Just like James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, Stephanie believes that taking baby steps every day is the way to making great change over time – and she’s onto something!

Moving to Australia from France and trying to fit into the culture while still preserving her French traditions and heritage has required lots of baby steps. From learning a new language, new cultural behaviours, and new laws to now being an Australian citizen, one could say the baby steps have paid off big time!

Stephanie hasn’t been on this journey alone though, and having a community of people on a similar journey has helped her tremendously along the way…

Meet Stephanie Sierra in her own words…

My name is Stephanie and I come from France. I have been in Australia for 5 years now after living for two years in Japan and working in different fields before finally getting the chance to reconnect with my professional background in Business Management and Human Resourcing last year.

Like most migrants, it has been a journey before being able to settle and call Australia “Home”. It is like starting our life again with the difference, we are carrying different life experiences, cultures and visions. Learning a new language, new cultural behaviour, laws… in the general social environment and of course in the working one as well!

It was my main reason for applying to the DWLP in 2021, as my husband and I just obtained our permanent residency, and our project to settle together in Australia could finally be started.

Even though I have my husband and friends, we started our dream home-building project and I was already working, I felt something was missing. I needed to feel that I was a full member of the Australian community. I needed to meet other people who, like me, had the same struggles and questions, but could succeed in their goals personally and professionally.

After living away from my original country for so long I was disconnected from my skills and my strength, and I lost my confidence. It was hard to admit this vulnerability to myself, especially when I was an independent woman and raised to be like this. I am pretty proud of my masculine side.

The DWLP program gave me this opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds, to listen and share stories, to make vulnerability a strength and moreover to reconnect with my feminine part. A beautiful thing that carries each human being.

Since then, I felt my life shifted in a brighter way. I got a full-time contract in a position related to my professional background and I joined the Diverse and Inclusion Committee in my workplace as well, because I want to be a part of the change. My husband and I obtained our citizenship last September, so now we feel legitimate to be involved in the local political community aspect.

Now, I feel it is time to create something and give back to the community. If I can help or inspire someone even a little bit, it is a win. For doing that, I push myself to be more participative in any organisations and events that can bring something positive to the community (not necessarily of my interests), volunteering in different events and fundraising, taking the lead and speaking my own voice when I see an opportunity to do it, without being afraid to fail or thinking I am not good enough anymore.

It is my everyday personal goal to take baby steps in every aspect of my life with the only rule to never stop doing it and I truly believe at the end of the road it will look like something giant!