Thank you so much for taking the time out to connect with me and for sharing your story! As you briefly shared, you have lived a life full of WONDER. Deciding to be brave, go after your passion, and walk into the unknown is worthy of sharing with many other women who seek to do the same with their life.

Speaking of wonder and living your life full of wonder, can you share more about your story? 

Up until the age of 16, I showed up small. I wasn’t living a life full of wonder, actually far from it. I had no idea what self-love was, nor did I have a voice. I suppressed myself to fit in and still, I managed to stand out each time. The school was tough especially as being one of the only brown families in the area. Then one day, I became super curious with Charles Darwin in my biology class, and with that curiosity, I decided I wanted to visit the Galapagos islands one day (the place of Darwin’s research on evolution). 

Fast forward a few months and I was boarding the plane to The Galapagos Islands at the sweet age of 16 on a solo volunteering trip. Since then, I’ve visited 30+ countries, and my love for travel grows with every country I go to. Travel has been close to my heart since and I give it so much credit for my growth. 

Approximately 3 years ago, I suffered from a spinal injury. There comes a moment in your life, where everything changes. This was this moment for me. It was a massive wake up call and forced me to look within for the first time. I realised what was most important in life. I started practicing self-love, yoga and it was the beginning of my self-improvement journey. That injury had a direct effect on the choices I make today. I don’t want to feel like how I did on that hospital bed, feeling like I didn’t truly live my life. 

Can you tell me more about your mindset and your feelings as you decided to follow what felt right to you vs what your parents or society expected you to do? 

My biggest dream was to study medicine, become a doctor, and make my parents proud. Approaching the end of my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science, I had doubts that maybe a medical career wasn’t for me. But becoming a doctor was my dream, or I thought it was. I soon realised that being a doctor was the dream my parents had for me, and I embraced it thinking it was the only successful path. I decided to follow my intuition to not apply for medical school that year. 

Going against your parents, society and your own limiting beliefs is tough especially when you have no answers or a set path. I’d admit, it’s terrifying. All I knew was that I wanted to do something I love and that I wanted to continue travelling. I think the mindset I adopted at that time was, ‘I’ll rather fail at doing something I love then succeed at doing something that I don’t’ and if things didn’t work out I know I tried and that’s what matters. 

Would you say that you were confident and had a thorough plan before deciding to follow your path? 

Not at all. Even today I still have no thorough plan and experience self-doubt myself sometimes. But what’s different now, is that I know that feeling this way is normal. The minute you decide to follow your passion, the first to meet you will be doubt and fear. You need to walk alongside these feelings. Confidence is the trust you have in yourself that no matter how heavy the weight of fear and doubt hold you back, you will keep moving forward. So it’s okay to not have a plan, it’s okay to not feel confident but stopping is not an option. Keep moving forward. 

How has traveling impacted the way that you live your life? 

Before I started traveling, my perspective and understanding of the world was small. Everything I knew about the world was through the media, my parents, and school. The world was my home and my comfort zone. Travel has massively impacted the way I live my life. Travel taught me that life starts on the other side of your comfort zone, to stop playing small and show up authentically. 

I gained a huge appreciation for stillness and slowing down. Travel allowed me to see the beauty of a moment. Travel made me more open-minded and understanding of other people’s way of life. I see more value in experiences than material possessions. Buy a car or travel for 3 months? You already know my answer. When I spend money on travel I see it as an investment into myself. Travel has become my way of life. 

How has your creativity helped you find your voice?

I found my voice by unlearning everything society told me I had to be, by digging deep into who I was, and then expressing that through my writing and photography. By learning to accept myself as I am, I gave my voice permission to be seen and heard. Creativity allowed my voice to be expressed instead of helping me find it. 

What would you say to any woman who desires to live a life full of wonder? 

Start by asking yourself why you desire a life full of wonder. Once you know your ‘why’ then go for it. Living a life full of wonder is for the brave. It’s not going to be easy walking into the unknown. The reason I say you should know your ‘why’ is because that’s going to be the thing that gets you through. Remember your ‘why’, when feelings of doubt and fear rise up. Carry your ‘why’, with you as you jump over each hurdle. It’s the only tool you need on your way to success and a life full of wonder. 

How can we stay connected to you? 

You can stay connected with me on Instagram. Instagram is my most active social media platform. I regularly post self-growth, travel, and photography content on there. My handle is @tajaroraa or if you are interested in reading my blogs then you can check those out at www.tajarora.com. I also just launched a 21-day guide to self-love which is available to purchase at www.selfloveguide.co.uk.