Would you re-locate your family based on a vision of a better life? Or maybe it was a feeling deep in your gut or your inner voice saying it is time for a change, time for a better life for your family.
It was time to break up with Sydney.
I went though a divorce 6 years ago and I co-parent my son Lael with my ex-husband. It was messy and heart-breaking at the time but we always agreed we would do the best for our son. I am proud of the relationship we now have. Both of us have moved on and are re-partnered. We have a daughter, a sister, Luna and my ex has a son, a brother, Leo.
2 yeas ago when I was pregnant with Luna we were doing the change over for Christmas as we met up at a mutual friends house. We had a chat on her beautiful balcony that we would both like to move to Brisbane at some point. My sister lives in Lennox Head so we would be closer to spend time with cousins. I had also been feeling dis-connected in Sydney.
I lived in Sydney for 10 years. I have had a beautiful love affair with her. I got engaged there to my ex, we bought our first home in Bondi and our son was conceived there. Before we had our son we were living the dream lifestyle. Both with well paying jobs, dispensable income, a life filled with travel, spontaneous adventures, rooftop parties and romantic dinners.
After our son was born and the enormity of motherhood hit me hard, combined with the fact we had lived overseas thinking we could maintain our high flying lifestyle with a baby in tow.
Sadly by the time he was almost 2, our marriage ended in a heartbeat.
I was a single mama for 3 years and during that time I created my business, published an award winning book Mother Om and launched my podcast Magnetic Mama. I am able to live and teach my truth helping many mama’s find more joy in motherhood.
I met my fiancee Jarkko on one date on Tinder after cultivating an abundance of self-love and healing from my broken heart from within. With a dedicated yoga practice and my love of mindfulness, I found peace in the power of presence.
I am sitting here writing to you from our underground chill out space in our new home in Brisbane. We packed up our entire life into a crate and left Sydney with no regular income and no idea of where we were going. We spent a month at Lennox Head at my sisters place and did a few trips up to find a place to live. We saw 8 places and got rejected from 2.
This has been challenging at times riddled with uncertainly. Re-locating is full on, especially moving cities with 2 young kids. We have been fully surrendered into the space of being in flow and not worrying about the future or looking back to the past. Jarkko asked for guidance whilst doing a meditation and the next day we saw the perfect home for us on “Grace” st. We applied without even viewing it knowing it was meant for us and the day before Christmas after seeing it, we were approved as the new tenants.
We had a vision of our new life. We wanted a cul de sac so Lael (7) can play on the street with other kids. I believe the original playstation is playing outside and we have had far too many techno tantrums, as in Sydney it wasn’t safe for him to walk to school or play outside so he was dependent on us to entertain him.
I have some incredible friends in Sydney but I felt like I didn’t see anyone. Everyone was too busy. It was just too hard. It can feel isolating being a mum and being a business owner. I have a community of over 5000 people online but I still felt alone. I experienced intense loneliness as a single mama. This was a different feeling as I had a beautiful family, yet I still felt dis-connected. I dreamed of having a cup of tea with a neighbour, a spontaneous playdate, a car trip that didn’t involve sitting in traffic with a screaming tot as Luna doesn’t tolerate the car.
I craved a local community.
Plus we just couldn’t afford Sydney anymore. Our rent was almost $1K a week and was over 50% of our income. I had even tried to set up a space in our garage to teach yoga to families but it had been shut down by our landlords. I wasn’t feeling the love. I now know that all of this was meant to happen so we would leave and find what we were looking for. Change is good and fortune favours the brave. I know this from my divorce. My story inspires many mama’s on how to turn adversity into opportunity, You have to leave your comfort zone, which means you will experience a time of challenge, but then you get to live your life in the magic zone.
I truly believe you can manifest what ever you want into creation. A new life, your soul mate, a business with paying clients, in fact anything you desire that is aligned with your values. My son is also an expert at this. He walks into Vinnie’s and finds exactly what he is looking for, a buzz lightyear outfit, a new toy or the next Harry Potter book.
Our vision of our new life was quite simple.
It was an uncomplicated version of our life in Sydney. Finding a great school for Lael was a priority which helped us find the area of where we wanted to live. I enrolled Lael into a school which ticked (most) of our boxes, but when we found our beautiful home we discovered a school 150 metres away that ticked all our boxes. It has a pool and a swim club, a Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden where the kids grow harvest and cook. An outside learning classroom with tunnels and tree trunks and a jungle area for kids to play and take risks.
