Bella, your story is so inspiring and your dad sounds incredible! I have a little story to share, not quite as magical as yours but it came to mind as I was reading. A couple of years ago I moved from London to California, my husband had accepted an exciting job opportunity and we decided to throw caution to the wind and have an adventure with our two young children.
I wasn’t able to work as I didn’t have a working visa, so decided to try and fulfil a lifelong dream of writing a book. My book ‘a good day to make’ was going to be a cool craft book aimed at families, teaching them simple crafts but also showing how the makes could be displayed thoughtfully in your home *spoiler alert, I never realised this dream, but I hope you will read on. I made all the crafts but had a problem in styling them beautifully as the rental we were living in was kind of ugly with not much natural light.
In our local town was a beautiful interiors shop that sold art and reclaimed furniture but it was only open by appointment. I would peer through the glass every day on my way home from doing the school run and wish that I could have a look inside, despite the pieces being way out of my budget. I decided to try and track down the owner and wrote her a note telling her how much I loved her store and how it would be the perfect spot to take photos for my book proposal. She didn’t answer so a month or so later I wrote to her again and this time she replied and said I could pop by the following day. I went to meet her and took some of my work to show her and explained the concept for my book. She was the most inspiring woman and gave me a spare key to her store and told me that I could pop in anytime to style and photograph my makes. She also offered to introduce me to her neighbour who worked in publishing. Delightedly I agreed and she made the introduction.
Her neighbour, didn’t just work in publishing but was extremely senior in one of the biggest publishing houses. She agreed to have coffee with me and became an unofficial mentor introducing me to stylists, photographers and book agents. I wish I could say that my story ended with a photograph of my published book but alas it didn’t. I wrote my proposal and got an agent but received a big stack of rejections due to having a small social media following and my idea being a little too niche, however I have made a life long friend, some amazing connections and have seen the power of being bold and making your own magic when you are brave enough to take the leap. Apologies this comment is very long but your story really inspired me to share. Kate x
Wow, Kate! What a story and WHAT an amazing woman! To extend such kindness without expectation of anything in return -- it doesn’t happen very often but when it does, how wonderful it is 🥰
Though one thing your story made me realise (even more than before!) is that our default is to assume that most people are unkind or unwilling to help... and that isn’t always the case! We have to be more open to the possibility of another reality (to be brave and ask the question, send the message, step outside our comfort zone). Only then does that make space for these serendipitous moments 🤍
Thank you so much for sharing your experience... here’s to more of them! And I hope you have continued to go after your dream, whether that’s the book you mentioned or another idea entirely xx
Yes I do! I’ve dreamed of living in Italy all my life. I became an art teacher in 2009 at the age of 29 and I had visited with a college class one time during Christmas the year before. I was enamored with the art, the culture, the beauty, the language and people. In 2014 I had been watching a show on the Cooking Channel called David Rocco’s Dolce Vita and dreaming of that kind of life they had on the show—the beautiful couple David and Nina staying in a beautiful apartment building in the heart of Florence. One day he cooked for kids at a camp in the countryside and I thought…how could I, as a teacher, do something like that with art?! There was a credit at the end of the episode for Canadian Island school. I found their website and emailed them to find out if they hired people from other countries to come work at their summer camps. They responded and said they did! It turns out, the school was owned by David Rocco’s sister and they put on camps like the ones they enjoyed as children in Canada. It was October and said they were about to hire for the following summer! We Face Timed twice during the interview process and I was hired. To my surprise, when I arrived, I was staying in the EXACT apartment building David filmed his show, one floor up from his sister’s beautiful apartment. I spent not just one, but 3 amazing summers of my life there- IN MY 30S no less! I desperately wanted to move there and I probably had more than one opportunity to turn it into a reality, but even though it didn’t make sense financially for me to leave my job here and move there for a much lower salary (ugh student loans), I have had the most incredible adventures during those 3 summers before the big P hit in 2020. I’ve made lifelong friendships and got to spend time like a local in some of my favorite towns and cities. I’ll treasure my bold decision to send that email that day, for the rest of my life. I’m already planning to return for a visit soon.
Emily, I would love to be there with you, staying in that beautiful apartment, eating delicious food, and making those life-changing memories 🇮🇹 what a wonderful story! I imagine you left a lasting impression on the kids, too. Thank you for sharing this with me xx
Wow, my mind is blown - this is INCREDIBLE. You have so much courage to take such a leap of faith into an entirely unknown world and following your dream. Your dad is incredible, and very proud of you I'm sure - I feel like everyone who reads this will want to buy him a beer for being so supportive and doing something so rare for his daughter! As someone who is very new to writing online, I've had so many ideas of things I want to say, people I want to email to pitch ideas and even ask if they'd be interested in subscribing to me just to see my writing (and if they don't like it, I would LOVE the feedback). You, and your dad, have just given me the motivation to start taking steps forward...
