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therapist turned coach for high-achieving global thinkers

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The Lotus Collective
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03 9790 9920
70 Armadale Street, Armadale VIC 3143

Thank you for getting in touch with me. I look forward to connecting with you very soon!

Justine

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Based in Australia, empowering evolved individuals globally.

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One comment. One pause. One look. That’s all it

One comment.
One pause.
One look.

That’s all it takes for your brain
to create a story that feels like truth.

And once the story kicks in—
you’re no longer responding to the moment.
You’re reacting to the meaning you’ve attached to it.

I learned this early.
As a kid, I wrote stories about the “Vegetable Family.”
Each character was someone in my real family—
just in disguise.

It was my way of making sense of the world.
Of processing what I couldn’t say out loud.
Of working out where I fit.

That was storytelling.
But it was also survival.
And it’s something we all do.

📌 You get feedback—and spiral.
📌 Someone doesn’t reply—and you assume the worst.
📌 A team member goes quiet—and you make it personal.

The story becomes the truth
if you never question it.

Try this next time you catch yourself spiralling:

✔️ Name the story
✔️ Separate fact from fiction
✔️ Ask what else could be true
✔️ Get curious—not certain

That’s where self-leadership begins.
Not in controlling the moment—
but in owning the story.

You don’t need to silence it.
Just make sure it’s not steering the ship.

#WiredForStory #InnerWork #SelfLeadership

“Just because I carry it well doesn’t mean it

“Just because I carry it well
doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.”
@samfischer

Sam sang it last night at our #RealPeopleRealConversations gathering,
and it hit hard.

I was hosting the room — holding it together (as we do).
But inside, those words cracked something open.

Because after living in 8 countries,
I’ve experienced a lot of connection... but not always depth.

Plenty of noise.
Plenty of surface-level smiles.
But not enough substance.

So I started creating what I couldn’t find.

A space where people show up open-hearted,
even when they know no one else in the room.
A space where stories are shared with honesty,
not performance.
A space where generosity is quiet and powerful.

That’s what I’m building with @the.lotuscollective.
Not a network. Not a vibe.
A true #community — for women doing the inner work
so they can show up in the world as they really are.

No masks. No pretending.
Just real people.
Real conversations.
And a place to finally put some of the weight down.

You don’t have to carry it all alone.
Even if you can.

#TheLotusCollective
#RealPeopleRealConversations
#GroundedConfidence
#ClarityCoach
#IntentionalCommunity
#SelfLeadership

23,000 steps today. And every one worth it. I’m

23,000 steps today.
And every one worth it.

I’m too tired for a long post,
but I couldn’t let the day end without sharing this…

Two young boys came to #AltruFest today.
They hadn’t had a haircut in a while.
And they’d never tried a Krispy Kreme.

Their eyes lit up when they saw the donuts.
When I asked if they’d like a haircut, one asked:
“Really? Can I choose how it’s cut?”
Yes. YES you absolutely can.

They ate.
Got their hair done.
And then—

I turned around to see them
wearing Krispy Kreme hats,
gloves on,
serving donuts to others.

That’s what happens when someone feels seen.
A small act of kindness… passed on.

#DoGoodFeelGood in every sense.

No big show.
Just community, care, and heart.
And it mattered.

#AltruFest #FullCircleMoments #KindnessInAction #PeopleHelpingPeople #SocialImpact

@altrucharity @jessiemclachlan @jacquitoumbas @melissastehr

Two mums. Two schools. Two sons giving it everythi

Two mums.
Two schools.
Two sons giving it everything on the water.

We sat side by side in different caps,
cheering not just for our own - but for each other’s kids too.

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have let myself do that.

Coming back to Australia after decades abroad,
I often felt like an outsider.
Like there were unspoken rules about who belonged where.

And showing up at an event like Head of the River?
Part of me still wondered…
Would I be welcome in a different school’s marquee?
Would I be quietly judged for not “belonging”?

But here’s what actually happened:

One marquee offered me lunch.
Another gave me a seat out of the sun.
No questions. No side-eye. Just generosity.

It reminded me...

Community isn’t about which school name is on your hat.
It’s about how we show up.
For each other. For our kids. As humans.

And true belonging?

It doesn’t come from being accepted by others.
It comes from being anchored in yourself.

When you know who you are,
you don’t have to shrink or shape-shift to fit in.

You walk in as you are.
And that’s enough.

#Community #Belonging #SchoolSpirit #FriendsLikeFamily

When You Set a Boundary, Expect Pushback. Let’s

When You Set a Boundary, Expect Pushback.

Let’s be honest—we like to be in control.

Of how things go, how people respond, how situations unfold.

And that’s exactly why boundaries trigger resistance.

Not just in others—but in us.

I don’t like it when someone sets a boundary around me.

I like to choose how, when, and what. I like my freedom.

So it’s no surprise that when we set boundaries, others react the same way.

Particularly if they’ve been operating a certain way for a long time…

And now, suddenly, you’re asking them to adjust.

We don’t like being told no.
We don’t like feeling out of control.
We don’t like having to change what’s comfortable.

But here’s the thing:

The people who respect you, value you, and truly belong in your next chapter?

They will adjust.

The ones who push back the hardest?

They were benefitting from the lack of boundaries.

That’s the part nobody talks about.

When you set a boundary, you’re not just saying no to something.

You’re saying yes to yourself.

Yes to protecting your time, energy, and peace.

Yes to making space for the right people—those who don’t need to be forced to respect you.

Yes to relationships built on mutual respect, not silent resentment.

So will setting boundaries feel uncomfortable? Probably.

