“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” ―Oprah Winfrey
All the situations we get into can become lessons. I say “can” because sometimes we are not aware that we have to learn something and sometimes we just refuse to learn our lessons.
Past two weeks have been a rollercoaster for me. One day I’ve been up, flying above the clouds, and another day, I’ve been very down, scared and angry that things don’t come in the way I want them to.
How everything started
This story I am going to tell you about started in the day I saw on Facebook a post about a crowdfunding campaign. It was created by a former colleague from university, Ines Dumitriu. She was raising money to help her get to a big event happening in this spring in Bucharest, Romania. The event I mention is Brand Minds and will bring one of the writers she appreciates so much or better say she loves.
Yes, we can love writers because many times they say things that we feel and resonate so well with, but we are not able to say them in such a beautiful and convincing manner. In plus, this writer, Brené Brown, happens to be a researcher and her books are based on studies and interviews she did with thousands of people.
I discovered Brené’s books a few years ago on a list of books recommended by a psychologist. I was intrigued by the title: “Daring Greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead”.
At that time, I was in a struggling moment in my life and when I read about the courage to be vulnerable and how this actually can help you transform your life I had that “aha moment”.
So, I read the book and I was blown away. After I read that book I was thirsty for more from this writer. And so it started a love story with her books, the way she sees life, lessons she learned from the people she interviewed, and the way she is as an individual.
I was so excited to hear that she is coming to Romania. Brené Brown and Yuval Noah Harari, but with Yuval it’s a different story that I’ll say about with another occasion. I went to the site of the event and I was put off by the prices of the tickets. Well, the tickets weren’t so so pricey but taking into consideration the other costs (flight tickets from Morocco to Romania and back) I suddenly became sad.
I followed Ines’ campaign with big enthusiasm, interest, and curiosity. I thought of doing it too. But, I was overwhelmed by the “oh, for me it won’t work”, “ I never did a crowdfunding campaign”, “why people would donate for me?”, “there are so many urgent situations in the world for which are money needed, why I’m so selfish to ask money to see some writers (writers that I love, but who will care?)”, etc, etc.
After Ines reached her goal and after more than 3 weeks of “Do it! No, I can’t!” I finally took the big decision.
The moment I wrote the story of the campaign on my blog and then shared it on Facebook my heart started racing. Again, feeling a mixture of overwhelming, adrenaline, excitement, and hope that I can actually reach my dream.
Every night I dreamed of myself being there, at the event, taking notes, feeling so much energy, gratitude, and happiness. Happy as a child who received a toy for which he asked his parents for a long, long, long time.
The first person to donate was Ines and than a very good friend of mine, a friend with whom I have a very special friendship, and that encourages me to follow my dreams.
However, I couldn’t see any money coming into my account until maybe 5 or 6 days after I initiated the campaign.
Imagine how I felt those days!
Disappointed, angry that people won’t understand what is to dream and hope so much for something and don’t receive the needed support. Every morning I would wake up and check my accounts. With my heart racing as when you go for a first date with the one you will gonna marry. Emotions, emotions, emotions…
I received messages from people to encourage me. It meant so much for me. Friends and people I didn’t know donated.
I reached the previous day of the end of my campaign and I still needed 160 Eur to complete the amount. I was on the edge to say: “that’s it, won’t happen!” But deep down in my soul, I still had hopes and I believed that a miracle can happen.
Than, Radu Paltineanu, a person that is an ocean of inspiration for me, shared my post and asked his friends to support me. The miracle didn’t wait too long to happen. Someone (I’ll call it R. The Stranger That Saved My Dream) wrote me a private message asking me how much more I need. It was around 10 am. When I checked my account later in the evening, 160 Eur were there!
I couldn’t believe it! I was so happy, lifting my hands into the air, dancing, and screaming of happiness.
I went straight to Brand Minds’ site to buy the ticket!
The moment I collapsed
BOOM!!!
All tickets (to all categories) were sold out.
The second day I checked my mail, no reply from the organizers…just the same automatic mail to put my name on the waiting list.
So I called them. I spoke with the Executive Director of the event. She explained to me the situation in detail and that there is nothing she can do to help me.
I could have a chance if there were people who failed to pay until the deadline but there was a long waiting list. I was among the latest on that list and she told me that my chances are low to inexistent to find a ticket.
She kindly invited me to the next event organized in autumn.
No, I didn’t want another event…I wanted this one because of the keynote speakers (especially 2 of them: Brené and Yuval).
I was angry. Again. But, as I told her, a miracle can help me.
The second day, I posted on different free ads sites to buy the ticket and private groups on Facebook.
And, the miracle happened! A Romanian entrepreneur, Lorand Szasz, read my story and impressed by all my efforts and the unhappy ending of my campaign offered me a free ticket.
A free ticket!!!
A free ticket!!!
Oh, so grateful for this! Dancing, screaming, hugging my son and husband, again dancing, feeling like flying above the clouds.
Lessons I learned and remembered during this campaign
– Your actions, believes, and dreams can be an inspiration for others …aka Ines Dumitriu.
– Something that for others can seem insignificant (like sharing a post) can have a huge impact in someone’s life…aka Radu Paltineanu.
– An encouraging word or the financial support (smaller or bigger) can make a person feel loved, appreciated, and worthy of being in other people’s life….aka all my friends and people that donated for me.
– We only need a story and passion, the rest is irrelevant. An event, a situation, a meeting can change someone’s life path, help it get there….aka R. The Stranger That Saved My Dream.
-You can choose to restore a person’s dream and influence the way it relates to people and life in general…aka Lorand Szasz.
– Ain’t enough to dream, take the first step and then everything else will follow.
– Lean into discomfort, let yourself be seen as you are and know that the truth about who you are lives in your heart.
– You have a story: own it!
“Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” ―Denis Waitley