Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t just leave my glamorous job as a Certified Public Accountant working in financial services and say “I’m going to travel around the world and become a travel blogger and writer!”

Nope! That wasn’t in my carefully defined 10-year plan.

It just sort of fell in my lap when I least expected it. Calmly making its place into my life while I was pouring out my deepest desires to the universe.

The Beginning

It all started when I made the bold decision to dump my thriving 7-year career in financial services to pursue my MBA full-time.

What the what?

Yeah, it’s the thing to do when you’re an ambitious 28-year-old professional trying to figure out life.

So MBA at a top university was the plan (I already had a stack of acceptance letters in my hand!).

But one day I decided to go to Orlando, Florida to compete in the Ms. Corporate America pageant. I had already lost four pageants (different pageant systems) in a row (never even placed!) so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try it one more time.

And all the previous pain and sounds of rejection I ever faced was worth it once I heard my name called as the reigning Ms. Corporate America 2015.

This changed the game for me. It was like I reshuffled my deck of cards and lucked upon a winning hand.

And I took advantage.

The Unexpected Transition

I deferred my MBA enrollment, decided to start my own consulting business (CEO Unlimited LLC), and used my credit card rewards to travel within the U.S (more about this later!).

But my rewards points were running out. I needed a Plan B.

It Was Like a Movie

And that’s when I received a call to travel around the world on a 6-month tour from January – June 2016. Wowzers!!

I traveled to 15 cities in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium with 100 other people from around the world.

These were some interesting people. So you know I had to capture their thoughts. Every minute I got, I would find someone and jot down their story on a piece of paper.

We traveled together…

volunteered together…

and performed in 2-hour shows together EVERY week.

It was truly a dream come true – and I wanted to document every piece of it to inspire others to be “BOLD ENOUGH” to explore what’s on the other side of fear!

When I arrived back in Chicago, all I could think about was the next time I would be on a plane and how I could capture my experiences on paper.

I wanted more.

So I signed up for an infinite possibilities session to see if I could use that program to expand my mind and attract the unusual.

I Couldn’t Believe What Manifested

I met with three other women every week to discuss what we wanted to manifest. I revealed my strengths: I’m an achiever. It’s easy for me to set goals and exceed expectations. I guess that’s why I became a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, Project Management Professional, and Distinguished Toastmaster before I turned 26. Yeah, I was a certification junkie – and I’m not ashamed! Now I help others do achieve (if you want a strategy session, send me an email at charlene@charlenerhinehart.com).

But here was my “weakness”: I can’t just snap my fingers and achieve a quality relationship just like that. I’m a different kind of girl so my expectations are a bit different – and quite frankly, I didn’t even know it my desires were even possible. But I was willing to unblock the mental barriers and see what would happen.

So I told my mastermind group my vision: Travel around the world with a significant other who shared my nerdy characteristics and love for random adventures and unrestricted fun.

The Next Few Months Blew My Mind

I wasn’t sure how powerful my words were – until I woke up one day and realized I was in Las Vegas discussing investment strategies with a fellow financial entrepreneur who loves to write and travel.

A New Beginning

We came together and created Black Couple Travels to bridge the gap between romance and finance. We go on dates around the world every month and write about all the destinations that allow us to tap into our endless potential.

Just Like That

So with all of these exciting updates taking place, of course, I had to update my LinkedIn profile, instagram, personal website, and blog.

Then, I started writing about my travel experiences and sharing my career, money, and entrepreneurship insights with publications all over the web. I committed to writing 500 words a day. I even launched my career as a journalist and started a freelance writing business while on the set of Chicago PD. In six months, I published over 50 articles online. My articles have been featured in the Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Addicted2Success, and other.

And that’s when things started happening. I had lined up everything I needed to become a travel writer and opportunities started knocking on my door.

It’s All About Creating Endless Opportunities

You never know how your current position is preparing you for something greater tomorrow, next month, or even next year. You just have to stay ready for the opportunities that will sweep you off your feet because that’s exactly what will happen when you position yourself for success.

I don’t know why people neglect their personal brand while spending all of their energy trying to help their employer build a reputable brand. Yes – if you have a job do your best to excel in the job. But don’t do it at the expense of building your personal brand. That is what will take you forward and help you to create endless opportunities if someone decides to give you a pink slip and lay you off.

Don’t put your destiny in no one else’s hands. You have to be “BOLD ENOUGH” to take control of your life instead of allowing the people in your life to take control of you.

And that’s how you become a travel writer …unexpectedly!

If you want to learn more about “Profit from Passion: Get Paid to Speak, Blog, and Travel“, join the next webinar! The workshop will be customized to meet the interests of the attendees. So if you’re ready to make your first $1000 as a writer or blogger (with limited experience!), I’ll give you step by step tips on how you can make this happen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *