Why believe in your dreams is so important for your success in life?
I hope my story will inspire you to trust your instinct and never give up!
I don’t even know where to start here! The month of July has so far been the craziest of the 5 months that I am on the road. It’s funny, it’s: I’m not even traveling right now.
As many of you already know by reading the post on my commitment to Bali, I moved to Thailand in May and I am now stuck in a Thai house, living with my boyfriend, scorpions and other insects.
So what happened?
It all started on the first day of July. A very sad event has occurred. My birthday. I was 36 years old and no, there is nothing to celebrate here 🙂
My adorable friends had a different idea: I teach English in a private class, when I heard a choir of small voices and a light in front of the door. When I opened it, 15 children stood in front of me with a nice cake with 4 candles, singing the song “Happy Birthday”.
I blush like a little girl, surprised, embarrassed and happy at the same time. It was a very good start of the month after all. I had other celebrations to come, but I did not know it yet!
Birthday in Thailand
The small victories of Keep Calm and Travel
I want to tell you something from the bottom of my heart: Never discourage yourself!
When you have a dream and you put all your efforts there, don’t worry if you don’t see immediate results. They will come sooner or later. Believe me on this one.
I have been working on my website for a few months. You might be surprised to hear this because I have not published many articles lately. Let’s say that my work was mainly behind the scenes, involving at least 15 hours of hard work every day, including weekends. I literally pushed myself to the limits:
- I studied and read as much as possible on marketing / writing, referencing and much more.
- Try to be always present on social networks and online discussions.
It was just an “aperitif” of everything I had to do during the day. Results? zero. Everything was very completely. At one point, I discouraged myself a little. Despite this, I never thought of abandoning what I was doing. I love my work more than ever. It’s my passion and my life right now. I just thought that I was perhaps approaching in the wrong direction.
I did not consider only one factor: the results take time and patience.
And all of a sudden, “the explosion”: in just a week, I received so many good news that it is difficult to count them all. It started with an interview for a website on travelers who teach abroad.
How nice, they answered an email that I sent months ago, and they wanted to present my story! I was just starting to digest my sweet victory, when I received an email that almost made me pass when I read it. A few months ago, I sent some emails to some of the most popular Italian magazines online. And I completely forgot them.
What a surprise. Cosmopolitan Italy has brought me back! Not only did they love my story, but they wanted me to write a series of articles on my adventure. I mean… seriously? Everything I hoped was a mention in a “sabbatical year” room, nothing more. Since then, my life has turned around. The famous snowball effect:
- I started to receive tons of reader emails, thanking myself for giving them the courage to act on their dreams.
- I also received e-mails from advertisers and possible sponsorships.
- Many publication proposals on my blog.
- Another interview for a website entitled “The Accademia della Felicita” “translated:” The Academy of Happiness “, where they present inspiring stories about people who have completely changed their lives.
- One of my friends wanted to help me with my Facebook page by telling my story: the answer was incredible, more than 250 likes in a few hours!
- Google + Same story: I decided to publish some of my photos in there and wow! I was surprised to see how people loved them and shared them.
I still don’t completely understand what’s going on. I mean yes, for months, I worked hard on my website, but I did not expect these kinds of results, not in a million years. This message is far from being an article of “automotive celebration” on quality of quality. No way. I am neither famous nor exceptional.
My message is:
Never give up! Be patient. Work hard and believe in what you do with each molecule of your body. The results will arrive!
What’s going on now?
While celebrating my 20,000 pages seen, I try to find a way to face all of this. I know it will not last forever.
There will again be “dark moments”, but now I know that everything I have to do is continue, to continue to believe in my projects and my dreams.
Continue to relax with new projects and start traveling back as soon as possible!
I have already taken measures on this subject. The other day, I booked my next big trip: China, Italy and my beloved London, before returning to Asia for 3 months of teaching and after that, we will see. I want to close this post with the most important thing of all.
I would like to thank each of you.
My friends, my readers, my supporters and all the people who believed in me or who have obtained help from my website. Because without you guys, I would not be here to celebrate. It is because of each of you that this project took life. What I promise is that I will continue to put all my efforts there, to make sure to inspire you, useful advice or just a good laugh.
Thank you thank you !! You made me happy and very proud today!
Quick advance a year later
My thoughts on this post (July 5, 2014)
Let me tell you something: this follow -up – an exercise on my old messages really starts to grow on me.
By comparing my feelings and my situations to months apart, it is a fantastic tool to achieve how far I went and to remember that what people call “success” is a very relative concept.
Take a look at the screenshot below.
I just used this image to write an article on how I have been able to monetize my blog and create something significant for me and my readers.
In a year, many things have changed. I just was 37 years old and the guy standing next to me during my 36 birthday on the photo is no longer my boyfriend, but we managed to stay good friends (more on this update here).
I no longer live in Thailand and returned to Italy in October as planned but I never arrived in China.
Instead of China, I decided to visit a country that has changed my life forever: the Philippines. I stayed there for 4 months unforgettable, visiting some of the most incredible places on the earth.
I have returned to Thailand for a few days and I have now been in Italy for a few months, working on my website and saves for my 3rd epic trip in September / October.
With hindsight, I visualize this 36 -year -old girl, I remember very well, full of hope and joy, celebrating the 20,000 notices since the launch of the website.
I did not know that in a year, I would celebrate the milestone of 500,000 faces and many other achievements.
Am I still there? Can I call myself “successful”? Yes and no. I am always the same girl, full of hope and joy. I have so much work to do to achieve my next goals, but the message remains the same: Never abandon your dreams.
More than ever, I have proof that hard work is really paying. Who knows what’s going to happen in a more year? It all depends on my present. This very day. What I do today, what I can endure and achieve today, will think about my future.
Today is the most important day in your life.
Another thing that has not changed is my gratitude to my readers and my supporters. You are incredible and will always be, and I would not be there without you!
Thanks again to everyone! To another year full of dreams and achievements for all of us.
Never forget this: “A thousand kilometers trip always starts with a single step”.
