Kristina, I just wanted to draw into the global aspects of the business. And you've mentioned there that you are originally from Sweden. So we know that approximately 30% of all business-owning women in Australia are migrant women. What do you think having been born in another country has done to enhance or challenge the business that you started?

Kristina Karlsson:

Both definitely enhance and definitely challenge. So we'll start with the challenges. So I came to Australia with English as a second language, so I had no idea about English terminology, but I also had no idea about business. So it was a bit of an extra challenge there. So that was definitely a challenge. Not having a network, not having that support was a challenge, but it was also an opportunity. And I think every challenge actually has an opportunity. But in this instance, the opportunity was for me to really create my own new network. So often, when we grow up and we go to school, we are friends with people that we bond with for perhaps more personal reasons. And then, when you start a business, it's really important to, as you guys know, because that's what your organisation is all about, is about that community. So that was a challenge for me, not having that, but saying that I created it.

So I reached out to a lot of people in retail. I didn't know anything about retail. I reached out to a lot of women in business because I wanted to learn from them. I want to be inspired by them. And often they were just ahead of me, so I could learn so much. So it was definitely pros and cons, but I think the best thing is that you are not moulded when you come into a new country in terms of, "Oh, this is what she's good at, this is why you're doing that? Because that's not your strength." A lot of people, well-meaning family members and well-meaning friends, often have an opinion based on their own fears and obstacles. And when you hear that, it's often hard. I hear this all the time in my coaching programme, where people join because they don't actually have that kind of people around them to help them with their big dreams, especially if they're dreams that are a little bit outside of their normal circumstances.

We have a lot of lawyers coming in that want to change. They want to do something more creative or something more that is aligned with their values and passions, and purpose. And often, with lawyers, they are so good at school and they're just so encouraged to take on something really challenging, which is amazing and a great degree to have anyway, but it's not everyone's cup of tea at the end. So I think having that network where everyone is working on their own dream life or their own businesses, whatever that is, then that makes a big difference. And I think that's the plus coming in, but it also, of course, has as many challenges. So I think both.

Lucy Kippist:

And you've also talked a lot about your own drive within you. Obviously, you know yourself very well, you've got high levels of self-awareness. And I was reading an article in Harper's Bazaar recently where you credited journaling with having helped prevent an experience of burnout for you. I was just wondering if you could share how you incorporate that practise into your day and how it's helped to shape that resilience.

Kristina Karlsson:

So I've been journaling for a long time, and obviously that's what I do, like the Dream Life Store, that's what we do with, and obviously done with you guys a journal, so it's so exciting, but it makes such a difference in terms of keeping that balance. So I'm going to explain how I do it, but I just want to explain why I do it first. So a lot of us have a lot of challenges coming up all day and in parenthood, in maybe family and maybe business. And it's a lot that goes on in our heads. Sometimes we worry about what the business is doing or not doing. Maybe sometimes worry about the kids, worry about relationships, could be anything. And it goes round and round in our heads, and sometimes it's not real. And I find when I've written about that, and it's not like when I feel stressed, I do it. I do it every single day.

So it's not a practise that you can do just when you feel stressed and think it goes over. It's something you need to incorporate in your life. And for me, I do three morning pages, and it's funny because I am not perfect in any way. So when I say I do it daily, there are certainly days that I miss, but it's very rare because I actually don't feel quite balanced if I don't do it. So I do three pages, which I call morning pages. It's basically just whatever is in my head. And I write in English and Swedish, and now I study French, so I put a little bit of French in there. It's just crazy. It does not matter how it comes out because I do not save it. So that's an important component. Some people want to save it because they want to see patterns, but I've been doing this for over 20 years now, so I don't need to see it.

 For me, it's just dumping it out, getting it out of my head, and I just feel so good. There's no structure in how I do my morning pages, it's whatever comes, so I can write about something about the family and then the business, and then an idea. And I have a normal dream life journal, just a plain one next to it, that one I saved. So when I wrote my book, I went through all my journals to see what had a big impact on me when I created my own dream life.

‍

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TIMWkFtwjfKyah8B5we8W6nTj4OaKoHe/view?usp=drive_link 

Mums & Co x Dream Life Mumbition™ Collaboration Journal

‍

Mumbition™ is the Mums & Co word for the unapologetic blending of motherhood and ambition - and this journal is your invitation to discover yours.

‍

Guiding working Mums through a simple and regular journaling practise, this unique collaboration has been thoughtfully curated to help harmonise ambition (your business and career goals); your livelihood (your family and financial routine); and wellbeing (your individual physical, mental and spiritual health).

‍

Mumbition™ the Journal follows a monthly cadence with a daily check in - complete with insights shared by the Mums & Co community and practical tips for navigating challenges and opportunities.

‍

Get your very own personalised journal!

‍