Jarkko is Finnish and went to school in a forest with no gates. He spent most of his childhood outside, even in winter. Finland has the best education system in the world. We wanted this for Lael.
I didn’t want to get in my car with the kids and have stressful mornings anymore. Now, Lael can walk to school on his own and Luna goes to a new childcare centre that has just opened a short walk from the school, past a funky cafe that has great coffee and is perfect place for business meetings.
Our house is half the rent we were paying in Sydney, has everything we wanted and under the house, which is a beautifully renovated Queenslander, is a secure play area which stays cool on hot summer days. I have been doing yoga there in the mornings and it is the space we dreamed of having in Sydney. It has solar powered fairy lights and it looks stunning with our dream catchers, peace flags and mandalas.
It is the a real hippie haven.
The last piece of our puzzle was finding work. Jarkko is a professional engineer and has been rejected from 5 jobs. I had also applied for a sales job for an online marketing agency as this was my role in my past life. I was a top performer at Yellow Pages and have connections here, but was rejected due to a lack of experience despite having won awards at YP, having an award winning business and an award winning book.
In our vision, our dream was for us to work together. I launched my podcast Magnetic Mama last year and Jarkko does all my editing. We love working together, he is a tech guru and I am a creative gifted communicator. We now know that it is abundantly clear that the universe is guiding us and we are being fully supported to manifest our dream into creation. I am filled with light and joy at being re-aligned with my truth. I have so much I want to create and share with the world.
My heart is bursting with gratitude.
Thank you for reading my story so far.
Here are my tips oh how to be a powerful magnetic mama –
1 – Have a clear vision of what you want. If you are not 100% clear on what you want, the universe cannot give it to you. Write it down or create a vision board. Start with a parking spot, and work your way up to bigger things.
2 – To truly manifest what you want you have to feel like you are already there. Be that boss lady with the 100K business, make space for your new lover, own your vision.
3 – Everything comes from your energy. Your positive energy sends out sparks of light into the universe that makes you a magnet to attract your vision. Follow the energy that lights up your soul with a child like curiosity. Say yes to soul inspired action. Ask yourself “How can I be the best version of myself each day?”.
4 – Use anchors in your day to continuously send out the message of what you want into the universe. Visual anchors or mindful reminders work well. When you see the anchor or reminder, radiate out your request with love. Write this on a chalk board or use a colour,
5 – Practice gratitude – every time you sit in a place of gratitude you raise your vibration and become a magnet for miracles. Using the attitude of gratitude will eradicate fear and allow you to love life from a space of love. Keep a gratitude journal or create a gratitude jar.
6 – Ask for guidance. The universe wants to help you. It is here to support and guide you. Sit in stillness an ask for guidance. Then wait and you shall receive. Do not strive to make it happen. Just be. Be playful and adventurous.
7 – Be open to receive. Many of us like to give but struggle to receive. Open your heart, let love in. Do not block energy with worrying thoughts. Be present.
So this is my story so far. Here we are. A new year, a new life. We have everything to gain from this journey which for me has been a profound spiritual awakening. To trust my intuitive intelligence. To dive into the mystery, to surrender into the unknown and to rise like a powerful goddess bathed in the sparking light of the divine.
I asked for guidance today from my Rumi oracle cards that were gifted to me for my 40th. I pulled out the hand of Fatima. She is the gift of protection and love. She brings guidance that you are being born into a new life, birthing your spirit. She holds the wildness of the divine feminine.
I feel so called to continue to follow my heart and to keep creating programs and products for mamas to help them blend motherhood and business. I mentor mamas helping them to create a beautiful business that lights them up and helps them find more joy in motherhood. I teach mamas –
- How to manage motherhood
- How to use mindfulness as a powerful tool in motherhood and business
- How to create a method that works in business
- How to manifest what you truly desire
- How to monetise your method
I would love to offer you a free discovery one off session to see if the connection feels right for us to create magic together. More info and testimonials from mama’s here leonielaukkanen.com/mindful-mama-mentorship/
Tune into my Magnetic Mama podcast for inspiring chats with other mama chiefs shining their lights out in the world.
Namaste
With love,
Leonie xx
