How many times brilliant people have been rejected by their bosses or society previously when they were excited about a new idea or project?
Thousands.
Thousands of painters could’ve been creating masterpieces, if only artists pursued arts instead of that safety-net major…
Thousands of innovative ideas could’ve been published if only people got the guts to fight for their discoveries…
But here we are, living our lives too constrained to do what our hearts, minds, and souls truly desire.
After experiencing the turmoil in 2020 and 2021, you would’ve known by now that things and situations can change in a split second. And I believe all of us could take this chance to be true to ourselves. Pursue what we really want to do, face the fears of judgmental eyes and mouths, and go run wild against the standard.
HOW I RAN WILD IN MY MOTHERLAND…
Back in Indonesia, I was born and raised in a very religious family. In our household, people honour the teachings of the religion – some of which does not align with my beliefs and core values. There’s no self-empowerment there. And, as someone who believes in the fact that we, humans, can create our own destinies and have power for ourselves, it suffocated me.
During my stay with them, I lost my sense of self because I wasn’t allowed to be myself. Being the rebellious me, at the tender age of 21, I decided to – literally – run away, start a new life in another country, and marry my first (and ex) husband.
Some of my extended family members and my own father questioned my decision to get married so young, but I’m glad I took the chance and boldly did it. After all, it led me to where I am today.
HOW I RAN WILD IN AUSTRALIA…
After I flew to Australia to marry my ex-husband, it wasn’t as smooth-sailing as I thought it would be.
As you can see in my youth, I am someone who knows what she wants and fights hard to get it. I have the entrepreneurial blood flows within me.
However, my ex – who does not value entrepreneurship the same way I do – kept telling me I should just look for a full-time job. I told him that it does not fulfil me; that I want to do my own thing. He tried to support me, but perhaps impatient as he watched the challenging journey of a small business owner to achieve success.
Our daily arguments from this issue, along with other differences that we had, turned our relationship into an abusive one. We didn’t have fun, my days were filled with tears and shouting matches.
Hence, I left him after being together for a decade and chose myself.
AND HOW I’M CONSISTENTLY RUNNING WILD RIGHT NOW…
Pursuing my choice as a businesswoman/relationship coach/spa therapist has been full of its own ups and downs. Financially, I wasn’t able to ‘fully unplugged’ from employment until 2017. I worked partly for myself and partly for someone else for a long time. And that’s ok. You may be experiencing the same situation.
Yet, I still find more power in my purpose – to inspire and support others in ways that I can, through my passion for therapy, food, or music. Plus, life and challenges have been more enjoyable to deal with because of my loving and ever-supportive second husband and our two daughters.
Right now, with the pandemic still in our lives, it becomes more challenging to thrive in business. But hey, thank God for my stubbornness, I am still here, doing what I love and have freedom!
Maybe you can use this chance to run wild – be it with your ideas or willpower, you name it! Grab this chance to channel your creativity, experiment with new perspectives, or take on new paths.
Challenge may bring stress and fear, however, it also opens limitless opportunities and ways for you to learn and grow. Always remember that you have the power to succeed at your own pace, and have fun along the way.
Know and love yourself. Stay true to your soul. Allow yourself to chase your dreams. We only live once, let’s make the most out of it!
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