FAQs

As I am building this page to answer all your biggest burning questions, please leave your comment (question) below at the bottom – what would you like to know about me, my lifestyle, your own questions on how to create your own lifestyle by design, travel questions and …..well… go for it! Ask away!

You asked, I answered, Without further ado, the scoop on all things The Global Butterfly:

How did you create your financial freedom? The manifestation of my financial freedom has grown primarily through investing in positive cash-flow properties, which (with extra blessings) have also increased in capital growth over the years also). The very beginnings of all this occurred when I learned cash flow management from my mother. Bless her heart, she (and my dad) started giving me (and my brother, Gary) pocket money when I was aged 9. She did something very extraordinary, that she wasn’t even aware of the value of the effect of her gift to me until a few recent years ago when I shared this with her… she wrote up a “commitment chart” that she posted with tape inside my wardrobe cupboard. On that chart, she divvied up my $1 a week allowance into “shares.” Ten percent to the piggy-bank for savings. Ten percent to the tithing jar (which I contributed each week at Sunday School), and ten percent to the tax man (which my mother later (as I found out) would contribute that back into our savings fund.) The remaining seventy percent (70 cents) I could spend on what I liked, no questions asked. So for me, that was usually a BIG bag of lollies (candy) which was an extra large white bakery bag of sweets at two for one cent in 1984.

Are you a financial expert or property expert? Nope, I’m just a regular person who loves to learn and gain life experience by “jumping right in” and then sharing my learnings (and adventures). I have studied (and put into practice) for years the theories of financial wealth attainment and freedom, as well as many strategies for property investment. But I’m no financial expert, or by any means a property investing ‘guru’. I’ve simply found my ‘niche’ within the strategies available that resonate with my bigger vision in life and my goals. My biggest “Aha” came when I read “Rich Dad. Poor Dad.” by Robert Kyosaki.

Where was the first country you travelled to outside of Australia? Ah, that would be the Philippines when I was 16 years old. I was attending church at the time with my mum, and there was a group from New Tribes Mission who came to speak at the church. They were describing an up-and-coming trip to Palawan, Philippines for a team of six to assist with helping to build a missionary home. My dad is a carpenter / builder (and all my childhood life I was used to moving from house to house with building or renovating homes, or dad’s future businesses!) A combination of my family experience and my own heart-felt calling, I decided I wanted to go. I announced that. And with me selling my ‘Zuma’ (motorized scooter) and a few charitable monetary donations from the church, I was off! I flew to Sydney on my own, and met five others on the team. We flew to the Philippines as a group to assist in building a ‘thatched roof house’ in Puerto Princessa City, Palawan (Philippines) for 30 days. It wasn’t until I came back to Australia that I had any cultural shock. After visiting the poverty of Manila and Palawan Island, I was so grateful for my own standard of living here in Australia. I was also bitten by the travel bug.

Where have you travelled too? Wow! Are you ready? For now, let’s keep it simple, and just state the countries, and main locations.
Philippines, (Australia-wide), USA, Canada, Mexico, London (Great Britain), Greece, Singapore, Japan, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Antarctica, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy. France, Republic of San Remo, Vatican City, Andorra, Spain, Monaco, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Dubai… I’m sure there are more.. will update as I remember!

Where do you still want to go? Africa! I’m dying to go on an African Safari (to shoot photography!) Note: In September/October of 2011 I recently made this dream come true! Africa is AMAZING! (I went gorilla tracking in Uganda and on safari in Kenya) and to go to Egypt and Morocco. I’ve also got Canada and Alaska as a rail / cruise trip on my bucket list. I’d love to also see Ireland / Scotland and England as an adventure. Another one is: Cambodia / Vietnam / Laos as a 6-week backpacking tour. That would be fun!

Where you born into a rich family? Not at all! We had a very colourful life in our family, in all aspects including finances. Ups and downs. Mostly downs. We got by, and always had enough. My parents were creative and at times as generous as they could be. But we were never rich. It was actually a few life experiences – very emotional experiences – during my teens that I made the commitment at 16 that “I will never be broke! I will become wildly wealthy!” – I had basically linked up the meaning that “no money = no love” (I hadn’t discovered this unconscious meaning until December 2007 during a healing practice). Which all makes sense why (in the past)I was emotionally attracting men into my life that I could “fix” financially. Because somewhere deep within my soul, I had thought that if I “fix the money problem, then I deserve love.” We’re emotional beings. So even though that makes no logically sense, it did to the emotional girl within me who was running on a program wanting to “deserve” love.

