Based in the beautiful Northern Rivers of NSW, Sarah Post is a true lover of living life in the slow lane (sometimes literally while road tripping with Star RV). She traded her stressful 9-5 for teaching yoga – a move that’s led to a life of peace and connection.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Countries on which these adventures take place who have occupied and cared for these lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Before discovering yoga, Sarah was working in graphic design. Although she loved the creativity, the side effects of being tied to a desk were physically and mentally taking their toll. Hands up, who feels the same? 

‘When I was working 9-5, I got sucked into that ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality and quickly reached burnout,’ she remembers. ‘Yoga was there for me to lean into when I needed it the most. Slowing down physically, grounding energetically, and gently bringing my nervous system out of a ‘fight or flight’ state was exactly what I needed. It’s what many of us need.’

Despite her new-found love, she never planned to become a yoga teacher. But sometimes, fate steps in.

 

Star RV, Northern Rivers, swimming hole

Radiating positivity, Sarah says time in nature helps nurture her soul

 

‘I just wanted to do my training for self-fulfilment and to learn more about meditation and breathwork,’ Sarah smiles. ‘And then when I finished the course, it was like the universe just kind of said, “You’re a teacher”, because I was offered work.’

Today, Sarah teaches yoga whilst spending as much time in nature as possible, whether surfing, hiking, road tripping or simply practising yoga outside in the sun.

Movement and time spent outside are core parts of her lifestyle, as is creativity in all its forms. She’s even studying Art Therapy to continue her quest for creativity, connection, and helping others. There’s no denying it, Sarah truly embodies being at peace and radiates an infectious sense of calm and positivity.

So to help us achieve her enviable state of zen, Sarah shares how she finds peace in a busy world and how we can, too.

Hint! Nature time plays a big role!

 

1. Prioritise the Things That Bring You Joy

‘I think it’s really important to prioritise the things that bring us joy,’ says Sarah. ‘It’s so easy to get caught up with working all the time, and with society’s expectation to be constantly busy, we forget to make time for the things that light us up and give our life meaning.’

If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent years being told that you need to find your one true ‘passion’. But speaking to Sarah is a breath of fresh air – instead of one passion, the list of things that bring Sarah joy is endless.

An early morning surf, crafting a calming yoga sequence, creating art, road tripping to new and familiar places or immersing herself in music. Each of these, and more, spark joy. But at the heart of all of them are two things – creative expression and fostering meaningful community and connections with like-minded people.  

 

painting outside, star rv, Sarah Post

Painting, swimming, yoga, or road trips – take time to nurture things that bring you joy

2. Become at One With Nature

‘Being outdoors is where I feel most at home, most at peace,’ explains Sarah. ‘The outdoors connects us with nature, our true essence – we are nature. This connection can absorb us, bringing us into the moment, leaving past or future worries behind and allowing us to find peace in the present.’

There’s no separation between humans and nature for Sarah. We are one. On the day we spoke, she’d wandered barefoot to the mulberry tree in the back garden to eat fresh berries for breakfast. Afterwards, she practised yoga on the back deck as the sun rose.

 

Star Rv, Sarah Post, Coffee, camping

‘The outdoors brings my partner and I together…’

 

It sounds nothing like my bumbling mornings where I stumble around grumpy and unco until I’m fully caffeinated. But I won’t lie; if I had a mulberry tree, I’d be there with bells on (I do have a lemon tree, but I’m not sure that’d have the same effect). Sarah’s definitely onto something here, though – being out in nature doesn’t need to be some grand expedition or big adventure (although an adventure with Star RV never hurts!). Those small moments are just as important, if not more so as they strengthen our relationships.

‘You could say that the outdoors brings my partner and I together and we love sharing time in nature, we live in nature, we live with nature,’ Sarah explains. ‘Nature is like the container that is holding us as we move through this life together.’

3. Let Compassion be Your Guide

‘When we are at peace, we slow down, feel appreciation, gratitude, kindness,’ says Sarah. ‘And when we are at peace, there is no need to be cruel, jealous, angry or greedy.’

Sarah believes that when a person is at peace, their life changes, and when the world is at peace, the world changes. But for that to happen, we need to be guided by compassion.

Sarah suggests putting yourself in other’s shoes before reacting and fostering small moments of kindness that will add up to a lifetime of compassion.

 

Slow down, feel appreciation, gratitude, and kindness

4. Listen to the Part of Yourself That Wants to Help Others

‘Finding my inner peace has brought bliss and abundance into my life,’ explains Sarah. ‘But I truly find fulfilment through guiding others to reach internal peace amongst a busy world.’

From small acts of kindness as simple as helping someone pick up things they’ve dropped to life-changing moments of selflessness, Sarah believes that we should all take the chance to help others whenever we get the opportunity.

She urges us to let go of the fear that can sometimes stop us from helping and proactively choose to embrace it instead. In a social-media-fuelled society that’s so caught up on appearances and immediate gratification, helping others will bring peace far beyond the scroll.

 

Northern Rivers, Star RV, River

Put down the phone, and find peace and calm in the outdoors

5. Practice Meditation (and if you’ve previously thought you can’t meditate, practise more)

‘I think the main thing is not to tell yourself, “Okay, I’m going to sit down now and have a completely clear mind”,’ says Sarah. ‘That’s too much pressure. Sometimes, the mind can race, and thoughts can come in, and that’s okay. It’s just noticing those thoughts and allowing them to gently move along.’

If you’ve ever thought meditation was simply sitting cross-legged and saying ‘om’, you need to chat with Sarah. I had no idea there were so many different types of meditation to try.

For beginners, she recommends trying movement meditation, where yoga comes in. Or, if nature is more your jam, try walking meditation, maybe even barefoot, grounding to the earth and focusing on the sensations.

There’s also music meditation and visual gazing, where you can focus on one object, like a tree or the horizon. Whatever form you choose, the objective is to focus on the breath and to create stillness in the mind.

 

Northern Rivers, River, meditation

Meditation is more than just sitting cross-legged and saying ‘om’

6. Keep Going; There’s Always Light in the Dark

‘We have to hold on to hope even in the darkest moments,’ encourages Sarah. ‘When it feels hopeless, hope is the light. You have to believe that even in tough times.’

Sarah is perhaps one of the most relaxed and happy people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing, but she still recognises that life can sometimes have its struggles. 

She encourages us all to listen to the inner guidance that shows up in the hardest and darkest times and to remember that everything will be okay. And if it’s a bit tricky to find it within yourself, you can always turn to nature for a reminder of the beauty and value of our world. 

‘Being outdoors inspires me, it grounds me and connects me to something that is bigger than just me,’ Sarah says.

 

Northern Rivers, camping, fire pit, Sarah Post

There is always light in the darkness

Find Your Peace in the Outdoors

Taking care of each other, living life compassionately, and immersing ourselves in nature seems like a good way to live. So, why not take the time to breathe, feel the sensation of the ground beneath your feet, and embrace life in the slow lane like Sarah? I’ll see you there.

 

Images thanks to @ben.savage