As the end of the year has come, I also looked back one more time at my life in 2017. I guess it’s become already sort of a yearly habit not to be satisfied enough with how it went đ Nevertheless, although this year didn’t really go as I wished either, this year I would like to share my short summary with you, because I believe it’s worth it. If at least one person reads it all and finds in it at least a little kick in their butt, then it surely is. I’ve had another difficult year, yet when I think about it again retrospectively, I think there are reasony to be proud of myself….
There are my friends and some other people who know what Iâve been going through in the last two years. They know how bad it was. And I have to thank all those who have stood up for me. I don’t want to make this post a tear-jerker, I plan to share my whole story soon (hopefully), but to be in the picture I should at least mention that I’ve been struggling with Lyme Disease. For more than two years now. For those who don’t know it, to keep it simple, it’s a real pain in the ass. It’s something that turns your life totally upside-down. It limits your life in many ways, sometimes really a lot. Even though it’s not so visible at first sign. I little bit described it before I went to Romania here.
Anyway, my 2017 didn’t start well at all, and if someone had told me that I would be able to travel so many kilometers, visit 10 countries, go on such adventures, I wouldn’t have believed even a bit. I could easily have been staring at white walls in a mental home, or⊠at the ground from below…But in the end I didnât give up and decided to “heal” my own way, and when I look back at what Iâve managed to do despite the circumstances and health limitations, I don’t think I could have gained more out of it. Let me share just a couple of the main points:
- After years of misunderstanding and complications I finally found my answer to my health problems and started to cure
- I’ve finally started to work on some projects as a freelancer, and thus made a big step towards being finally time and place independent
- Iâve become a SEO expert by constant educating and a Google Parterâ by obtaining a Google AdWords Search Advertising certification !
- Iâve met lots of people and made new friends
- I’ve witnessed the best gig in my life and fulfilled one of my dreams when attending The Best of Armin Only in the Amsterdam Arena with other 40.000 people!
- Iâve launched my Travel Blog!
- And Iâve probably made my travel record. Iâve visited 4 new countries, and 10 countries in total. I’ve been to more than 150 places this year! I reached incredible 20.000 traveled km, and even more incredibly, I made 3.000 km by hitch-hiking. Iâve spent almost 40 % of the year abroad!
- Most importantly, even though Iâm not where I wished to be and donât feel as good as I wished to feel by now, comparing the last year I can finally see a progress.
Here comes the map of my year 2017’s travels to see I’m not joking! đ
This year I experienced the worst birthday of my life, and since like I was 15 I didn’t celebrate the New Yearâs Eve either. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to fight against this stupid disease. I also don’t know if my next birthday and the New yearâs eve will be sitting at home sober again, but what I know for sure is that I wonât let anyone and anything to take my dreams anymore!
I don’t make any New Year’s resolutions. But I do have some plans, ideas, and mainly dreams I would like to realize. I also hope to launch my second blog this year. And of course travel, travel and travel! đ
For 2018, I wish everyone this: Be happy, healthy and full of energy. May in 2018 you do only things you love, and love things you do. Chase your dreams and do not let anyone take them from you! If you are not doing so already, just start traveling finally, before it’s too late and you regret it. I can guarantee you that there is nothing out there which enriches you more. Success!
And here is my traveler’s 2017 in pictures đ