Will it challenge your need for control? Absolutely.

But will it bring you closer to the life, work, and relationships that actually align with who you are now?

Without a doubt.

What are your thoughts on boundaries? Let me know below. 👇

#SelfLeadership #Boundaries #Authenticity

Nobody talks about this part.⁠ ⁠ The moment yo

Nobody talks about this part.⁠
⁠
The moment you walk into a room that once felt like home...⁠
and realise you no longer fit.⁠
⁠
The old conversations don’t hit the same.⁠
The shared jokes feel outdated.⁠
The energy, once effortless, now feels forced.⁠
⁠
It’s not that anything bad happened.⁠
No fight. No betrayal. No dramatic falling out.⁠
⁠
Just… distance.⁠
⁠
Because growth changes things. ⁠
It shifts the way you see the world, the way you think, the way you connect.⁠
⁠
And sometimes, it means outgrowing spaces that once held you.⁠
⁠
Here’s the thing: we are wired for belonging.⁠
⁠
It’s not just a desire - it’s a core human need.⁠
And that’s what makes this part so hard.⁠
⁠
I see it all the time with clients.⁠
⁠
They feel the misalignment. ⁠
The quiet discomfort of staying in spaces that no longer fit.⁠
But instead of facing it, they grip tighter - because walking away feels like losing a piece of their identity.⁠
⁠
And this is where they get stuck:⁠
⁠
‣ Shrinking in conversations so they don’t ‘make it weird.’⁠
‣ Over-explaining their choices to avoid judgment.⁠
‣ Pretending they’re still the same person when, deep down, they’re not.⁠
⁠
Because the fear is real: What if I leave… and belong nowhere?⁠
⁠
That fear keeps people clinging to relationships they’ve outgrown.⁠
Not because they’re thriving, but because they’d rather belong somewhere than risk belonging nowhere.⁠
⁠
But here’s the truth:⁠
⁠
You don’t lose belonging by walking away from what no longer fits.⁠
You lose belonging by abandoning yourself in order to stay.⁠
⁠
Belonging isn’t about forcing yourself to fit into old spaces.⁠
It’s about finding the places and people that see you as you are now.⁠
⁠
And yes, some relationships will shift. ⁠
Some will fade. ⁠
And some will need a deliberate ending.⁠
⁠
Letting go doesn’t mean you’re unkind. It doesn’t mean you don’t care.⁠
⁠
It means you’re choosing alignment over obligation.⁠
⁠
It means you trust that the right people - those who see you, support you, and grow with you... will meet you in your next chapter.⁠
⁠
Have you ever felt this shift? How did you navigate it?⁠
⁠
#SelfLeadership #GrowthMindset #AuthenticConnections #Belonging

Why is it so hard to look within? Because it’s e

Why is it so hard to look within?
Because it’s easier to believe the problem is out there.

That your boss doesn’t see your worth.
That your partner doesn’t appreciate you.
That the people in your life take too much and give too little.

And maybe there’s truth in that.

But here’s what psychology tells us—our outer world mirrors our inner world.
The standards we set. The stories we tell ourselves. The way we allow ourselves to be treated.

If you’re constantly undervalued, where are you undervaluing yourself?
If the same patterns keep showing up in your relationships, what’s playing on repeat in your own mind?

This isn’t about blame. It’s about power.

Because when you shift your inner world, your outer world has no choice but to follow.

A Self-Led Person does the work at the source - within.

If you’re ready to start shifting, follow me for tips on how to do exactly that.
Because change starts with you. And that’s a damn good thing because YOU control YOU.

Your Life. Your Choices.

#TheLotusCollective #SelfLeadership #InnerWork #DareToLead

Who you are vs. What you do. I’ve been intentio

Who you are vs. What you do.

I’ve been intentional about this lately.

I recently joined a new club where I meet new people each time I go.

Instead of defaulting to, “So, what do you do?” I lean into curiosity.

“Which class have you found the most rewarding?”
“How was your experience with XXX?”

This small shift has made all the difference.

It’s easy to label people by their job title.
To size them up based on what they do before we even know who they are.

When someone has asked me what I do in this setting - an immediate barrier comes up and I find myself pulling away BEFORE we have even leaned in to connect.

But when you take that off the table? That’s where real connection happens.

I’ve seen it firsthand at places like @gwinganna, where work talk is off-limits. Imagine sitting at a table with a movie star - where no one’s talking about Hollywood. Just humans connecting as humans.

So here’s a challenge:
Next time you meet someone new, resist the urge to lean into work talk and ask a question that opens up a genuine connection

You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

I’m curious... What’s your go-to question when meeting someone new? Drop it below! 👇

#RealTalk #NewConnections #SocialConnections

Dementia doesn’t care who you are. 1 in 3 of us

Dementia doesn’t care who you are. 1 in 3 of us will be impacted.

On Friday, I attended the #RaceAgainstDementia gala in Melbourne, founded by Sir Jackie Stewart. His wife, Helen, has dementia—and he’s attacking this fight the way he raced: fast, focused, and relentless. Because when it’s someone you love, there’s no time to waste.

I heard about the research being done. But what I really wanted to hear? What’s actually moving the needle?

Because I don’t want to just talk about the problem. I want hope. Solutions. Action.

That’s why I’m backing a company moving towards clinical trials. Real progress. Real potential.

What we focus on grows. Let’s amplify the right conversation.

Who’s with me?

PS - DM me to connect with Meizon who are my pick to win the race against #dementia.

@lizferentinos

#RaceAgainstDementia #BeTheRipple #HopeInAction

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Justine

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Work With Me
Media
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Testimonials
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