Zia Nichols

Nomad who mainly live in Indonesia and Australia. Co-Founder of Balance Life Institute My Personal Website

[zianichols]

Learning from my travel, I came to a conclusion that if peace and harmony is what we'd like to see in this world, each of us needs to experience how it feels like to be minority. • Whether that's in relation to ethnic race, religion, life's point of view, etc. • The hatred and insecurity and suspicion that many people currently have towards other race/religion/culture, I felt is because those people don't really understood how to stand on the other's 'shoes'. • I said this because... I've been there. • When I used to only live in Bandung, I didn't need think on how life should be lived. I just looked the people around me, my surrounding (which usually represented by the majority), and then I followed it. • Then I moved to other living environment, and realised that life's rule is different. So I adjust again. • And then I experienced another surrounding, and adapt again to the new environment. • There's a reason why Charles Darwin said, “It's not the strongest of a species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It's the one that's the most adaptable to change.” • When I exposed to a new environment where I became the minority, my survival instinct forced me to adapt. • And that adaptation process includes understanding the majority's perspective of life, and see how I can relate to that. • Without letting go of my own believe system, I found a way to embrace the new perspective, and still have my own personal twist of life's way. • Which is why I'm always 'charged' to be in a place where harmony between 'different' kind of people is strong. And, of course, saddened everytime I saw a news that's caused by insecurity due to differences that we all have. • So perhaps, next time you're looking for a holiday destination, find a place that's out of your comfort zone. A place that offers a different perspective of live, that can challenge the way you think, and perhaps... stay around longer in one place and learn about the culture (and not just taking selfie 😂). • Because the world is big and wonderful and isn't end in your tiny little city. • PS: I'll share information for our workshop in Jakarta next month, SOON. • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia

[zianichols]

There are places in my life that meant so much to me, as it gave me a meaningful life changing experience. And Turkey is one of those places. • My Dad has always been very strict and over-protective. In university years, my curfew was at 5pm (or he'd start calling me and wonder where I was), and it was extremely difficult to get permission to visit other places outside my city or even staying over at a friend's place. • So when I got the permission from him to travel to Europe for 3 months back in 2010 (with one condition: he's not gonna fund me), I was surprised. 3 months abroad was okay, but not 1 night at a friend's place 😂. • Long story short, after successfully pitched companies, ministry of education, and my uni to fund me (does anyone interested to know how to search for fund/sponsorship?), there I was... #Istanbul. A place that changed my life forever. • I thought it wouldn't be much different to Indonesia, considering that it's also a predominant Moslem country. But oh boy... I was wrong. • People making out in public places, religious attributes is forbidden at schools/universities, and restaurants is publicly open in Ramadan... Without curtain on every window like in Indonesia 😂. • Above other things, my biggest learning point from visiting this country is that... Truth isn't singular. • People have their own versions of truth, as we all live a different reality. • What's important though isn't to find the differences that we all have and argue about who's right and wrong. Because that will only lead to separation and suffering, as we're all born unique and different. • But instead, our task is to find the empathy, understanding, and harmony between the various truths that we're all live up to. • Life is an endless learning opportunity, and the control to grow and evolve beyond these lessons is in our hand. • PS: framed on the photo is #BlueMosque • #radiantbeautyritual

[zianichols]

At the 1st twenty years of my life, I've always stayed in one place, in a city called Bandung. I never traveled, never exposed to different way of living & rarely met people with an 'uncommon' perspective of life. • And then I started to travel & lived in foreign places. Besides the excitement, I would say that it often challenging. • Not only because the food tasted differently without the excessive chilli (dulu harus bawa sambel kmn2 biar nafsu makan 😂), I was constantly being challenged in the way I see life. And mostly it came from the people whom I met along the journey. • I believe that there's no coincidence in our life. Only an opportunity to learn. And that includes the people that we met. • Some people r there in our life to support us, some to cheer us no matter how shitty the mistake that we made, & some... r there to challenge our limited believe system & force us to grow in the most uncomfortable way. • I found this 3rd group of people as the most valuable when it comes to accelerating my growth. They're valuable also because there's not many people whom brave enough to point out the shittiest thing about our life & become the mirror of the darkest part of ourselves​ that we never thought existed. • Kimmana often said that if we're feeling comfortable with our life or with our relationship with someone, that means we're not learning anything nor growing (guess that's why Kim & I often argued 😂). • And I guess this is why only few people live an extra ordinary life, making their dream life a reality. • Because when a challenging or an uncomfortable situations come, most people try to push it away. Not many who are brave enough & wise enough, to see the merit a challenging situation (or person) might bring. • Lastly, I found challenge & pain & uncomfortable-ness as the best teachers. Yet not many students want to go to their class. • PS: I wrote this as a reminder to myself, as today marks the beginning of my nomadic life (again) 😁 • It's been a true pleasure to nest in my jungly Bali cave (framed on the photo above), recharging myself so that I'm ready for whatever might come for the next 6 months. (at Bali, Indonesia)

