Hi everyone,

Firstly, I would like to say that I'm glad to be joining you all here!

My name is Amanda. I'm 22 years old, and I come from Auckland (where Lorde is also from), which is in New Zealand (where Lord of the Rings was also filmed)

At first, I thought this was a photo. But now I'm not quite sure...

Earlier this year, I graduated with a degree in Psychology and Education.

After a few months of dissatisfying job searching, introspection and reflection, I realized that I needed to leave a place which was not nourishing, conducive to growth, and which no longer served me.

I decided to move to Australia and to travel as a house and pet sitter. If you’re not familiar with house sitting - basically, you get to live in people's homes rent free in exchange for looking after their house and pets. It has been an adventure filled with highs and lows, but it has been (and still is) a valuable growth experience which I am truly grateful for.

Exploring one of Melbourne's reserves.

Lake Curalo in Eden, NSW. A place of both death and new life for me.

Who am I?

I identify as a highly sensitive person (HSP), an empath, and an old soul. I have experience with anxiety, depression, being a loner, an outsider, and have lived through a "dark night of the soul." I am an atheist and a believer in equality, questioning and seeking the truth.

I believe that a purpose we all share is that of growing and developing ourselves to become the best that we can be.

And I also think that we share a duty of helping to make this world a better place using our knowledge, skills and abilities ~ even if that contribution seems to be small at times.

My Values

The values which I hold close to my heart, that form an essential part of who I am, include empathy and respect for all life. Compassion and kindness. Honesty and openness. A positive attitude. Non-judgement and understanding. Acceptance and unconditional love. Forgiveness. Defending and protecting. Living peacefully and with respect for the Earth. Living on the minimal side. Learning. Growth. Efficiency. Reason. Freedoms and rights, including to speech and to privacy.

I'm looking forward to reading and absorbing what others have written here, as well as sharing my own thoughts, feelings and experiences on a variety of topics. Some of the areas which I plan to explore include life, health, happiness, relationships, psychology, philosophy and freedom. I'm also keen to join the poetry and photography communities...

To end, here is a poem that I wrote to inspire and motivate people, including myself, to live a life that is meaningful, of value, less wasteful and more fulfilling. The title is "Our Purpose Put Simply," and it was inspired by the Effective Altruism movement.

~

Do the most good you can do;

do the least harm you can do.

This is a life I shall pursue.

With the resources you own,

with the talents you’ve grown,

do your best, and don’t postpone!

~

Thank you for reading thus far, and I look forward to learning, sharing, and connecting with you all. :)

~ Amanda