Jamie Parbery
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m 29 years old and have lived on the Gold Coast for about 2 years now. I love spending my weekends in the sun and trying a new restaurant or cafe - I’m making my way through a long list of recommendations!
What inspires you?
People who live an authentic life regardless of what society might expect of them. It makes me want to better myself. Society puts such pressure on young people to conform to certain ideals, it’s refreshing and inspiring when someone goes against the grain to find success and happiness.
Can you talk us through a challenge you have had to overcome in your life and how did you do it?
In 2015-2016 I dealt with chronic anxiety. It consumed me. I don’t think I appreciated how bad things had become for me mentally, I had accepted that was the life chosen for me. It took a lot of personal development, a career change and saying goodbye permanently to some toxicity in my life to really come full circle. Some people won’t understand the choices you make in the pursuit of your own happiness and that’s ok, they don’t need to be part of your story.
If you could give your 15yr old self any advice, what would you say to her?
Life isn’t chosen for you. You have the capacity to choose and create a beautiful life for yourself, regardless of where you come from. Self doubt only cripples you into a corner where you hide from making those choices. And true happiness is just on the other side.
Where is your favourite place you have travelled to & what memory does it bring back to you?
Such a hard one! So many places I have such amazing memories from. Bali is so special to me; we go once a year and we got engaged over there in 2016. It feels like a second home. We spent 6 months backpacking around South East Asia a few years back and I fell in love with Cambodia. It’s so full of history. Plus the coastline and islands are stunning!
What are you most looking forward to about being a mum?
There was always a part of me that felt like it was missing. I don’t have a great relationship with my parents and I don’t really have any extended family; it is easy to feel disconnected and alone at times. Becoming a Mum feels like finding that connection again and filling the part of me that felt missing.
What are you grateful for?
♡ A loving husband who I call my best friend.
♡ Being able to bring our baby home to a house we own.
♡ A support network I created myself, not one defined by blood or genetics.
Tell us something that brought a smile to your face recently
A beautiful friend pointed out my many successes lately, despite the craziness in this world right now. A new home, a baby on the way, many amazing friends and living in a place I truly love. There is so much for me to be thankful for right now.