Do you ever feel like you want to just pause the clock for a moment? I feel that all the time recently! So many amazing things happened in 2018 and even though I can’t wait for 2019, I still would like to have a few more days to process everything that happened this year and to finalize some unfinished works. Time is speeding up like crazy, that’s why I decided to take some time to reflect on my year and set up goals for 2019! Also, I have a special gift for you that will help you plan out your 2019!
Life changed in 2018
Let’s start with the most important change that happened in 2018. In April I quit my 9-5 job and became a full-time travel blogger & Instagrammer. I have registered a company and was able to substitute my salary with blog & Instagram income! Wohoa! I won’t lie, this was one of the most stressful decisions I took till now, full of uncertainty and emotional pressure, but I knew that I couldn’t say „no“ to another sponsored press trip because I don’t have enough vacation. I had to say „no“ to my previous life as an employee and „yes“ to my new life as an entrepreneur and full-time travel blogger!
Beginnings were not easy, I had a hard time finding myself in a new reality, some days missing company of my colleagues and having difficulties with staying organized and productive. It was a difficult process but necessary. It took me about two months to fully transition into a new „me“ but I am proud of myself and my personal growth in that journey (more on that below). Also, I realized that when you really want something and go for it with all your hear, the universe responds and brings you opportunities you haven’t even dreamt of!
2018 highlights
- I quit my 9-5 job, registered my own company and became a full-time blogger & Instagrammer
- I created my first product – Lightroom presets
- I helped co-create a line of clothing for LA-based fashion brand
- I got invited to seat in the first raw during NYC Fashion Week show, amazing opportunity, I turned down to spend 30th birthday of my best friend in a small cottage in the mountains
- I got nominated in travel category for Influencer Awards in Monaco and met the royal family
- I signed a contract with TIME magazine and will have my India pictures featured there!
- I worked as a photographer for Forbes magazine, shortly afterward!
- I have finally created my own e-course, my goal for a year or so! Finally came to life this November/December. I am really happy to mentor amazing souls in my PAID to CREATE course
- I led a masterclass for 25 other content creators during Trablin Conference in Morocco
- I have visited 12 countries and took 43 flights, including some places I have never been before like Israel, India, Morocco, Sardinia, Tuscany, Prague, Palm Springs, Benidorm, Frankfurt…
- First time glamping in the desert, riding a luxurious train in India, diving…
- I got invited to numerous press trips, collaborated with hotels, tourism boards, fashion brands and got invited to store openings!
- Also, did eye laser surgery to correct my sight.
2018 in months and trips
12 countries, 43 FLIGHTS, 2 epic train rides, 2 scary camel encounters
JANUARY ISRAEL
I started New Year in Tel Aviv. I have traveled to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Tel Aviv with my husband Mateusz. We had an amazing time, tasting the local cuisine, forcing each other to float in freezing cold Dead Sea, experiencing Sabbath, getting lost in the old town of Jerusalem, and trying to find any NYE party in the Tel Aviv (Jews don’t celebrate NYE on 31.12).
FEBRUARY INDIA
I got invited to travel across Rajasthan, India on board a luxury train and saw Taj Mahal at sunrise. It was my first time in India and probably one of a very few times traveling without Mateusz. Couldn’t be more grateful for this experience that wouldn’t most probably be possible without the blog
MARCH BARCELONA
March was one of the most difficult and decisive months in my career. I took a lot of time for self-reflection, thinking of the blog, my goals, and plans. Finally, I decided to be bold and to quit my job.
APRIL TUSCANY
In April we were invited to visit Tuscany. We have discovered some incredible places in Italy such as Terme di Saturnia and Val d’Orcia. Also, I have just quit my job before this trip, so April was all about freedom, and road tripping around Italy.
MAY SEVILLA & MALAGA
In May, I made a surprise trip for my parents and took them to Sevilla and Malaga. They were dreaming of traveling to the south of Spain for a long time and I have been telling them for a month that we are traveling to a completely different place just so that the surprise is even bigger.
JUNE BENIDORM
In June we were invited to visit Benidorm and have met a lot of amazing people during that trip. We tried diving, ski jets for the first time and had a lot of fun!
JULY SARDINIA & PRAGUE
In July I visited my bestie Greta in her summer home on Sardinia. I loved the island from the first sight and enjoyed our lazy days on a catamaran. Next year I am planning to go back to Sardinia to host a blogging and social media retreat with Greta!