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It's been raining in Ubud this morning. With gloomy grey sky like this, it's easy to just wanna curl up on bed, continue to snuggle and cuddle... • Or... Take the opportunity to dance nakedly under the rain 💃. That's what I did at least, and also the things that we often do 😚. • Something about letting thunderstorms rain touching my bare skin that made me... so alive and refresh (and cold 😂) after. • It's something that I used to like to do when I was little, and only had a chance to do it recently as I got private outdoor balcony, with forrest as the opposite neighbour 😆. • Now waiting for the sun to come back, making sure there's no mould flourishing​ from the rain 😂. • Photo taken at #Bunaken, Sulawesi. • #radiantbeautyritual

[zianichols]

I went to the same trainings and classes of Kimmana’s repeatedly. It was a dreadful thought at first that I need to attend the same class, because I knew what will come next on the slideshow, and even remember each word of his jokes 😂. • Until one point, I realised that it was because of this repetition that I could remember and learn so much in a rather short amount of time. • I also realised that in each class that Kimmana taught, I learnt new things that I didn't learnt before, because: 🍀I, as student, grew. I can then digest new information that I wasn't ready to learn before. 🍀Kimmana, as teacher, too grew. Between his teaching events, I saw Kimmana constantly learning new things, as he's always on this 'growth mindset'. • Just like how my scoliosis condition has evolved over time due to repetition on therapy that works like yoga (I can't hardly see the curved spine in this picture), most things in life can still be changed too. All depends on: 🎆Our acceptance to the situation, 🎆Determination and preserverance to the process, and 🎆Repeat what works. • PS: our mini class in Ubud will be held this Sunday at @alchemyacademybali . More info and details can be found on the link on my bio 👆. • #writtenbyzia #radiantbeautyritual (at Bali, Indonesia)

[zianichols]

At first, we sailed across the ocean by ourselves. In fact, many of us at the beginning didn't even know which direction to go. • Which is why, some of us followed other people's sailing direction, as it seems that direction gives them happiness. • At one point in life, we finally figured out what's our life's direction, and not following other's. And as we sail to that direction, we might bumped to another boats. • Some people sail so fast that made us question ourselves on our own progress. And some sail in our speed, that made us able to chat and connect with them. • Some of us fell in love with fellow sailor that we met on our way through the ocean. • Some decided to go to that same direction together, on the same boat, while some others don't wanna do that. • Many of them said that sailing on the same boat is challenging... 💔You need to ditch your freedom of having your own boat. 💔What if at some point you break up, and that you need to start from zero, building back your own way through the ocean? 💔What about drama that might come up from sharing a boat together? Who gonna take in charge of steering the wheel? 💔And some also afraid to trust and make a jump to the same boat. • This analogy and story is how I see life. • Our individuality and freedom is our personal sailing boat, and life is the ocean itself. • Life is a whole great adventure that no matter what happens, comparing to other's progress wouldn't bring happiness, ever. • There's no one 'right' direction to go, nor there's the 'right' speed. • We're all different and special in our nature. • The key to successfully sailing through this ocean called life, is to accept, realised and embrace our own unique path. • Happy weekend from us, who are now having a break from life on the mountain 😊. • #writtenbyzia #radiantbeautyritual (at Bali Eco Stay)

[zianichols]

