When Nolle was 19 when she moved to London, and at 23 she moved from Dublin, Ireland to Melbourne, Australia. 

She emigrated permanently with no family in Australia. 

Yep, that is sure to be well outside of a comfort zone! 

Why would she do that? “Because back then in Dublin there was very high unemployment. And it was hard to get work. There were no real opportunities and I just wanted more from life.” 

And once Nolle arrived?  “Well I was very, very homesick. I had really bad migraines. I used to cry every night with a picture of my family under my pillow. And I didn’t have any family here. I think I had a couple hundred dollars, a suitcase, and a boyfriend (he didn’t last long after I got here).” 

“And I remember thinking, what have I done. When I was in London, and I applied for a visa, I applied for a one year working holiday visa, and they sent me permanent residency. I thought they sent me the wrong papers. but I might as well apply because I can come home after a year anyway. And the year went by like that! I came home from my first visit, and I realized the grass was so much greener in Australia, so many opportunities.  

“It was great to see my family again. But I had planted the seed to definitely come back [to Australia] and I came back, and the rest is history.” 

Nolle’s next check in point was when she had children – she always planned to take them back to Ireland so she and they had family support. But once she had her children, she decided that even though things in Ireland had improved, the life she could offer them in Australia was a better one. 

“They [Nolle’s children] have a great life here. They don’t realize how lucky they are and then I feel lucky, because I know what it’s like not to have much. I couldn’t think of any more of a stretch than going from having no children to children.  Apart from apart from having my kid,s emigrating to Australia is the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

On Nolle’s first visit back to Ireland she spoke to her Mum “I said to my Mam, ‘you know, everybody, seems different’. She said ‘no, you’re the only one that’s different. They’re all the same. They’re doing the same thing day in, day out but your world is a much bigger place now, you have experienced so much more.  This made it hard for Nolle to fit back in. She also loves the much healthier and more outdoorsy lifestyle here in Australia. 

 And would Nolle step out of her comfort zone again? “Absolutely!  Because that is where the gold is. 

‘’So, when we look back at anything that’s happened to you in your life, that stretch is where you get the most reward. And even though you might have to go through difficult times to get there, that was all part of your journey. Part of your learning and you have to push yourself. You have to take that leap of faith, you have to take that risk, you have to take that stretch. 

“And this is what I tell my children. Don’t take the easy road because it seems like you might get there faster, it all about the journey” 

“Because your automatic reaction as a human being I believe is, is not to go outside your comfort zone it’s to protect yourself. Safety, mitigate against any risk. But then to actually to put yourself out there. That’s where the gold is.” 

And as always, the last word goes to my interviewee. 

“Just do it. Because ask yourself what’s the worst thing that can happen, and if you can live through the worst thing that can happen, then just do it. Why would you not? Life just goes too fast, way too fast. No regrets. I’ll use my grandmother’s saying, it’s ‘What’s for you won’t will pass you by’. 

“’What’s for you won’t pass you by’ really means that you take that leap of faith, you stretch yourself outside your comfort zone, and if it’s meant to be for you it’ll be for you and if it’s not at least you’ve had a go.  

Thanks again Nolle. 

A bit about Nolle:  
Currently working as a Business Partner Principal in the Transformation Delivery Office at Telstra. 
Background:  
Having worked in IT & Business roles spanning over 2 decades in Australia in various different sectors including Health, Media, Technology & Telecommunications  
Working primarily in the project and program space, moving into leadership and management roles and over the last few years into partnership and engagement roles  
Moving to Australia at 23, married with 5 children (blended family) loving life and all that it brings