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 to 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?

I’m a 23-year-old Australian photographer, blogger, and travel enthusiast. My dream is to be a travel content creator and to be able to work from anywhere in the world. I am only just beginning my journey.

I always knew I wanted to be a photographer but I never knew what genre of photography would be my calling. So after graduating from university I began working in one of Melbourne’s biggest family portrait studios, thinking this would be my calling. It was there that I fell in love with being able to tell stories through imagery. I also got my first taste for travel. I was able to earn enough money to finally travel overseas to New Zealand and as cliche, as it sounds, it was such a life-changing experience. Since being a little child I’ve always wanted to explore the world, but this trip showed me you can make this your career, which I never thought was possible.

So after working at the studio for a few years, and saving every dollar, I decided that I wanted to move overseas to pursue a career in travel. I packed up my bags, quit my job, said goodbye to my family, and booked a one-way ticket across the other side of the world. I arrived at my new home, London, in February and it has been much more challenging than I ever anticipated. 

Can you tell me more about your mindset and your feelings you felt before taking the leap?

In the beginning, when I was first planning on moving, I had rose-colored glasses on, seeing everything in a positive light. I did not realize it would be as difficult as it has been. I knew I would miss my family but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be able to go on your first solo adventure and move to London, it was so exciting to me. I had all these grand ideas that I would be able to find a job and a place to leave relatively quickly, if not before I jumped on the plane and then once I was here, the world was at my doorstep and I would be able to travel somewhere new every other weekend.

As the fly-out date came closer, the nerves began to set in. Could I actually move overseas when I’ve never been and don’t know a single person over here? What if I can’t find a place to live or work? The stress began to set in, but the best decisions you make in life happen when you feel the fear, and do it anyway. 

What felt right to you? Why did you understand that this was meant to be?

I knew that I needed to do this and the timing was as good as it was ever going to be. I also knew that if I didn’t I would have regretted it. It was my opportunity to finally spread my wings and see more of the world. I think everyone goes through a stage in their life when they need to be a little bit selfish to find out who they are and who they want to be and this was my time. I was lucky that a lot of the people I surround myself with have been extremely supportive of me and this decision and so their encouragement really helped me take on this huge challenge. 

After taking the leap, what were the obstacles that you faced? How did you handle it?

The first couple of weeks went by so quickly and were some of the most stressful I’ve ever experienced. I arrived in the UK, made my way to the hostel and just sat in the room for 3 hours thinking about what I just did. I only booked one week of accommodation and so I instantly began looking for jobs and places to live. After a few weeks I began to get settled, and then COVID-19 hit. Two weeks after starting my new job, we were put into lockdown and it threw my grand travel plans completely out of the window.

Despite spending the last few months in lockdown I am so lucky that I came here when I did and found a job that I could do from home. With lockdown easing next month I’m hoping to do some local trips to get back traveling.

Looking back at your journey now, do you have any regrets? What would you say to yourself in that moment?

If I had known my trip would have been impacted by this pandemic, I wouldn’t have left. I would have waited a year, and then moved. It is hard enough moving overseas let alone being away from your family, not knowing anyone during a time like this. But in saying this, you are never going to know that, so you just have to roll with it, look for the positives and look for what it is teaching you. I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason.

Moving overseas and it not being the most magical experience, despite seeing everything else online that says otherwise, has really shown me what is important in my life. Some family and friends back home have been so extremely supportive when I’m having good and bad days, and others have shown their true colors. It has also highlighted how important travel is to me. I can now confidently say that travel is definitely the industry I want and am meant to be in. 

When you take a step back you see things with a new perspective, and these are things that I wouldn’t have known or would have taken me longer to learn if I hadn’t dived into the deep end, so in the end, it’s worth it.

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

I would say that there are always things that will try to hold you back if you let it, so don’t. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you. The best decisions in life are never easy, so having an encouraging and supportive network will help give you the confidence to go for your dreams. You can achieve anything you put your mind to.

How can we stay connected to you?

You can find me at @adventurehappened on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. My Portfolio and blog at https://adventurehappened.com and you can reach me via email at taylor@adventurehappened.com. Thank you for reading my story! Now go out and chase the life you’ve always dreamt of.