Hey everyone,

I stumbled upon my old story that I posted on this website a while ago and it made me smile. I wanted to update you on what has happened over the past few years as a little bit of inspiration that staying positive and focused does pay off.

So in my previous story, I had listed a few things I wanted to achieve:

1. Travel around South America

2. Travel around Europe

3. Visit my family in England for a few months

4. Move out of Auckland to a beachy area

5. Buy an old house and fix it up.

Well, in May of last year, my partner and I quit our jobs and embarked on a big trip. First, we went to Bali, then to Thailand and Cambodia, and finally made our way to the UK. In the UK, we bought a campervan and went on a three month road trip around Europe; accomplishment number 2!

After that, we lived in the UK for three months with my family and did some work to save up money; accomplishment number 3 achieved!

In January of this year, we went on a six month trip around South America;  accomplishment number 1 done! When we returned, we both managed to get jobs in Tauranga, a coastal town where I now live in a beautiful house just a two minutes walk from the beach. This is especially amazing because not a single social work job came up in Tauranga the whole year I was away, but a week before we were due to fly back, a job was advertised, and I got it!  Accomplishment number 4, done! Now, number 5 has slightly changed. We are currently building a new house in this lovely area!

The reason this is all so amazing is that it just happened. Of course, we had to plan some things, like saving money, but we were always positive we would have enough. Many people say I am so lucky, but I do not believe that luck has much to do with it. I believe that many of our circumstances were brought about due to our mindset and the fact that we always help others. Getting my job was a real ‘wow’ moment for me. It was advertised at the perfect time, and I was home just in time for the interview. After the interview, I stayed positive, wrote myself a fake job offer letter, and did not look for other jobs. It took nearly two weeks for them to tell me I had the job, but I kept believing that I had it the entire time.

I am not writing this to show off what I have achieved. It’s not about that. I just want people to know that I understand it is hard to be positive some days, but it really does pay off.

I have recently been given more perspective on life as I just found out my dad, who is 57, has cancer. I know how hard it is to stay positive, but I am doing so for both his and my sake. Even in this tough situation, I am trying to see the positives and refocus my life, as it has made me realize that life is too short for us to be miserable and stuck in a job we do not love.

I have new goals and aspirations – to build a house within our budget, to go to England for the Rugby World Cup, and to find my passion and purpose, as I am learning that social work is not my lifelong path. Instead of feeling daunted, I am trying to be excited.

I apologize for the lengthy message. I hope someone finds this useful. If not, it has still been good for me to remember to be thankful.