I am a faithful reader of these stories and have found so many of them truly inspiring. This is why I decided to take the time and submit mine as well. Maybe it will spread some hope or inspire someone, just as some of the things I’ve read here have inspired me along the way.

First of all, I have to say that I consider myself a truly lucky girl for having known very early on what I wanted from life. I grew up in communist Romania, where dreams were scarce. My parents and grandparents had known far more about what you ,,must”/,,have to”/,,should” do rather than about what one really WANTS to do in this life so there was no ,,You can do it” culture around me. Nevertheless, ever since I was five and learned how to read and write, I absolutely knew that I wanted to become a writer and a journalist. I remember vividly ,,making magazines” – loose pieces of paper that I wrote stuff on (poetry, prose), drew pictures and then stapled together. I knew in my heart that this was my gift from God and what I was destined to do. And without knowing it, the universe conspired to help me, bringing along the people and circumstances to help me.

I wrote poetry and prose throughout my childhood and participated in every literature contest there was. I won most of them but it all felt very natural, because I knew deep in my heart that this was my path in life. When I was 12, the first lifestyle magazine appeared in Romania (which had by then become a capitalist country) and, although I was quite a shy kid, I suddenly decided to write a letter to the editor-in-chief. It just felt like the most obvious thing I could do.

I had no computer back then, so I wrote it by hand and send it out. I was telling them that I was only 12 years old, but that I want to work for them; I also enclosed something that I had written (by hand as well), so that they would take my talent seriously. To my sheer and utter surprise, the piece that I sent to them as a test was published in their next issue. From the age of 12 to the age of 14, I wrote articles for them (until the magazine closed because of the competition), so by the time I got into high school I had a portfolio of hundreds of materials. Incredible, but true.

I did the same thing in high school and landed another writing op for a similar magazine. Just like the first time, it started with my letter, offering my writing skills. They liked me and the rest was history. I remember how amazed most people were by the fact that I was only 16 and writing so well! If they had only known I already had more practical experience than most Journalism graduates!

Fast-forward to college. I continued to believe in my dream, but things got harder along the way. The local versions of international magazines had appeared and every journalist wanted to work for them. Nevertheless, I was convinced that it will happen for me. At some point I started to get rejection after rejection. I would send letters offering my services, go to interviews and get turned down, over and over again. At some point I started to mildly disbelieve of my dream (I realize it now) and decided to switch paths and try something else. Deep in my heart, however, I knew that writing was all I wanted to do in life.

Last year, coming back to Romania after a two-year masters program abroad, I had decided to work in a totally different field: diplomacy. My actions, nevertheless, disclosed my true feelings. Updating my blog was my favorite thing to do, I constantly took notes wherever I went and marked them in my head for future books/articles and I just found the most amazing pleasure and peace in writing!

Nevertheless, I had the certainty that no magazine would want me without relevant recent experience (there was a 5 year pause in my journalistic career). Pondering over what I really wanted (by then I had discovered THE SECRET), I came to terms with the fact that writing was my gift and what I truly wanted to do in this life. Forever! I became very serene and absolutely convinced that God will bring me on the right path. I applied to several jobs and, although I got no positive answers, I knew in my heart that it will eventually happen. That was happening in January 2009 and I had decided that by my 25th birthday (which was coming mid-March) I will have my dream-job. I had no prospects whatsoever, especially since the financial crisis had just recently started.

At the beginning of March 2009, I got a phone call from a lady who was asking me to come to an interview for a new magazine. She called me later in the evening and asked me some weird questions, so at first I was keen on NOT going at all. My mother convinced me to try, since it was about a new magazine that was due to come out at the end of the month. Although their editorial team was complete, they had decided to interview me after all. After just two meetings, they hired me on the spot! I signed the contract the very day after my birthday and now I am – without any exaggeration – having the job that I had always dreamt of! I wake up every morning thanking God for being able to do what I love the most: write! Furthermore, I got a second writing offer from another prestigious magazine and I also write freelance for them. So now I work not for one but for TWO local editions of the some of the most famous international magazines.

I am currently working on my second childhood dream: finding true love. This chapter has always been less successful than the other one. Although I eagerly searched and searched, there was never the right man/circumstance/moment/feeling etc. But now I know it’s all about timing. I got so many rejections with my writing, but I never gave up and it paid off beautifully. More than I had ever dared to dream of! So why should I give up on love just because I got turned out once, twice or even 20 times? I just know that one of these days I’m going to get my lucky phone call 🙂

There truly can be miracles if you believe!

Diana