We are the Monk family, and we used to live in a bubble!
In its confines bulged a house, snazzy set of wheels, full-time work in healthcare, retirement plan, and corporate ladder.
That was until 2010 -when a family cycling holiday became the catalyst to another journey: one of transformation.
Travelling by bike with our two sons (then 1 and 3) we cycled the length of the South Island on a six week independent holiday.
As is the case with tour cycling everything condensed. Our house became a tent, kitchen a simple gas cooker, and wardrobes four pannier bags, as we literally carried life’s indispensables on our bikes.
And therein lay the seed of an epiphany: because having less created more. More time, more freedom, more creativity. ‘Good moment farming’, we called it.
We played, hung out, embraced good times and overcame challenges. But it wasn’t until after completing the journey that we truly realised we’d discovered a way of being that brought us all closer together, and made us feel alive and free.
In the months that followed we sold our house, quit jobs, and popped our (security) bubble, with the premise that -by letting go of the material things we’d collected- our lives would be infinitely richer in experiences and time.
Since then we’ve embraced opportunities throughout three continents. We’ve dined with locals, explored unknown (and sometimes unpronounceable) places, lived and worked on organic farms throughout France, and in 2016, we cycled independently (our boys then 7 and 8) from North Africa to Scotland.
As a result, we’ve developed increasing awareness of our impact on the planet; resulting in an array of global issues that feel so overwhelming, it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s why we’ve developed a coaching initiative to promote healthier, minimalist lifestyles, supportive of ethical consumer outcomes that benefit the planet and people alike.
Contact: poppingthebubble@outlook.com
popping the bubble 