The final letter of 2022 has arrived. And what a year it has been. The past few days I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on all the lessons I have learned, the challenges I overcame and the wonderful experiences I allowed myself to have.

I started the year with the intention to follow my heart more. To think less, to do more and to worry later. I called it the “year of doing”. And looking back, I am so happy I decided to run with it.

This year has stretched me in so many ways. Financially, romantically and business wise. It has taught me to soften, to be more open and to love myself more. To really embrace who I am, to stop hiding and to take a stand for all I want and believe I deserve.

Let’s travel the world together …

And so here we are … at the finish line. Yesterday, I was reminded of a memory on facebook, a picture of me holding a sign with the message “Let’s travel the world together”. I wrote I wanted to stop dreaming about the life I wanted and start living it instead.

And so the year of doing was born…

This time last year, I felt such a strong desire to travel. I wanted to visit my friends, to get lost and to experience nature, good food and to not have a plan. Just 3 weeks later, after I had taken my very first flight in more than 2 years, I resigned from my job in the hospital, I extended my stay in Peru for another 3 weeks and I started training for altitude.

What would happen after and how I would make it work was a mystery. The beginning of an adventure. And without me knowing, I opened the door into the great unknown. I decided to just roll with it. It was time to break free, to stop playing by the rules and to start living a life that would honour my desires.

I chose to follow my heart, to do what felt good and to take it from there.

Today, 12 months later, I am in Marseille. It’s 2am in the morning. I am in the house of a  friend I met 8 years ago in Bolivia and I am writing. My year was spontaneous to say the least. I reconnected with friends, I travelled 3 continents, I started sharing more and I decided to move countries.

And just to be clear, when I made those choices, I had no idea how I would make it work. I gave up my house because I just knew it was time to move. But until 2 weeks ago I did not know where I would move to. I gave up my “salary” not knowing if I would be able to pay for my lifestyle on my own. But I did it anyway.

I trusted life and it turns out that was enough.

Was it easy? No. Was it hard? No! It was what it was. And with every challenge I was given I learned a lesson. I grew confidence because I went through the fear. I grew self love because I faced the pain of disappointment. I grew more determined because I understood nobody was going to do it for me.

And at times I have felt alone. I had my moments of desperation. But I kept going regardless. I kept investing in myself even if I had financial stress. I kept my heart open and showed vulnerability even though I just wanted to crawl in a cave and disappear. I kept choosing my desires even though I had absolutely no idea how it would work out.

I had to practice patience, I had to take risks and I had to grow a self-belief that would be able to stand-up against the “critics”. The pain I have felt was real. But I survived, I overcame and I grew roots. Not in places but in myself! I have taken “becoming unstoppable” to another level.

When I travel back in time, to that moment when the picture was taken, I look at myself and can see the change. In terms of business goals I have a lot of work ahead. However, the amount of personal growth can never outweigh the lack of business productivity.

The past 12 months have been exponential, with the final 2 months being the most disruptive. It feels like life has given me a crash course on essential lessons about self love, boundaries and speaking-up for my dreams. The amount of negativity I had to fight has been intense. But as said, with every challenge comes a lesson.

And when you grow solid roots, it does not matter how strong the storm is. You can trust the process, move with the wind and remind yourself that nothing is forever. This too shall pass.

Getting ready to level-up

So here I am. Enjoying a croissant and finishing my final letter I started a few hours ago. Not yet ready to think about 2023. I just want to enjoy today and celebrate 2022.

Writing this, in the very first hours of the final day of the year 2022 I feel so grateful. I feel proud of the woman I am becoming. I feel so grateful for the people I have around me. And I am equally grateful for the lessons I learned.

The “year of doing” was unique and I can only hope that my stories have inspired many of you to take a chance. To trust yourself more. To trust your desires more and to never dismiss your dreams just because it makes other people feel uncomfortable.

So if you have some time today, look back and write down a few moments, good and bad. And ask yourself what you learned? What are you celebrating? And given we are about to start a new year, ask yourself what will you do differently next year? What are you no longer available for? And what will you do about it?

See you all next year for another amazing trail of letters and lessons.

Sending you so much love!

Ines

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