In July I have also traveled to Prague to celebrate 30th birthday with my Polish friend Kasia.
AUGUST LA & NYC
August was a first big breakthrough for Wherelifeisgreat. I did a big campaign for a fashion brand which I helped create the garments, model and then promote them. I had a professional photo shoot in LA and my collection is still available for sale here!
After LA, I traveled to NYC and Connecticut to spend some time with Mateusz’s family. I got invited to seat in the first raw during NYC Fashion Week show, amazing opportunity, I turned down to spend 30th birthday of my best friend in a small cottage in the mountains.
SEPTEMBER POLISH MOUNTAINS, FRANKFURT, LEEDS & LONDON
In September I traveled to Polish mountains as a friend of mine was celebrating her 30th birthday party. She rented a cabin where together with a group of friends we spent the whole weekend. Mateusz also surprised me with a small trip to Frankfurt to visit our Polish expat friends.
I have also got invited to visit Leeds in the UK and was so surprised to see how beautiful is this little town in the UK. More about it soon on the blog! Promise!
OCTOBER PARIS, MONACO & NICE
In October we got nominated in the travel category for Influencer Awards in Monaco. We met so many talented content creators, people whose work I admired for a long time before I started my blog. We didn’t win but even getting nominated was a big success for us and made us really proud. Plus we met the royal family of Monaco!
We also visited city of love, Paris, for the second time and took some incredible pictures.
NOVEMBER LONDON, TUSCANY, MOROCCO
November was the most hectic month of 2018. I traveled to WTM in London, then straight to Florence (for another press trip) and Trablin in Morocco where I was giving a masterclass. I lost my suitcase, got sick, but also met amazing people, made plans for 2019, tried glamping for the first time and created my course PAID to CREATE.
DECEMBER IBIZA & HOME SWEET HOME
After all the hectic days of November, I slowed down and stayed home pretty much whole December. I focused my efforts on webinars and my students in Paid to Create course. I discovered that I love teaching and helping others fight for their dreams.
I made an eye laser surgery to correct my sight and had to say no to some trip invites due to that. I have traveled only for a weekend to Ibiza and spend Christmas and NYE in Poland.
2019 GOALS
Professional
Many changes are coming for Wherelifeisgreat and I am really excited about it!
First of all, the blog will be undergoing a redesign, I want to have more structure and divide blog posts into 3 main categories: Travel, Blogging, and Lifestyle. I want to write more inspirational posts about improving lifestyle (things such as how to save money, how to be more accountable of your goals, morning routines, etc.), blogging & social media (how to start a blog, guides to travel trade fairs, etc.) and travel.
My goal is to write more and be more consistent in my posting times. Definitely, I will focus more efforts on the blog and creating the best resources for you.
I also want to relaunch my Paid to Create course in February.
We will be cooking sth very special with Greta from Greta’s travel which you will hear about very soon.
Personal
In 2019 I want to take more care about myself. Go back to healthy habits in eating and exercising. I will stop eating dairy because it has negative effects on my skin. In 2019 I want to learn diving and improve my driving skills. I haven’t been driving for a while and want to be more confident behind the wheel.
Travel
Next March my husband will turn 30 years old! And we plan to do something special for his birthday. Most probably we will travel to Japan to witness cherry blossom and stuff our mouths with sushi. It will be our second time in Japan and we plan to visit some parts of the country we haven’t seen such as the island of Okinawa!
EDIT: Until I managed to publish this post life has already changed our plans! Mateusz got an exciting project for his work and it will partially take place in Bolivia! This means we will most probably spend at least 6 weeks in South America and we will travel to Bolivia, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands in March/April.
On the deck, we also have a trip to Maldives, Sydney, Greek islands, Madeira, sailing in Turkey or Croatia and a yoga retreat in India but for now, these plans are still open so who knows where we end up. We definitely need more tropical destinations on our 2019 calendar!
In June/July 2019 I will be hosting a blogging & social media retreat with my bestie Greta from Greta’s travels on a beautiful island of Sardinia. We will be announcing more details later on, but what I can tell you now is that we will combine classes on travel blogging and social media with some awesome water activities.
Our closest travels plans include Fitur trade fair in Madrid and London, both in January.
When I look back at 2018 I am proud of myself. I see how much I have grown as an entrepreneur and a person. I know what I want and I know how I will get there. Now the biggest effort is to stay consistently on the path. What are your plans for 2019? What are you proud of in 2018?
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