The Cultural Experience That Changed My Perspective Blog Competition 2025 Round 1 Runner Up

This piece was a runner-up in the Immerse Blog Competition.

Have you ever felt like you’re falling behind? Like everyone else is moving ahead and you’re just stuck doing nothing? Well, you’re not alone. We live in a world that is so fast-paced. Pew Research says 96% of people feel the need to constantly hustle to feel good about themselves.

I see it every time I look outside; towering skyscrapers brushing the white cotton clouds, glass catching the sunlight radiating rainbow shards, cars honking, people rushing in and out of stores. Urban Sydney – what else would you expect.

But the other day, I took a tour through Western Sydney’s Aboriginal heritage trails. They shared sacred practices, generational wisdom, and deep cultural traditions. Just minutes from the city’s chaos, they’ve created a peaceful haven where time feels slower, softer.

I sat in the grass, surrounded by stones, my family beside me. And for the first time ever, I was completely still. I wasn’t chasing goals or comparing achievements. I was doing nothing. And yet, I felt fulfilled. I realised I didn’t have to constantly exceed expectations to matter. I didn’t need to race anyone. What I needed was to slow-down and find my inner-peace. It was magical.

I’d recommend that experience to anyone in Sydney. Sure, we have the Opera House and shiny cityscapes, but there’s also space to just breathe, to be still, and to truly live in the present.

That day completely changed the way I saw not only my city, but my world. There are so many different ways to live life, so why should we feel pressured to just live one way? Everyone is on a different path, and sometimes you have to stop to smell the flowers and enjoy where you are.

Otherwise, what’s the point of living?