The Space Between is the No Ordinary Life memoir series that supports us in our purpose to inspire, challenge and support you in the unravelling of your own story.

Where does the name come from?

On a difficult birthday weekend hike through the Andes, Create No Ordinary Life Founder, Tina Jensen, made a new friend. Percy invited Tina to share in 50 words or less her life story. Tough gig when you’ve lived no ordinary life, but she did manage to squeeze in the words Australia, not always easy, came for work and never went home, and writer.

“What kind of stories do you write?”

I interview people who know they need to make a change in their life to create their visions, overcome obstacles or create change. I don’t just write about what they do. I work in the space between.

 

This space is where choices are made, visions are created, acceptance can be a gift, challenges are met head on, vulnerability is truth, vividness replaces boredom and where the word yes is used… often. And not always with ease.

“Funny you say that. I came here looking for some inspiration like that,” Percy responded.

And so the space between was created.

For Percy. And for you.

One story a month. To inspire you to say yes. 

Why so passionate about stories?

After travelling to 44 countries, I’m always being asked what is my favourite place I’ve visited? My response is always the same. I don’t have one.

For me, it’s the real life experiences that have happened with a local, a traveller, a tour guide, a passenger and the strangers that you meet when your flight is delayed, your van has broken down, you can’t leave town or you’re stuck on a train for three days, that changed my life. It’s the games that you play with the children in the mountains, the families whose environment proves that courage and survival co-exist, the personal story of your local tour guide who lost his entire family during the Pol Pot regime, the change makers, the monks who honour you as a special guest into their sacred walls, the guesthouse owners and the tuk tuk drivers doing everything they can to ensure their families survival.

Mountains, rivers, buildings and monuments. History, journeys, jungles and adventure – they can be found anywhere. Woven amongst walls, experiences and the environment are the threads of stories, that nudged gently, can create a profusion of vulnerability, authenticity and truth.

Even in your home town, beside you on your public transport seat, the man that rushes past you in peak hour foot traffic, the young woman who looks downward after a night filled with tears, the farewells of loved ones at the airport – it is about the silent stories that are hidden within hearts and minds where the magic exists.

These are the stories that can never be captured in an image.

These are the stories that need to be told.

Have you ever met Sean, the generous, serious, informative and passionate advocate against development who has wandered the Tiger Leaping Gorge in China for more than 25 years? His personal story could inspire eco-warriors across the globe and highlight the commitment needed to keep fighting for something you’re passionate about.

Let me introduce you to Kohinoor Yeasmin, CEO of Tarango, a women’s development organisation committed to improving the livelihoods and future of women and their families in the poorest regions of Bangladesh. As Kohinoor sits on the muddy earth surrounded by women speaking about better futures, even the men stop to listen.

I’m pretty sure you would never have met Flight Lieutenant Robert Ladbury who was a Canadian Lancaster bomber pilot during WWII. When I met him at 86, the story of his sentimental journey without his deceased wife and the photographs of floor to ceiling hand bound books he carried with him that were filled with the stories from their shared life and the richness of their love and journey together, still brings tears to my eyes. He had the Kazakh women fall in love with him as he got his groove happening on the dance floor. I blame the cognac. And his joie de vivre. Bob taught me a thing or two about love. For partners. And of life.

Colleen is an incredible 64 year old grandmother who walked 100km of the Great Wall of China and is still one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. My time with Colleen was the only time I saw a sunset. This is the only time I have seen and felt fear, adrenaline, commitment and courage with each and every step. Colleen fulfilled a lifetime dream to visit the wall. Colleen is blind.

And then there’s the young boy (who’s probably not so young anymore) who used to bring a group to tears and the widest smiles when we visited the disability centre tucked away in one of Beijing’s hutongs. He was handed over by his parents as he could not speak and noone knew what was wrong with him. Noone wants a disabled child in China. Put a piano in front of him and perfect Mozart would fill your soul. He’d never been taught how to play piano.

Khurshida is the wife of a senior politician. She also ran an underground project in Uzbekistan to support women who were victims of domestic violence. Her face could never be shown. Hidden underneath was an underground current of resilience, strength and a driven determination to make a difference.

Sue (not her real name) has not left her house for almost two months. She fears someone will see the bruises. And he will hit her again. Until the day she let go of the fear. And pulled the door closed one last time.

Finally, there’s Carol Cooke, an inspiring paralympian who never gave up on her childhood dream. At 50, she won a gold medal at the London paralympics and has now just completed an even greater challenge, publishing her first book – A Cycle of Life, A Gold Medal Paralympian’s Secret to Success.

Why do we think stories are so significant?

Stories simultaneously celebrate what is unique about us and provide bridges to what is common among us. Stories create empathy and cultural awareness, they promote understanding and healing and they encourage conversation. Storytelling is the thread which is woven deep in our lives, our conscious, our humanity. It has the power to bring understanding amongst the peoples of the world.

Stories can inspire a generation of change-makers and remind us how lucky we are. They make us feel connected in a world that makes us feel disconnected from ourselves. They ignite the thread for individuals to unravel their own unique story. To inspire. To heal. And to let go.

And as for the inspiration of crazy ideas that inspire more passion and purpose? There’s plenty of those stories floating around waiting to be told.

This is why we write. We want you to read stories, enabling you to inform your own.

So that you can begin creating a no ordinary life. And live vividly! 

Tina