Imagine this. You live in someone else's house, and you'd expect that they'll have some house rules. Whether it's a curfew, where to put shoes on, cleaning matters, etc. • If you'd like to live in harmony with the landlord, then obeying the rules is a no-brainer, or you'll get kicked out. • No matter who we are, what our individuality is, we all live on the same earth, get affected by the sun, moon, and other celestial objects that, whether we like it or not, give effects to us. • Police in some countries have noted that there's more accidents during a full moon and adjust their roster to have more police available at that time. Or how kindergarten teachers (like what I used to do), noticed the kids goes a little cray-cray during this peak emotional time of the month. No kidding! • Which is why, Ayurveda as a time tested holistic system that's existed for more than 3,000 years, outlines clearly about daily rituals that will support our health, happiness and beauty. • This rituals is a tool to sync us with the earth's cycle, and will give great benefits no matter what's our individuality. Because again, we live on the same earth that has her own 'rules' and rhythm. • Next week on the 28th, I'll be sharing in a mini workshop here in Ubud, at @alchemyacademybali, about these Ayurvedic daily rituals. • Even the great Gandhi said that our (daily) actions will shapes our destiny, as it affects our habit and our life's value. • More info can be found here www.bit.ly/ayuritualsachemy, or click the link on my bio • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia (at Alchemy Academy)

[zianichols]

Far before 'mineral' bottled water existed in Indonesia, my family and I usually drank tap water (that's already boilled) for our daily supply of drinking water. • Little did I know that tap water are linked fo many disease, due to toxins that it may contain. • From flouride, chlorine, lead, mercury, arsenic, and even DDT. • Imagine this. You live in someone else's house, and you'd expect that they'll have some house rules. Whether it's a curfew, where to put shoes on, cleaning matters, etc. • If you'd like to live in harmony with the landlord, then obeying the rules is a no-brainer. Or else, you'll get kicked out. • No matter who we are, what our individuality is, we all live on the same earth, get affected by the sun, moon, and other celestial objects that, whether we like it or not, give effects to us. • Police in some countries have noted that there's more accidents during a full moon and adjust their roster to have more police available at that time. Or how kindergarten teachers (like what I used to do), noticed the kids goes a little cray-cray during this peak emotional time of the month. No kidding! • In my latest blog, I talked about the 2 CRUCIAL health pillars (taken from Kimmana's 10 pillars of vitality), that will applicable no matter who you are, or what your individuality is. • On the blog I focused on the second point of these pillars, which is Water. • Learn the why, what, and how to get the best water for a healthier and happier you. And did I also mentioned that water is also crucial for a glowing supple skin? 😆 • Go to www.balancelife.id/blog, or click the link on my bio to read the blog. • PS: On the photo is our alkaline water filter that we brought specifically from Australia for our Bali home. After 2 years of research, Kimmana found this water filter to be the best option for what it cost. More on the blog. • #radiantbeautyritual

[zianichols]

Not only it's nourishing, the emotion of love that's just like water, also have a tendency to create bond and attachment. • Which is why when we love something (or someone), we'd have the urge to also own it. • "That flower is beautiful, I wanna pluck it." Or "I love than man/woman, I wanna marry him/her." • But true love isn't about possession. • It's about being able to give our love without any expectations that the thing/person will: ❤Loves us back, ❤Makes us happy, ❤Not going to hurt us, or ❤Not going to leave us • With these tendency of expectations that comes with attachment, it's very understandable if falling in love can be a scary thing. • Yet only after understanding that nothing in life is permanent, even the emotion of love itself, we can then be free from the suffering that love might entails. And yes, that is easier said than done 😁. • PS: for those of you who might still single for whatever reason (have a bigger purpose to achieve first, or haven't found the right one yet), I hope you know that the ability to love others also connected to the ability to receive love from others. • In my personal experience, the ability to let the love to touch the deepest part of me is as scary as to love others deeply. • Often it's because of the unfortunate conditioning in our mind saying that we're not worthy of love. • A false believe that you're not good enough to be loved by just being yourself. Or that you'll only worth of love only after you achieved 'this' first or became 'that' first. • My wish to you is that you know you're loved, supported and needed by others, just the way you are. • The people who can love you just truly, can only turn up if you open your heart, and let them love you. • Lots of love, Zia • #writtenbyzia #radiantbeautyritual (at Bali, Indonesia)

[zianichols]

