Lifestyle
my wellbeing
is always
the reason
for my choices
Each of our lifestyles are so different, determined by where we live, how we live, our values, beliefs and the people we surround ourselves with. My lifestyle is eclectic. I travel like a gypsy having lived in so many different houses in my adult life. I’ve lived in all different warm locations and always by the beach as I have learnt that is so important for my spirituality and balance.
In my adult life I have sought to learn and grow from all of my life experiences in the way that I have styled my life. I have learnt what I love to do (designing sanctuaries), what I am great at (entrepreneurial pursuits and running businesses), about my gifts (living an intuitive life), and what’s important to me (love, wellness, body confidence, health and travel).
I have designed an amazing life. Different to most. Very free and beautiful. But things are also very different to what people might think. I do live an idyllic life but with big health challenges which have allowed me to see the world differently and make choices beyond the norm.
First I created wellness sanctuaries for others. Now I live in one I have manifested and designed the interiors for myself. The food I eat nurtures my body but also my mind (like chocolate lol). The clothes I wear are free and easy and feel good with no ironing. The locations I live in make my life easier and are close to everything I need. I need to exercise in a pool due to my back pain and this has a huge bearing on where I live and the warmer climates I usually choose.
My wellbeing is always the reason for my choices. And the wellbeing of those around me. And this is the secret of really creating a fulfilling and amazing lifestyle… which is different for everybody.
the wellness lifestyle
A wellness lifestyle is all about creating a balance for ourselves, where we live, how we live and what we live for. Home + Community + Happiness + Health & Wellbeing. Abundance comes when we know our values and what’s important to us and make choices that support us with love not fear.
For me my home is the pinnacle of importance as I work from home and live alone. So I design a sanctuary home for my specific needs. Everybody can do this. We can choose how we want to live within our own means.
Where I live is also extremely important to me as my health fluctuates with different climates. This has also changed as my body has changed. I used to thrive in HOT tropical climates. Now these can be too much for me. Or I need to adjust the way I live within them.
Community is extremely important. I loved living in Bali with my Bliss community. Then as the business grew and grew and grew over 10+ years so did the people. To the point I knew I needed to remove myself and let them thrive and grow without me physically there. Then I moved back to Australia to the Gold Coast where I only had a very small group of friends.
Zoë at home
Creating my home sanctuaries is something I love. For me personally they need to be calm, clear, beautiful spaces with a lot of different layers and natural textures and a very bright light palette.
I then adapt this spatially to the home I am creating. This may be in a place I own or a rental. There are always ways to bring YOU in a nurturing, relaxing, beautiful way combining form and function to both look and feel beautiful.
Below under Designing Sanctuaries are examples of different spaces I have created. Some with similar furniture as I have moved house. I always design with pieces I love. Like furniture is a piece of art and I fill my space with these. Then pull it altogether with the layers, rugs, cushions, throws, and all the small personal things.
The energy of my home is of utmost importance so I infuse my space with crystals which are so beautiful, beautiful smelling candles and essential oils and no clutter. Even inside the cupboards. For me I need space, yet to fill the space perfectly. So it feels like a home and all blends together even though each space has a different functionality.
designing sanctuaries
Everybody's sanctuaries need to meet your own needs. My signature designs generally include… Soft sheer curtains to create privacy and help me feel cocooned when unwell & they are so beautiful softening every space. The most comfortable oversized couches that look beautiful but do not overpower any room. Super softness is always a bonus.
A great dining table for people to commune around. An amazing open plan kitchen, dining and living with an awesome Island bench (or two) for entertaining, working from, creating mess in the kitchen & plenty of space for making margaritas.
I like to keep the bedrooms very simple and clean with very little artwork which can be distracting unless using natural colours. Calm and serene and ready for sleep. Although I do still love a TV in my room as I often work from bed or spend prolonged periods unable to sleep due to chronic illness.
