The Stretch That Changed Everything: Lessons From My AgriFutures Tasmania Rural Women’s Award Journey

2023 Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award Gala Dinner & National Award Announcement

It’s a bit of a ‘wow’ moment every time the next round rolls around and I realise it’s been about two and a half years since I took out the Tassie gong for the AgriFutures Australia Rural Women’s Award.

At the time, I thought the biggest bit was winning the award.
But honestly, it was everything that came after that changed me.

It came in the up-level and in the stretch.
In the moments that felt unfamiliar.
In the stories I told myself about who I thought I “needed” to be.
And sometimes, in the moments that felt a bit beyond what I believed I could handle.

That’s where I was introduced to new parts of myself. Versions I didn’t even know existed.
And that’s where I learned what real growth and real resilience actually feel like; messy, human, and never perfect.

Since then, I’ve realised something important.
Imposter syndrome, comparison, uncertainty. They’re not things you need to control or avoid.
They’re part of the process.
They show up when you’re stretching, evolving, and expressing into something new.

Here are three key lessons this experience taught me.
Lessons that have shaped how I lead myself, and by extension, how I lead others.

1. Stretching yourself is where you meet parts of yourself you’ve never met.

“New” will always feel uncomfortable.
Unfamiliar brings uncertainty.
And uncertainty creates pressure.

But pressure is where your hidden patterns show up. How you think, react, or protect yourself when you feel exposed.

If you want to truly understand yourself, you need to build a better relationship with uncertainty.

The goal isn’t to push yourself to breaking point.
It’s to stretch just enough to see what’s beyond your current capacity, then come back to baseline.

That’s how you build emotional flexibility. The capacity to handle more, recover faster, and keep growing without burning out.

Then you go again.

2. Imposter syndrome isn’t a sign you’re not ready. It’s proof you’re growing.

It meets you at every level.
But you don’t have to stay stuck in that revolving door.

You can flip it.
See it as feedback. A sign that you’re in new territory, and that’s exactly where growth happens.

If you’re feeling it, you’re levelling up.
What an amazing place to be.

3. You don’t have to have it all figured out to start.

Action creates traction.
You can’t think, plan or control your way to clarity.
You earn it by moving, trusting yourself and figuring it out as you go.

Two and a half years ago, I never imagined public speaking would become such a big part of my life.
Now, it’s one of the parts I love most.

We’re all just finding our way.
Some are better at masking the “faking it” part.
Working with horses proves that every time. They see straight through the act and meet you where you really are.

You can’t bllsht your way with a 450 kilo animal.

And one more truth. Comparison is a thief.

After following someone as incredible as Stephanie Trethewey, I told myself, “There’s no way I can match that caliber.”

But Steph had nothing to do with my journey.
I was focusing in the wrong lane. Comparing instead of connecting back to myself and where I actually wanted this road trip to take me.
Looking sideways instead of inward and forward only pulled me further from who I was becoming.

My growth came from mindset. From trusting the process. From backing myself and investing in the support that helped bring out my best.

Those lessons shaped me far beyond the award itself.

Because growth doesn’t come from waiting until you’re ready.
It comes from stretching, learning, pivoting, and doing the thing anyway.

If you’re considering stepping into something new, whether it’s applying for the RWA, a career shift, a new chapter or something that simply scares you a little, this is your reminder. You don’t have to have it all figured out first.

The stretch is where the growth lives.
Building a strong sense of self and the emotional fitness to handle it is where your next level begins.