Then and now - 3 years Global Introvert

Nele/ February 8, 2019/ Introvert Travel Stories/ 6 comments

This January, my blog turned three years old. I started it in early 2016, after many months of debating and doubting and wondering if I should do it. I was scared. Scared of not having anything to say, of no one reading it, of people reacting negatively. I remember the first time I pressed the publish button on a post. Such a simple act, but it took so much courage.

A lot has changed since then. I’m much less nervous today about publishing my writing. Okay, maybe still a little nervous. But overall, also a lot more confident.

Easing into the writing life, blog post by blog post

A look into my blog statistics recently revealed that my last post was the 100. I have published. 100 articles in 3 years. No idea if that’s a lot, probably not by many bloggers’ standards. But it’s something to be proud of nonetheless. Every single one of those posts made me just a little more confident, a little more at ease with this whole blogging business, a little more conscious of the message I want to share and how to do that.

With that, I think writing this blog helped me in a lot more ways than simply as a way to get my writing out there and share my travel stories. As an introvert, sharing my thoughts and insights with the world doesn’t always come easy for me. A lot of the things I write about here on Global Introvert I would never feel comfortable to discuss in person. Writing, to me, has always been so much easier than talking. It gives me the time and space to order my thoughts and decide what it actually is I want to say. If I had to put that into actual words, like out loud and on the spot, I would never be so eloquent.

Taking it to the next level

For me, blogging has opened up many opportunities that shaped my life profoundly. If I compare my life today to what it was like three years ago when I started this blog, it seems like worlds apart. In 2016, I was working an office job that I hated. I made good money, had good work conditions and some great colleagues, but none of that could alter the fact that the work itself was just the dullest ever. I constantly wanted to slam my head against the wall just to give my brain some stimulation.

The only reprieve were the weekends and holidays. I lived from one trip to the next, secretly dreaming about leaving it all behind and simply travel the world full-time. Preferably, while making a living as a writer.

Fast forward to 2019. I’m no longer stuck in an office job, but working as a freelance writer, making a living by putting words on paper. Or onto the computer screen. Either way, it doesn’t get much more awesome than that. As a freelancer working remotely, I’m also free to travel whenever and for however long I want.

In short: I’m living the life I only ever dreamed of before.

On being grateful

Of course, it doesn’t mean it’s all roses, all the time. Every life-style has it’s drawbacks and long-term travel is no exception. Still, on the whole, the advantages by far outweigh the disadvantages. It’s important to remember that.

Sometimes, it’s easy to get so busy with everyday-life that I forget to be grateful for what I have. But every now and again, the realization hits me, and I get almost overwhelmed with emotion. Once, while exploring the Chilean town of Antofagasta, I almost started crying in the middle of the street because I couldn’t believe this was now my life. The life I always longed for but never thought I could actually, really have.

Imagining to be a full-time traveller and a writer for me was like dreaming to be a famous actor or a superhero. It’s fun to fantasize about, but deep down, you kind of know it’s not going to happen. Only, this one did. And it all started because, three years ago, I finally faced my fears and pressed publish on a little blog post.

Writing this blog not only showed me that I could do it but also reconfirmed that this was what I wanted. Be a traveller and a writer, and get out of the office routine that I hated. My money today may not come from the blog directly, but I’m not sure I would have started freelancing without the confidence push that blogging had given me.

Chase those dreams

Making your dreams come true is indeed possible, even if it may not sometimes seem so. Okay, I don’t know about the superhero thing. That might be a tough one. But other than that: just keep working toward it. One day, you’ll find yourself looking back and realising how far you’ve come. Just maybe don’t do it in public. People may get the wrong idea if you suddenly burst into tears in the middle of their town…

What dreams are you working toward? Or if you aren’t yet, what tiny step could you take right now to shirt your life in the right direction? Let me know in the comments (or by private mail) and I will do my best to cheer you on!