Kimmana and I are sooo different. When we first knew that we love each other, we were unsure how our relationship could work out harmoniously for the long term. • He grew up in the nature, while I came from a big city. • He grew up as vegetarian, while my kind of diet was 'healthy' with meat and not 'perfect' without dairy milk (thanks to Indonesian government propaganda). • He'll just wear shirt that's on top of the pile, while I can change my cloths several times until I'm ready to go. • Or... • How he'll think things through, while I have tendency to be more spontaneous 🤣. • There are so many other differences that we have, which just like many other relationships, argument is part of the deal (Kimmana doesn't call it argument though, just discussing 😁). • Yet, it's only because of our differences that within just 3 years of marriage, our relationship can take us to a place where we couldn't get alone. • Differences isn't something to be afraid of, repressed, or avoided. • Instead, differences needs to be recognized, accepted and embraced if want the world to be a more harmonious place to live. • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia (at Bali, Indonesia)

[zianichols]

I didn't grow up feeling confident with myself and my body wasn't even bendy. I couldn't even fold forward and touch my toes 4 years a go! And with my scoliosis condition, standing straight was even an effort (because I just wanted to lay down as my back hurts from time to time). • Years passed by, and with the process that​ I've been through, I now learnt that everything is possible in life. • Yes for some the effort is easier, and for some others they need to put an extra effort. • Let's take an example for financial rich. • I often think that you'll be rich if your family is already rich. • Yet in the US now, there are more self-made billionaire, than the old, inherited rich people. Some said 62%, and some even said 90% of the billionaires are self-made. Meaning the didn't come from rich family, and that they worked hard for it. • In this events that from our human perspective think as 'unlucky', each of us got 2 options to react: 1. To victimised ourselves, and blamed other people/events as the source of our suffering (which unfortunately this doesn't take us anywhere). • 2. To stop blaming​, accept it, see it as an opportunity to learn, and move FORWARD. • The earth is still spinning, and life's show must go on. • Whatever 'difficult' situation that you're in now, know that this: "The bigger the challenge is, the bigger the opportunity to grow." • Have a great start of the week! 😊 • PS: After my spine can support me to stand and do headstand better, I'm currently learning how to handstand. With the 'vata' arms that I'm gifted (where's the muscle? Lol), guess it will take more practice and time 😂 • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia

[zianichols]

We're all have the same 24hours a day, but why some people can achieve more than the others? Why some people seems like have the time to do more than us? • After meeting and learning from people that I found 'successful' (not merely success in monetary sense, but also on health, relationship, etc), I learnt that all of them perform this one important factor. • That factor is: they make the time for it, and actually DOING it. • How many times when you said you wanna loose weight, yet often procrastinate on exercising? • How many times when you said you wanna be 'smarter', yet often procrastinate to read a book? • Or, how many times when you said you wanna become more 'spiritual', yet often procrastinate on meditating (or other spiritual practice of yours)? • I learnt that when it's very important to us, we'll make the time for it. If we have the time to scroll on Instagram, then we definitely have the time to invest in our personal growth 😁. • If you'd like to learn more on how to change your habit and make it stick, read my review on "The Power of Habit" 2 post before this. Can't recommend it enough 😉. • PS: after reading that book, I dedicate Sunday as a day without laptop. So that I can spend more time on reading, as well as forcing myself to have a break from work 🤣 • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia (at Bali, Indonesia)

[zianichols]

There's times in life where there's just so much delay in everything that we do. It seems like the more we try, the slower the progress can be. • The last 3 weeks has been exactly like that. Every time I tried to do my work, an obstacle arose, and another one... and another one. • From Kimmana's flight that got delayed, traffic just got crazier than usual, endless new urgent work on my plate, and 2 of our laptops got broke down (glad we had the 3rd laptop for back up and borrowed a friend's laptop from time to time 😂). • In my perspective, this continuous delays taught me 3 things: 🍀To be more details and meticulous in my plan. To always review, double check and have a back up plan if my initial plan doesn't work. • 🍀I felt that these delays and obstacles was testing me whether I truly deserve for the reward of the work. Can I be patient and still give my best out, without being attached or expecting how it will turn out? • 🍀To be fully present with the 'stream' of life and adjust accordingly. Once I realised that the past 3 weeks was a time of mercury retrograde, I knew that it's the time to be more inward and contemplative (which is why I uninstalled Instagram from my phone lol). • In summary, I feel that it's important to still plan and do what we want to achieve life. Yet, it's also important to not get attached to how things should turns out as it will only cause internal disappointment and suffering. • Wishing you a lovely weekend! 😙 • 📸 @superluckyphili • PS: We'll be giving a mini workshop in Ubud end of this month about #Ayurvedic Rituals for Health and Happiness. Send us your email to be the first to know 😉 • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia #Ayurveda (at Bali, Indonesia)