Megan! Your comment made my day. Thank you. I can’t wait to show my dad who is going to be utterly chuffed by the suggestion of complimentary beer! 😅 I hope this gives you courage to send those messages. You never know what might come if it... it’s always worth it! ✨
I've been running an agency for a long time now, and in 2019 things were quite tough. I'd fallen out of love with it and I was burnt out. My parents were on holiday in Spain and told me to join them so I took a fairly impromptu flight out. The day I flew was a disaster including realising I'd booked a ticket for the day before. By the time I sat down I was such a mess that I found myself welling up in my seat. The lady next to me very kindly passed me a tissue. We got talking. Turned out we knew the same people, and I quickly realised she must be "somebody." Long story short, we exchanged numbers after the flight and said we'd speak. She text the next day explaining she was launching a business and needed an agency. We were that agency for 3 years, and the work we did completely restored my love for my business and career. She's a dear friend and mentor. I am very glad I took that break.
This gave me chills! What an wonderful story of happenstance and the impact one kind person can have on someone else's life 🤍 The ripple effects! Thank you for sharing xx
I love this story! "What’s the worst that could happen?" has become my mantra recently. Funnily enough, I wrote a piece yesterday (appearing this Sunday) which focuses on this in the context of interior design.
Reading this kind of story is so inspiring, and a great reminder to try things and see what happens. I do believe that the majority of people in the world are kind and want to do good. Your story reinforces this!
Ooo I can’t wait to read that one Hannah! 🤍 “f*ck it” is another mantra I’m fond of 😅 it really does feel good to say it/embody it. Thank you for your lovely comment x
I feel lucky to have so many stories similar to this. My parents and eldest brother instilled in me early that it was important to ask and to feel uncomfortable to get to places that are comfortable. No famous musicians, sadly. 😄
Here’s one of my favourite results after sending an email out of the blue:
I read Carole Matthews’ novel “the chocolate lovers’” club not long after it was published, a few years after I’d started running my business (Chocolate Ecstasy Tours). I found an address and wrote to her telling her how much I loved the book and inviting her and her husband on a tour. She replied. They came on a tour. Then she organised her first reader meet up as a Chocolate tour. We did several more reader meet up tours and when, a few years later, she wrote the third and fourth books in the series she wrote me and the business in as a character! 🥰 I got customers for years off the back of it. She’s the kindest woman.
Jen! What an incredible story! No famous musicians but written into two novels as one of the characters?! I just love this. Thank you so much for sharing… not least because I’ve now discovered your amazing tours!!! 🍫🍫🍫
Bella, your story is so inspiring and your dad sounds incredible! I have a little story to share, not quite as magical as yours but it came to mind as I was reading. A couple of years ago I moved from London to California, my husband had accepted an exciting job opportunity and we decided to throw caution to the wind and have an adventure with our two young children.
I wasn’t able to work as I didn’t have a working visa, so decided to try and fulfil a lifelong dream of writing a book. My book ‘a good day to make’ was going to be a cool craft book aimed at families, teaching them simple crafts but also showing how the makes could be displayed thoughtfully in your home *spoiler alert, I never realised this dream, but I hope you will read on. I made all the crafts but had a problem in styling them beautifully as the rental we were living in was kind of ugly with not much natural light.
In our local town was a beautiful interiors shop that sold art and reclaimed furniture but it was only open by appointment. I would peer through the glass every day on my way home from doing the school run and wish that I could have a look inside, despite the pieces being way out of my budget. I decided to try and track down the owner and wrote her a note telling her how much I loved her store and how it would be the perfect spot to take photos for my book proposal. She didn’t answer so a month or so later I wrote to her again and this time she replied and said I could pop by the following day. I went to meet her and took some of my work to show her and explained the concept for my book. She was the most inspiring woman and gave me a spare key to her store and told me that I could pop in anytime to style and photograph my makes. She also offered to introduce me to her neighbour who worked in publishing. Delightedly I agreed and she made the introduction.
Her neighbour, didn’t just work in publishing but was extremely senior in one of the biggest publishing houses. She agreed to have coffee with me and became an unofficial mentor introducing me to stylists, photographers and book agents. I wish I could say that my story ended with a photograph of my published book but alas it didn’t. I wrote my proposal and got an agent but received a big stack of rejections due to having a small social media following and my idea being a little too niche, however I have made a life long friend, some amazing connections and have seen the power of being bold and making your own magic when you are brave enough to take the leap. Apologies this comment is very long but your story really inspired me to share. Kate x
Wow, Kate! What a story and WHAT an amazing woman! To extend such kindness without expectation of anything in return -- it doesn’t happen very often but when it does, how wonderful it is 🥰
Though one thing your story made me realise (even more than before!) is that our default is to assume that most people are unkind or unwilling to help... and that isn’t always the case! We have to be more open to the possibility of another reality (to be brave and ask the question, send the message, step outside our comfort zone). Only then does that make space for these serendipitous moments 🤍
Thank you so much for sharing your experience... here’s to more of them! And I hope you have continued to go after your dream, whether that’s the book you mentioned or another idea entirely xx
Yes I do! I’ve dreamed of living in Italy all my life. I became an art teacher in 2009 at the age of 29 and I had visited with a college class one time during Christmas the year before. I was enamored with the art, the culture, the beauty, the language and people. In 2014 I had been watching a show on the Cooking Channel called David Rocco’s Dolce Vita and dreaming of that kind of life they had on the show—the beautiful couple David and Nina staying in a beautiful apartment building in the heart of Florence. One day he cooked for kids at a camp in the countryside and I thought…how could I, as a teacher, do something like that with art?! There was a credit at the end of the episode for Canadian Island school. I found their website and emailed them to find out if they hired people from other countries to come work at their summer camps. They responded and said they did! It turns out, the school was owned by David Rocco’s sister and they put on camps like the ones they enjoyed as children in Canada. It was October and said they were about to hire for the following summer! We Face Timed twice during the interview process and I was hired. To my surprise, when I arrived, I was staying in the EXACT apartment building David filmed his show, one floor up from his sister’s beautiful apartment. I spent not just one, but 3 amazing summers of my life there- IN MY 30S no less! I desperately wanted to move there and I probably had more than one opportunity to turn it into a reality, but even though it didn’t make sense financially for me to leave my job here and move there for a much lower salary (ugh student loans), I have had the most incredible adventures during those 3 summers before the big P hit in 2020. I’ve made lifelong friendships and got to spend time like a local in some of my favorite towns and cities. I’ll treasure my bold decision to send that email that day, for the rest of my life. I’m already planning to return for a visit soon.
