerisms make me laugh. My wonderful boyfriend makes me laugh, we share a very similar sense of humour. I think  that I like to laugh at myself the most though. You know those moments when you find that you have put the cling wrap in the fridge and the leftovers in the draw? Those are my favourite!

How do you water your grass?
Laugh .
Surround myself with beauty.
Enjoy my own company and when making friends choose only the true and genuine ones.
Be kind to myself and tune in to the authentic voice that guides me. Be mindful.
Be real, genuine, and the person who I want to be. I don’t pretend to be something or someone I am not.
I try to only watch ABC or SBS and to avoid modern drivel for the masses. Same goes for magazines.
Enjoy the simple things.
See the world in a positive way. Whenever I struggle with this I tend to write a Gratitude journal. 5 things everyday that I am thankful for. It may be as simple as gratitude for having a roof over your head and food in your belly. You’d be surprised how much you have to be grateful for and positive about when you stop and write it down.
Music. Lots of music. Live where and when possible.
Shoes. Fabulous wonderful shoes.
Food. Glorious wonderful food. Cooking, now there is a lovely way to pass the time (yes, yes, clearly I don’t have children).

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were younger?
In all honesty, nothing. I think that life is a journey and the lessons that you need to learn are undertaken on that journey. Sure, we all have those cringe worthy moments that we would like to forget but that is all part of the journey and part of the process. We have all been in situations that we could have chosen a different path but I really believe in fate and karma. With maybe the exception of shoulder pads and wide belts at the blue light disco during my akward pre-teen years. If only adult Shelley could have tapped young Shelley on the well padded shoulder and saved her from such a gastly fashion faus pas!

Where is one place in the world you have visited and you think everybody should visit?
Ooohhh, hard question Sharni!
I think that if you are Australian you simply must pay your respects at ANZAC cove, Gallipoli, Turkey. Being at ANZAC Cove you really get a sense of how far away Turkey was from the safe shores of colonial Australia. You really get a sense of the tragedy that was landing at Gallipoli. You can almost smell the fear, the isolation and the discomfort. To hear about and read about the stories of courage, commraderie and mateship in such a harsh and foreign land really helped me to understand the aussie spirit and how it was very much defined by that war. There is a ethereal quality about the war graves sitting under a tree next to the lapping shores of ANZAC cove. Young men with aussie names like John and Robert from familiar places that we know and love today. Places that now, no matter how small the population, have war memorials and cenoptaph’s to honour those fallen. Spine tingling stuff.
But a little tip? If you go, don’t go with a huge tour group and for goodness sake tread lightly and take your rubbish with you.

What is the most attractive quality another human being can possess?
A sense of humour. You know when you meet another human being and you connect via laughter? That is really special.
Honesty and integrity goes along way too.

What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
EVERYTHING!!! It is what makes the world spin around. Be it for love of a significant other, the love for a child, family, a friend, a pet or just yourself.

There is a fabulous UK artist called Edward Monkton and he drew a picture of the planet with little stick figures holding hands around the perametre of the planet. One stick figure says to the other “I love you, pass it on”. The picture is titled ‘The only way’. I couldn’t agree more.