30, Fearless, and Thriving: Embracing Change and Chasing Dreams

Cue ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Beddingfield, because I'm ready to live out my Lauren Conrad or LC life, navigating the highs and lows of the fashion scene, with hopes of rubbing elbows at glitzy fashion shows.

Before we dive into all that let me make an introduction. .

I’m Jennifer, a 31-year-old HR professional who moved from the green country fields of Ireland to the sunny beaches of Sydney five months ago. With a career in HR spanning over seven years I’ve always had a passion for being creative, whether it be through writing blog articles or running company social media accounts — it's been my not-so-secret weapon. But let's not zoom too far ahead.

Rewind to my childhood—yeah, we're going back that far—where my creativity was in full flight. I filled numerous copies with my imaginary stories, dreaming of becoming a writer a la Jacqueline Wilson, whose Tracy Beaker series held me spellbound, was my goal. Another favourite of mine was going to Eason’s and picking up a copy of Kiss magazine. Every '90s and '00s girl can relate to the anticipation of flipping through its pages, consuming the latest gossip and glamour that filled its pages. Enamoured by the world of writing and fashion magazines, when it came time for my fourth-year work experience in 2010, there was only one place I had my sights set on: Kiss Magazine, and to my sheer disbelief, I snagged an internship.

During the internship, I quickly learned that the realm of fashion journalism isn't solely about glitz, glam, and rubbing elbows with celebrities, it’s incredibly hard work and sometimes it may involve you dashing to pick up garments for shoots or taking to the public to interview them on different topics for the magazine but amidst the hustle, every day brought something new, and I revelled in it.

I was only 16 when I interned at the magazine and unfortunately at that age, social anxiety gripped me, making it daunting to communicate with the team, fearing I'd seem incompetent and it became a hurdle during my internship. Ultimately, my introverted nature clashed with the world that necessitated outgoingness and fearlessness in interacting with strangers. Regrettably, I allowed my anxiety to steer me away from pursuing a career in fashion journalism—a decision I still regret to this day. Despite veering from that path, I'm grateful for the journey it set me on, forcing me out of my comfort zone leading to immense personal growth. While I still encounter nerves and sweaty palms now and again when engaging with strangers, I've learned to push through, and enjoy the connections formed in those moments, something I’m very proud of as I never would have thought back when I was 16 that I’d get to this point in life.

Fast forward to 2020 to 2024, where numerous times over the years I considered leaving my HR career and starting something new. While my HR career has taught me valuable lessons and equipped me with tools to succeed professionally it’s not a career I am passionate about and makes my soul happy. Over the years I have thought about switching careers to marketing or journalism as I know I possess the skills, dedication and ambition to do excel in those industries, but it never felt like the right time and like other female’s in my current stage of life I thought I was ‘too old’ to change my career path.

Since moving to Australia, starting a new life with my partner, a revelation struck, if I’m starting a new life, why not a new career as well? I found myself thinking back to my Kiss internship and how what the ladies of the magazine were doing then and the strides Stellar Magazine is making in today’s digital landscape, that I realised that the aspirations of 16 year old Jennifer still linger and as the age old saying goes, if you don’t try you won’t win. Some may say fate intervened when I stumbled across the National Fashion College by chance while sourcing fashion interns for my company in the beauty, health & wellness sector. It felt like a sign I couldn’t ignore. I met with the college director, enrolled and now on the 28^th of April I officially start my 1 year journey. While I most likely will be the only 31 year old student among a group of 19-24 year old’s, I am so excited for the journey to come.

I guess after all of this what I’m trying to say is hitting the big 3-0 shouldn't cast a shadow over your dreams. Whether you want to change career, start your fitness journey, start your own business, move country or even go back to studying, DO IT! Life doesn't slam on the brakes once you hit your thirties, forties, or beyond. We've got this one wild ride we call life, so why not fill it with things that light us up and put a smile on our faces? Let's ditch the shoulda-woulda-couldas and dive headfirst into a life that feels just right.