[zianichols]

Just finishing a book that I'd recommend to anyone who wanna change their life to the better: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. • Habit is our brain's mechanism to make our life easier by making our life in automated mode, so our can make less decision in life, which means less activities, which means less stress. • Kimmana often said that changing a habit is a lot like rocket launcher. It takes almost 90% of the energy to get the rocket out of the ground, and only tiny bit of effort to adjust it. • Which is why habit always seems difficult to change at the beginning, but feels normal after we're adjust to it. • For me, since I'm an early riser (don't wanna missed my serotonin boosting time 😂), I can see how I can improve this early rising habit. • The one keystone habit that I need to change so that I can get a much better quality of sleep and therefore wake up even more energised before sunrise, is to turn off all devices at least 1 hour before the ideal bed time. • Yes... that means no social media scrolling past 8.30pm the latest. And damn... That's been tricky to apply 😂 • I believe that we're all have the power to recreate our life's path. And the things that we do every single day, our habit, is one of the crucial key to that. • Photo was taken by Kimmana in Thailand during his early morning hike 😊 • #radiantbeautynaturally #writtenbyzia

[zianichols]

Just finishing a book that I'd recommend to anyone who wanna change their life to the better: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. • Habit is our brain's mechanism to make our life easier by making our life in automated mode, so our can make less decision in life, which means less activities, which means less stress. • Kimmana often said that changing a habit is a lot . And since I'm an early riser (don't wanna missed my serotonin boosting time 😂), I can see how I can improve this early rising habit. • The one keystone habit that I need to change so that I can get a much better quality of sleep and therefore wake up even more energised before sunrise, is to turn off all devices at least 1 hour before the ideal bed time. • Yes... that means no social media scrolling past 8.30pm the latest. And damn... That's been tricky to apply 😂 • I believe that we're all have the power to recreate our life's path. And the things that we do every single day, our habit, is one of the crucial key to that. • Photo was taken by Kimmana in Thailand during his early morning hike 😊 • #radiantbeautynaturally #writtenbyzia

[zianichols]

As I was sweeping my garden this morning, I found 2 old snake's skins. 1 is still pretty much intake and full, and also as tall as me 😱. • Beside the shock (knowing that there's that long snake around the house haha), the snake skin reminded be about my own life. • From time to time, life forces me to grow through cutting and separating me from the things that I'm familiar with. Be it family, house, wealth, job, etc. • But just like the snake that need to shed its old skin so it can has a better new skin, in order for me to be fully happy with the new life's path, I need to fully let go of the old. • I guess snake also felt the struggle and pain to let go of its old skin, just like how I felt the struggle letting go my clothes and only pack what I need 😂 • #radiantbeautynaturally #writtenbyzia (at Bali, Indonesia)

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I never thought that it's possible to be loved and appreciated the way I am. In the past, I've always struggled to prove to others that I'm worth of their love. • I did what my parents want me to do, even though it's not aligned with my values, just so that I'd still receive their love; achieved this and that to prove that I'm worth of people's attention; and not sharing what I really thought about a situation because I'm afraid others will judge and think that I'm weird, and therefore reject me... • Until I realised that when I can fully accept and love every sides of me, including the weird and 'bad' parts, somehow I'm surrounded by people who also love me the way I am. • At one point, I realised that I can't make myself to be loved by every human being because, well, no one is exactly like me with my own preference of likes and dislikes. • Until now, I still found that surreal... That there are people who can love me unconditionally, by just being my weird self 😇. • Photo taken back in Spain last year, when we hiked with Kimmana's parents. I couldn't remember when was the last time I went for a holiday with my own family (probably in Elementary School?). Which made me sooo happy to experience a family holiday again 😊. • #radiantbeautyritual #writtenbyzia