Our Kin: Maddison Vernon | Melbourne, Australia

Maddison Vernon is an internationally certified coach, speaker and meditation teacher who works with ambitious individuals to help them slow down, take care and be kind. You’ll find her teaching across Melbourne in yoga studios, corporate environments and schools. Here, Maddison shares her personal practices for slowing down, setting boundaries and finding balance in her work life.

When I was younger I defined success by how much money I earnt, how much I could work myself into the ground and how much I could ‘go, go, go’ and fit into my day/week. I moved from one big ‘success’ to another but kept bumping up against this internal resistance, this feeling of numbness and not good enough even when I knew I should be feeling so happy and grateful.

Doing my yoga teacher training honestly changed my path.  I came home from that training and got really sick. My body was honestly no longer coping with the way I was living, and something needed to change. I had no other option but to listen and change everything.

Now days I have very clear boundaries for my on and off time. I wear many hats so ensuring I do what’s most important for myself first helps me feel fulfilled and not resentful. 

Weekends I do not work, I don’t check emails, I don’t respond past certain times to work commitments on my phone. During the week I may get up earlier and write an article from bed then I will go to an exercise class around midday. The afternoon I might do something creative and fun, before doing work again.

In the evening I have wind-down rituals like candles, essential oils diffusing, chill music, lamps. I ensure the phone is put away.  As I work from home some days and live in a small one bedroom apartment, this helps me to transition from day time work mode tonight time relaxing mode. I am a keen observer of my energy, always ensuring I am releasing anything that is not mine to hold onto and finding centre within myself.

I have incredible friends in my life who help me and hold me accountable to not always be in hustle mode. Every type A personality needs a big Yin chill mellow person in their life. I’m grateful to be surrounded by friends like this and my partner is always very good at helping me relax and stop worrying. He reminds me to live my life. 

When my head hits the pillow at the end of the day I feel happy and content with how the day has unfolded. I’m loving the journey that I am on and don’t wait for the destination to fulfil me. I live a life that I love. My job is to show up, be who I am, do what my heart and intuition is leading me too, and know that the rest is taken care of.  

Maddison’s recommended books for slowing down:

Slow by Brooke McAlary

First we Tame the Beast by Sarah Wilson