Note: I have a whole lot of better serving programs running in my head now (thanks to Anthony Robbins training and coaches, as well as Steve Linder’s SRI Coaching and learning NLP Practices.)

What is your favourite country to travel to? Why? Ooh, so many!
Up until fairly recently Antarctica was always an automatic favourite. Apart from “WOW!” factor of going to a land so few go to, it was also were I did some of my most challenging physical “stretches” – like ice mountain climbing! I loved the photographic opportunities there too. But without a shadow of a doubt I love all things Africa! My favourite country to date is Kenya (Nairobi doesn’t tickle my fancy much, but rarely any large capital cities do! But the Maasai Mara is my #1 Magical favourite place in the world.
I also fell deeply in love with Peru and the Amazon Jungle. I faced my greatest fear (spiders) there, by going on a night walk and filming tarantulas which were often only a few feet away from me on the earth!
Perhaps one of the best places that captivates my heart though, is Spain. I LOVE Spain.

What have you learned the most about traveling? That every human being wants the same things. Love, respect, and an opportunity to feel important and needed.

What is your favourite airline? Hmmmm. For quality and service, I would say in my experience – Emirates.

What is your favourite travel destination? Actually, one of my most favourite places in the world is close to my home town. It’s in the South-west region of Australia. – Margaret River – I love it! They have some of the best beaches, wine regions, restaurants, and beauty I have ever witnessed. My NUMBER ONE favourite destination is now Kenya, Africa.. in particular, the Maasai Mara. It’s simply incredible for energy, wild life, landscapes and the most beautiful people on planet earth!

Do you create a list of goals for your life? How regularly? yes, and I guess I’ve always written my goals down ever since I could remember as a child. As I grew up and read more on the subject, I developed my goal-mapping strategy. I regularly review my goals at least several times a year. Often more. But I look at them (almost daily). I find when I do, that I’m always on track (even if I am course-correcting). It keeps me focused and feeling alive. I also create a bucket-list (which I am always updating, and crossing off things I have done, experienced or acquired). I also create a vision board for my life, and break it down each year to the year ahead. It’s a Christmas week / New Years’ Eve tradition I now have to get a clear picture (and get excited) about the year ahead.

Where do you live most of your time? Aaah, perhaps in an airplane! *L* …I usually joke and say “Qantas 21K” or something like that.

What kind of things do you pack regularly with you when you travel? ALWAYS my electronics are my priority! (I’m such technical geek! ) My mac laptop, Canon 60D, Kodak Zi8, sometimes my iPad or my Kindle, iPhone, and then I pack my clothes and accessories. I try to keep them limited and able to cross-match my clothes. I usually take several pairs of flip-flops, (black can go with a nice evening dress!) and a few layers of clothing to stay warm. But my gadgets are priority. Clothes and toiletries, etc are cheap enough to buy on location (except Antarctica!).

How did you create your lifestyle that you have now? Spending a lot of time creating in my mind what I wanted, believing it was possible (at least taking small inch-steps in the beginning to move towards what I wanted). Finding great coaches and mentors, and investing the time and money into myself by having them in my life to guide and coach me. I agonised over this in the beginning, but it’s BECAUSE of them that I am where I am at today. A good coach will call you out, help you face your truth, give you strategies to overcome your fears and move towards your goals and to believe in you when you don’t quite yet believe in yourself, or that your dream life really can happen for you.

Where did you get the idea to become a “global butterfly”? Actually it was a good friend of mine I met on Facebook (now a real life friend), Jason Cooksey who was on the phone to me one day, generously giving me a financial strategy and tax minimization plan, that said… “you know what you are Katie? You’re the Global Butterfly!” And from there it stuck. It resonated and it means more than flitting about the globe traveling the world. It’s about transformational change within not only my life, but the lives of others who I affect, through ideas, insights and inspiration through walking my talk. it’s about moving from the confines of a cocoon (and the self-limiting beliefs) and expanding yourself (through the struggle of metamorphosis), spreading your wings and flying your life with the true freedom you deserve.

How do you make your Vision Boards? Click here to view.

Where did you get the idea to start this blog? Quite a few friends have been suggesting to me for a long time to write about my travels, my learnings from all the events and seminars I attend, and my perspective on life. I’ve always loved to write, and have in the past kept another online ‘journal’ at www.livingadventuresoftheheart.blogspot.com. I decided that 2011 was the year to really bring everything together in one place, since I get asked so often the same types of questions about my life, lifestyle design, and how to live life on your own terms.