Why we’re leaving Australia

Letting go of a life you love isn’t easy.

But sometimes… something deeper calls.

For the past 23 years, Sydney has been our home.

Arjen and I arrived as a young couple on a 3-month tourist visa, two backpacks and a dream, hoping to carve out a life on the other side of the world.

Today, we’re preparing to leave…this time older, wiser, and with our 18-year-old twin boys by our side.

And yes, many people think we’re crazy.

We have a great life here - a thriving business, incredible friends, a deep love for the Aussie lifestyle.

The beaches, the culture, the community. It’s all been so good to us.

But we’ve always lived by something more powerful than logic:

A quiet, insistent inner voice.

A soul-knowing that says:

“It’s time.”

Time for the next adventure.

Time to stretch into new spaces.

Time to answer the call of freedom, connection, and growth - our core values.

It’s not the first time we’ve done this.

25 years ago, we left our secure careers and community in the Netherlands, sold our home, and set off to travel the world - no plan, just trust.

We thought we’d end up in Latin America running a resort.

Life had other plans.

We landed in Sydney, stood on a friend’s balcony overlooking Bronte Beach, and just knew.

“This is it. This is where we’re meant to be.”

No analysis. No spreadsheet. Just a full-body yes.

And now, we feel that same sense of clarity, but this time, it’s telling us to go. To let go. To make space for whatever’s next.

This is what aligned growth looks like.

It doesn’t always make sense on paper.

It won’t always be met with approval.

It rarely fits in neat boxes.

But it feels right.

And over the years, we’ve learned to trust that feeling - that deep, grounded “yes.”

Because when we’ve followed it, we’ve experienced the most incredible growth, both personally and professionally.

We’ve built a life we’re proud of.

We’ve raised two beautiful, grounded, curious boys.

I’ve created a business that not only works, but feels good.

And now we’re off again - backpacks, open hearts, and no fixed destination.

Will it be Europe? Somewhere else?

We don’t know yet.

But just like last time, we’ll know when we get there.

This next chapter is also about them - our boys.

Dylan is likely heading to Spain to grow his incredible chef’s knife-making business (which is already making waves globally).

Jordi is exploring opportunities in watchmaking across Switzerland, Germany, and Finland.

We’re excited to see them carve their own path - not the “expected” one, but the one that feels true for them.

Because that’s what this journey is really about.

It’s about choosing depth over doing, alignment over approval, freedom over fear.

It’s about listening to your own voice, not the noise of what others think you “should” do.

It’s about honouring what matters to you, even if no one else understands it.

What we are doing is not the way.

But it is our way.

Leaving isn’t without emotion.

We’re letting go of so much - our home, our routines, our things.

We’ve donated clothes, sold furniture, said goodbye to beach volleyball mornings and ferry rides into the city.

But every single moment, every conversation, every sunrise walk… it all lives within us.

It has shaped us.

And it will travel with us.

Just like my special Twinlife Forward clients, who are coming along on the journey.

Over the past year, I’ve shaped my business to be fully flexible and location-independent, and I’ve already been working with amazing clients across Europe, Asia, and of course here in Sydney.

It’s not just a new lifestyle, it’s a new way of leading, guiding, and creating.

We’re not starting over.

We’re evolving.

We’re stepping into a more spacious, expansive way of living and working - one that feels fully aligned with who we are now.

And that’s what I want to leave you with:

🔹 You don’t have to stay where you’ve outgrown.
🔹 You don’t need permission to change course.
🔹 You can do things differently - with courage, clarity, and deep trust in yourself.

So if you’re standing at your own threshold…

If something inside you is whispering “it’s time…”

Listen.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You just need to take the next step forward.

With heart. With honesty. And in full alignment with who you are.

From Sydney, with immense love and gratitude,

Sonja 💛

Transforming how you market, lead, and grow ➝ in business and beyond.