Emily, I would love to be there with you, staying in that beautiful apartment, eating delicious food, and making those life-changing memories 🇮🇹 what a wonderful story! I imagine you left a lasting impression on the kids, too. Thank you for sharing this with me xx
Wow, my mind is blown - this is INCREDIBLE. You have so much courage to take such a leap of faith into an entirely unknown world and following your dream. Your dad is incredible, and very proud of you I'm sure - I feel like everyone who reads this will want to buy him a beer for being so supportive and doing something so rare for his daughter! As someone who is very new to writing online, I've had so many ideas of things I want to say, people I want to email to pitch ideas and even ask if they'd be interested in subscribing to me just to see my writing (and if they don't like it, I would LOVE the feedback). You, and your dad, have just given me the motivation to start taking steps forward...
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Megan! Your comment made my day. Thank you. I can’t wait to show my dad who is going to be utterly chuffed by the suggestion of complimentary beer! 😅 I hope this gives you courage to send those messages. You never know what might come if it... it’s always worth it! ✨
Ahhh I'm so glad! My plan of action for tomorrow now is to start drafting messages to the people I want to reach out to. Thank you again!
I've been running an agency for a long time now, and in 2019 things were quite tough. I'd fallen out of love with it and I was burnt out. My parents were on holiday in Spain and told me to join them so I took a fairly impromptu flight out. The day I flew was a disaster including realising I'd booked a ticket for the day before. By the time I sat down I was such a mess that I found myself welling up in my seat. The lady next to me very kindly passed me a tissue. We got talking. Turned out we knew the same people, and I quickly realised she must be "somebody." Long story short, we exchanged numbers after the flight and said we'd speak. She text the next day explaining she was launching a business and needed an agency. We were that agency for 3 years, and the work we did completely restored my love for my business and career. She's a dear friend and mentor. I am very glad I took that break.
This gave me chills! What an wonderful story of happenstance and the impact one kind person can have on someone else's life 🤍 The ripple effects! Thank you for sharing xx
Really loved reading this and of course need to know who the person you had thanksgiving with was 😂
Thank you so much Eleanor 🤍 that means the world! Wellllllll if you ever want to slide into my IG DMs I’ll be happy to oblige 😅
I love this story! "What’s the worst that could happen?" has become my mantra recently. Funnily enough, I wrote a piece yesterday (appearing this Sunday) which focuses on this in the context of interior design.
Reading this kind of story is so inspiring, and a great reminder to try things and see what happens. I do believe that the majority of people in the world are kind and want to do good. Your story reinforces this!
Ooo I can’t wait to read that one Hannah! 🤍 “f*ck it” is another mantra I’m fond of 😅 it really does feel good to say it/embody it. Thank you for your lovely comment x
I feel lucky to have so many stories similar to this. My parents and eldest brother instilled in me early that it was important to ask and to feel uncomfortable to get to places that are comfortable. No famous musicians, sadly. 😄
Here’s one of my favourite results after sending an email out of the blue:
I read Carole Matthews’ novel “the chocolate lovers’” club not long after it was published, a few years after I’d started running my business (Chocolate Ecstasy Tours). I found an address and wrote to her telling her how much I loved the book and inviting her and her husband on a tour. She replied. They came on a tour. Then she organised her first reader meet up as a Chocolate tour. We did several more reader meet up tours and when, a few years later, she wrote the third and fourth books in the series she wrote me and the business in as a character! 🥰 I got customers for years off the back of it. She’s the kindest woman.
Jen! What an incredible story! No famous musicians but written into two novels as one of the characters?! I just love this. Thank you so much for sharing… not least because I’ve now discovered your amazing tours!!! 🍫🍫🍫
Thank you for the reminder to do this more often again! I loved reading your story and about your relationship with your dad. ☺️❤️
Your comment means the world, Jen. It’s a reminder to myself too - you don’t ask, you don’t get!
This is such a lovely story! I do enjoy these moments of pure happenstance!
This is so magical!