She’s So Inspiring – Sonia Stackhouse

My life has been touched by some uber amazing women whose passion for life and the way they choose to live it have really inspired me. Some are bloggers, some are not, their lives are all different and they are all special. I feel honoured and privileged that they are sharing their stories and sprinkling a little bit of their awesome right here. May you be wom-inspired!

Meet Sonia Stackhouse.

Meeting Sonia is to love her, whether it’s online or in real life. She’s funny as she is open, she’s warm as she is honest, and she’s smart as she is creative. I love the online space she has created on her blog and I’m so excited her about her new real life venture Down That Little Lane Workshops. Sonia isn’t just a woman who dreams, she’s a woman who dreams and makes them come true.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Sonia, an OCD, somewhat neurotic and totally clumsy mother of 3 boys and the wife of a man who deserves a medal for his patience in dealing with me and the chaos I bring to the party.

I live on the Northern Beaches of Sydney where I spend my days working, juggling kids and constantly redecorating our home. Once upon a time I was a corporate girl who travelled the country doing important grown up stuff, but these days, thanks to what I like to term the most fabulous midlife crisis ever, I work with some of my best friends doing things that truly make me happy. I have a social media Management and brand development business, I write at Life Love and Hiccups and I freelance write for others too.

I am a partner in a freshly launched businesses with friends – one creative based and one business mentoring based and I am also working on the release of my ten year old son’s first book – a kind of self help story about dealing with anxiety – written by a kid for a kid. Did I mention I have problems sitting still for any periods of time?!

Tell us 3 things you are and 3 things you’re not.

I am an obsessive worrier, an organised control freak and a very gifted over thinker.

I am not very patient, not very co-ordinated most definitely not someone who is very good at saying no.

Complete this sentence, ____________________ changed my life. How and why?

As cliché as it sounds, having children changed my life. They gave me a sense of purpose that I always felt I was lacking, they taught me to love unconditionally, that life is precious and that sanity is totally overrated.

What has been life’s greatest lesson?

Wow, I have learned many a great lessons in my life to date and I know that many more lay ahead.

It’s hard to narrow it down to just one so I’m going to cheat if that’s OK and throw a couple out there.

I have learned that a life lived with regrets is a life wasted. You have to say what you want to say and what you need to say before the moment passes or before it’s too late.

Grudges are extra baggage you really don’t need, let them go as they serve no purpose other than weighing you down.

We simply must embrace the hiccups in life… you know the things that go wrong or don’t go exactly to plan. Laugh at those mistakes because in hindsight you’ll look back and realise that often the mistakes are the most fun.

Oh and one more lesson – when they tell you to do your pelvic floor exercises when you are pregnant, do them cause it’s for a very good reason.

What is your biggest achievement?

Biggest achievement? That’s easy – Walking when they said I would never walk again.

What has been your toughest obstacle and how have you overcome it?

Without a doubt depression has been the biggest, toughest and ugliest obstacle that I have had to overcome.

I wouldn’t say that I have conquered it – you know stood on the top of it and stuck a flag in and raised my fist to the sky in a triumphant salute -but I have learned to find my way around it and for now it no longer stands in my way.

Viktor Frankl says “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.” Everyone needs a purpose, what’s yours?

Honestly, I am not really sure what my purpose is in life just yet. I mean obviously I am a mother so my priority is to stand by my husband’s side and together with him love, protect and guide our children.

As for any one purpose? I don’t know just yet, I am having a whole lot of fun trying to figuring it all out though and that’s kind of all that matters right?!

What are your words to live by?

Leap and the net will appear. It has been proven time and time again and has taught me to trust in both myself and the universe.

If you could have any mentor, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?

I wouldn’t mind spending some time with Eckhart Tolle. I mean any dude who hits rock bottom and then wakes up one day to find himself enlightened is pretty awe inspiring don’t you think?

I figure he could teach me a thing or two about living a more peaceful life within myself. I have read a lot of books over the years about mindfulness and harnessing the power of our mind etc, and I found those kinds of books particularly helpful when I was trying to fight my way out of my depressive fog. There was something about his books that cut through all the bullshit, opened my eyes and really hit the spot for me.

I still have so much to learn and so far to go before I would say I am mentally and spiritually where I am meant to be so having Eckhart on my team certainly wouldn’t go astray.

If you could play hookie for a day what would be on your list to do?

Can I go anywhere to play hooky?

If so, I would be on a plane headed to Bali where I would check myself into a wellbeing retreat in Ubud.

If I had to stay local – then a long lazy lunch with my girlfriends, a bottle or two of champagne and a whole lotta laughing would do me just fine thank you very much.

You give so much to others, what do you do to take care of yourself?

If I am totally honest and not meaning at all to sound like a martyr or anything, I don’t take care of myself as well as I should.

I need to sleep more, exercise more, drink less, eat healthier and quit beating myself up all the time and I probably should be meditating or something too.

Busy? Slack? Lazy? Yep probably all of those and more, though I know I really need to get my act together, and I will… I promise I will.

The one thing I do always do to take care of myself is I get my bits checked. You know like down there, up there and back there – all of those bits, the bits that women far too often forget or put off getting checked.

A few scares along the way have made me very aware of the importance of making those uncomfortable appointments. At the end of the day – my family need me, so why risk not being here for them for the sake of a little embarrassment or discomfort.

Check yo bits ladies! OK?!