Vivia Hales was the guest speaker at Goulburn Evening VIEW Club's July meeting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Vivia spoke about the Butterfly Effect, how change is inevitable and the Four Universal Stages of Change. Universal, meaning this happens to everyone, even if they are not conscious of it happening at the time.
Stage one: The Athlete Stage, usually from your twenties onwards, you are finding out who you are and identifying your career path. What others think of you is very important. The question in this stage is 'How do I look?'
Stage two: The Warrior Stage. Going out into the world, creating and forging your life. Building a home, working hard for your children and it's about 'getting things'.
Stage three: The Statesman Stage. As you get older you are in a position to give back and work in a voluntary capacity. The question here is - 'how can I help others and my community?'
Stage four: Spirit Stage. Looking for a higher meaning to life. Finding or looking for spiritual comfort. The question in this stage is - what is life all about, why am I here? Purpose.
Vivia started life in Rhodesia where a guerrilla war was underway. So many young people did not return home, and Rhodesia transitioned to Zimbabwe. Her family had to flee and she spent her last year of school in a flat in South Africa, where she did not speak the language. She then went to university in Cape Town where she was a white girl in a black area and had no concept of apartheid. Vivia feels she must have had a guardian angel.
Vivia became a therapist, married and had three boys. Later, after a divorce and the boys were living with their father, she jumped on a ship and sailed the world for nine months. When she returned she found changes again in South Africa and moved to Botswana and started a beauty salon. Her boys returned to her as her husband could not cope with them in South Africa. She came to Australia and started a beauty salon in Canberra. Vivia ran the salon for 12 years, but Covid-19 came along and she closed the business.
Vivia moved to Goulburn with her partner and now works with Anglicare at Wollondilly Gardens. She's giving back and helping people with their next stage of life. Vivia now has eight grandchildren.
Kathy Jeffrey thanked Vivia for her most interesting talk.
- Diane Young is Goulburn Evening VIEW Club publicity officer.
