Love Stories: Caroline Groth on finding her soulmate

We first began running our series of Love Stories in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day – which is where they were supposed to stop. But after loving doing them so much, we held an Instagram poll to see whether we should make the series a regular thing… and with the majority of people voting in favour – we’re bringing them back!

For our first Love Stories post-Valentine’s Day, we thought lifestyle influencer Caroline Groth would make the perfect debut. With some super cute posts with boyfriend Pash Julian popping up in our feed, we were intrigued to learn everything about this couple… How did they first meet? What’s the next milestone in their relationship? And just what it is about him that is making her look so damn happy?!

Head below to discover Caroline and Pash’s story…

How did you and Pash first met?
Pash and I first met after I’d done a photoshoot for Raw Bar in Bondi Beach. He was working there and I went in a few times for some takeaway food – he always tried to talk to me when I came in and I just thought he was a really nice guy and super polite, but didn’t really think anything else of it. A few months later, he finally got the guts to ask if he could take me for a coffee. We sat in the sun and ended up talking for 3.5 hours straight. By the time I left, I knew there was something about him. Then we had our second date… and have been together ever since.

What was it about Pash that made him more special than other guys you’ve met?
I think both Pash and I are connected human beings. We are very in touch with ourselves. When we met, we both put our guards down pretty quickly and just acted our complete selves – I think that’s how we deeply connected. It was a true soul connection – it wasn’t about anything else; it wasn’t about how you looked or where you worked or how much money you earned or who you were in life – it was really about who you are deep below all the layers. I think that’s what really attracted me to him. And that he’s such a soft and gentle human being and not like any other man I’ve ever met.

When you first saw him, were you initially attracted to him?
When I first saw him, I remember my first part was like: ‘cute guy, super tall, fit, got a beautiful face…’ – but then I was thinking ‘he’s way too pretty for me!’ He looks like a really pretty boy. But then I started seeing his soft side and how he was just such a kind guy. After I sat down and talked to him and had that first date, it was just there straight away for me – I genuinely walked away thinking ‘he’s the one’. It’s very strange and I can’t explain it, but my soul just felt at home and recognised and held when I met him.

Do you talk about things like that together?
We do, a lot. We’re very open in our relationship with each other. We’re very connected on a whole different level. Small things like whenever I pick up my phone to call him, he’ll literally be calling me at the same time. When I’m thinking he needs to bring something, he goes out shopping and come home and say “I thought you needed this” – and I’m like, “how did you know??!!” It’s like I think about it and it pops up in his mind – so we’re very connected with those things.

But we work on our relationship a lot. I think we both love each other so much and are each other’s soul mates – but we work on our relationship. We believe we are in this together and we do work a lot on ourselves. We sit down and talk every single day about episodes that might have hurt us or made us angry – whether that’s with each other or other people – and then see how we can grow from that.

Well, it certainly seems like it’s all roses! Is it pretty much like that all the time?
It’s definitely not roses all the time! A relationship is hard work. I don’t think relationships are easy – and that’s not in a bad way. But I think it takes a lot of effort and vulnerability to be in a relationship. And for me, that vulnerability and softness doesn’t come easy. It never has done. I’ve always been a very independent person from when I was very young – and so for me, it was really hard to let someone be so close to me and actually love me for who I am. Not for how I look or what my Instagram profile numbers are – he really loves me for the person that I am. He thinks I’m the most beautiful when I’m natural and vulnerable.

But no, it’s not all roses and we have our fights, but he’s so patient with me. I’d say your average guy would probably have walked away – but he’s still with me! It’s hard to explain him in words – I feel there’s no words to explain how amazingly a good fit he is to me.

What are the favourite things you like doing together as a couple?
We like to be active. We love to go rock climbing together or bouldering. Or we like to go on adventures – jump in the car and drive somewhere or fly somewhere and have a little getaway. We like to go to places to not necessarily do things but to just sit and have a conversation where there are no people around. We like to get away from the hustle and bustle – the anxiety and stressfulness of Sydney, and just go out and be in nature and just be pure – him and me. I think that’s what we like doing together.

What quality about Pash makes you love him the most?
He has a lot of compassion in life for everyone he meets. He knows that everyone has had their own hardship so he doesn’t judge people for that. He has a lot of time for people. And he’s just kind and humble and patient with people.

What would he say is your best quality?
I think he would say my best quality is my kindness towards other people. He often says that I take my time with people and try to be there for them. I try to live with a kindness and love for people because I believe that’s how we live our best lives.

What’s in the future for the relationship?
Life throws you curveballs all the time and sometimes you have to ride it. I think at the moment we are potentially discussing moving in together – it’s in a practical manner, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love the idea. What makes me happier than anything is literally coming home to him at the end of the day and seeing his face. Not having to organise that – working out what nights he stays over and what nights I stay over and knowing you’re coming home to someone that you really love, someone that really truly makes you happy, and someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with – it just makes me so happy.

The next step is moving in together and then hopefully he also wants to spend the rest of his life with me and will one day put a ring on it!