Beautiful soft sheepskin rugs and throws to really soften the space and great to lounge around on. Beautiful wooden mirrors (mostly raw wood and even better if hand carved) to give texture and dimension to any room. An amazing outdoor entertainment area or huge balconies. And I always need a salt pool (preferably magnesium) to do my exercise in and a spa for relaxing. I also like to incorporate a massage chair, infrared sauna, yoga area or somewhere nice to lay a yoga mat. (Not that I use it enough!) And a huge bath as I love a wellness bath so much I created a signature wellness bath menu for my wellness retreats. And I love a beautiful view always as I am at home 95% of my life.
In designing somebody else’s sanctuary it is all about them but if you are especially wanting a wellness lifestyle sanctuary then I would love to help. Below you can see some of the different sanctuaries I have created for a wellness lifestyle full of beauty and love.
design partners
Building or designing wellness sanctuaries is a passion for Zoë and she has created a network of resellers in Australia with brands that are beautiful aesthetic, have a beautiful luxury yet often earthy look & feel.
"I can help consult with you to create beautiful wellness-infused spaces in your home with the look and flow and feeling we can create. I can either work with your interior designer or architect or you personally."
Here are some of the amazing Australian resellers I use creating wonderful designs for wellness-inspired homes.
BODY POSITIVITY
It is almost impossible to have an amazing wellness lifestyle without body positivity. Our bodies are amazing and miraculous whatever shape and size. They do right by us ALL the time even when we don’t do right by them and they always have our best interest at heart.
Our bodies love us unconditionally and it is our responsibility to love them back. Even if we live with illness our body is always fighting and always wants the best for us and continuously overcomes adversities for us. If you want a great role model in life, then your body is it. Our human life form is magical.
When we love our bodies we are happy. We know we are worth it. Worth creating sanctuaries for ourselves. Worth putting our wellness first. Worth treating our bodies like we would a child, to care and nurture and make a priority always. We enjoy sex. We love connecting with others. Our mental health is optimal. We look and feel amazing just as we are due to our wellbeing mindset and acknowledging and loving our amazing bodies in each moment.
I thank my body everyday when she can get up and do great things. I am in awe when I am unwell and she tries her best to work at her optimum and support me. I nurture her when I am in pain and emotionally hug her over pushing her. I am thankful when I can eat yummy naughty things and she doesn’t hate me for it (so neither do I). I love my body like a child because that is what helped me stop being a complete and utter bully to her. Compassion, empathy, understanding & love creates happiness and miracles. And we were already born with it all! We simply have to understand and nurture the best we can. What an amazing gift our bodies are.
TRAVEL
Through my life and work I have travelled and worked overseas and I love exploring new places the best I can. So I love what I call immersion travel. I am not as active as most people and my body is very sensitive to the harshness of traveling. So to stay in one place for a month or more is how I really connect to a place. It’s expensive, which is why I haven’t done as much as I would like to, but still more to come.
Building a business in Bali was one of the biggest blessings in my life. OMG it was so hard. But to be able to build something so beautiful, gain a unique understanding of the culture, connect with the people, live and breathe the soul of a place and connect in a way that also gives back is so amazing to me..
This business also took me to beautiful Switzerland for our first World Luxury Hotel Awards ceremony. The first (and only so far) time I have ever seen snow! It was so amazing and beautiful but extremely hard on my body.
It has also taken me to Europe on the search for new destinations and I lived on the Island of Ikaria Greece for 3 months. I have a wonderful Wellness Hotel project I still dream about doing there to breathe life back into this amazing Blue Zone full of the most potent and amazing healing hot springs, the most beautiful honey I have ever tasted (that is also really good for you). The best Rose wine that they make themselves (& I didn’t realise you are meant to water it down and wondered why they were looking at me funny lol). The best chocolate shop (way better then the amazing swiss chocolates even). And as always the amazing Mediterranean food which I could live on forever. The only reason I don’t like traveling alone is you can’t try as much of the food (except at Bliss)! Some places really touch your soul and I know I will be back here doing something amazing one day.
