The words “new beginnings” have been following me around lately and they seem to fit into every scenario of my life right now. You might have seen me post them around and all that began in September, when I pressed a refresh button.

With 2018 rapidly coming to an end, I’ve looked back at everything that this year has brought and dare I say so, it’s been a good one! And I am even more fueled to make the rest of it count.

Being unemployed in the first couple of months of 2018, definitely felt strange and although I kept myself busy, I couldn’t help but feel useless at times with an urgent desire to be doing something meaningful and find a routine, let alone make money. Most of my thoughts and frustration of that period are summed up in the previous blog post which I discovered many months later, sitting as a draft in my website backend.

What I didn’t know then was that that uncomfortable phase forced me to get clarity about what kind of work I want and how to ask for it.

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” —John Pierpont Morgan

Fast-forward a few months down the line, I was holding down three jobs, combining everything I want to put my creativity towards; writing and photography. Reading through the last blog post I’ve realized how I stuck to my desire to create a life that agrees with me, be it my job, my home environment or personal life. And what a wonderful feeling that brings.

There’s still loads that I want to do and improve but now I welcome all lemons life might throw at me while in Cyprus and if it doesn’t, I’m not going to wait around until it does. I’m going to walk right up to that lemon tree, sniff its gorgeous smell and pick those lemons out myself. Instead of fantasizing about the dreamy benefits abroad that we looked at in the previous post, let’s focus on making the best that our location offers.

So, since September, while entering the ‘freelancer/entrepreneur’ world, I’ve set new goals for myself and began workings on new projects. Some set out their resolutions in the New Year, others follow the academic calendar. Without having a personal preference to neither, the way things have happened to fall in my life, September was my restart in more ways than one; in creating my working environment, making my bedroom feel like home and being super clear on the next career moves.

Having established travel writing and event photography as my line of work (after a lot of self-doubt and over-analyzation), I’m putting all of my efforts into growing that further. Working on my own, and still relatively fresh in the business world, I realize I sometimes need a specialized outsider for advice and that’s ok. With an aim to kick-start my business, build a laser focus and present my work I contemplated getting a branding coach to help me get the ideas out of my head and on the screen.

Though I often thought if it’s something I can do by myself since so many others manage it alone, especially at my age, without spending a dime and I have to admit I was a bit critical of myself for wanting help. I soon realized that just as it’s important to get assistance when you break your leg or have the flu or have depression, getting help should never have categories, limitations or judgement. Why do we only invest in improving our health when our creativity (which to me is related to our wellbeing) is becoming more and more vital?

I find it so important to put time, effort and energy into what you want to grow and in the prime of my twenties, building a fulfilling, creative career is in the spotlight.

How will a freelancing 25-year afford brand coaching and website design, I hear you ask? Well, she’ll get creative about it.

With my birthday coming up on October 28th, my family and friends have been asking what I'd like as a present and since I’m working towards giving my website a complete face-lift, contributing towards this goal is my ideal birthday gift.

I’ve set up a fundraiser collecting donations from all those who want to help me fund these next steps and I hope that the gifts, along with my savings, will push me towards creating something beautiful.

And so, when there’s an obstacle in front of you or a looming mountain to climb, just get creative about it, take a chance and go after it. Tommy Lasorda says: “there are 3 types of people in this world; people who make it happen, people who watch what happens and people who wonder what happened”. Which one will you be?

Donate here.

Thank you!