Then, I started blogging. It was the accumulation of all of my dreams come true.

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For the last two months, I’ve been posting about The Biggest, Baddest Bucket List Costa Rica White Watercontest; after all, no contest exists that is more fitting for Bucket List Publications. Following my dreams of traveling and experiencing life to the fullest has taught me that the world is full of endless possibilities and Bucket List Publications is the accumulation of all of my wildest dreams come true. The Biggest Baddest Bucket List contest, though, is like my bucket list on steroids. With only 9 days left to vote, I’m currently in 1st place for a trip around the world and $50,000! I’m going to win… with your help. 

The Top 10 finalists in My Destination’s Biggest, Baddest Bucket List Contest get to go to the UK for a crazy week of challenges and fun…AND they get to have a beer or three with the My Destination team

Here are the important dates for the contest: 

31st March – entries  close
15th April – ten finalists announced
18th May – the top ten finalists flown to the UK for a week of challenges and fun interviews which will determine the successful applicant
24th May – final winner announced
Early July till Dec – the trip of a lifetime

So… why should you vote for me when I’ve already been to over 30 countries and experienced dozens of extreme adventures? I do have a beautiful life filled with travel, adventure, love, and family but it’s because I made it that way. Most people assume I was born with money, but that’s not true. I’m not rich, with money, and I work darn hard to make my life what it is.

Dalhousie University DormI went to university for 7 years and worked two jobs while I was there. I was a full time student with student loans and I worked at Statistics Canada and a call center to get by. I ate Mac & Cheese (Kraft Dinner in Canada) almost daily and I walked two miles to school and three miles to work every day, even in the severe winters of Halifax, Nova Scotia. I volunteered at an elementary school and the hospital during any other free second that I had. Life was busy but full. I managed to travel to a few countries during this time. By volunteering at camps and working in schools, I was able to see the world. There were times that I tented, slept in cars, and found the cheapest hostel possible, but I make it work. I found ways to travel and experience the world because there was too much out there not to.

Run for the Cure Pink Hair

I taught high school for another 8 years and worked another job on the side to pay for myNorway House experiences. I coached basketball, volleyball, and soccer so I could develop a deeper connection with the students and explore the provinces where I was working. I was the editor of the school newspaper and tutored students on the side. I worked in a remote community in Northern Canada to pay my student loans and I lived in isolation. I may complain about the cold in North Carolina, but it’s nothing compared to the -60°C that happened from October to March in Norway House, Manitoba. International travel was restricted to the summers because I had over $60,000 student loan to pay. I did take the summers, though, to volunteer, teach, and work in others countries. It was my greatest passion so I would stop at nothing to make it a reality. 

I don’t think anyone in my blogging community knows that this is my second marriage. I married young and while my ex-husband is a wonderful person who deserves all the happiness in the world, we were not right for each other. We became like a plague, spreading and destroying everything in its path. After spending a decade together, we finally separated and it was at that moment that I decided living a “regular” life was not for me. Being ok with the ordinary was no longer acceptable. It was then that I realized that the more unrealistic I am with my dreams and goals, the more I’m able to achieve.

Costa Rica PoolWhen I met Darren, my husband, I saw life with new eyes. We decided what was important in our lives and found ways to make it happen. We don’t spend money on the typical things that eat up a large part of an income. We rarely buy new clothes and when we do, it’s usually secondhand. An evening of entertainment is a movie at home, homemade popcorn, and if we really splurge – McDonalds. I don’t wear make-up and I even cut my own hair. We could easily go an entire week without spending a cent. We do this because those things are not important to us; what is important is travel and adventure so we put our money toward the things that make our life full.

We consciously chose where we wanted to live in the world and moved. It was as simple as that. Darren applied for a job, we sold everything we owned, and drove to California. Now that we have Athena, North Carolina is more of a family environment so we moved again.

Turtle Rock California

Since we met later in life, my student loans were paid off and we were able to use my income for travel and Darren’s income to pay our bills. We spent the last few years living in a modest apartment and driving our modest cars. Rather than splurging on a huge apartment with all the luxuries, we lived well within our means and used the money for exploring, creating new experiences and life.

Then, I started blogging. It was the accumulation of all of my dreams come true. I write and write and write; I’m addicted. I’ve made it my career. If I’m not writing, I’m connecting with others in the blogging community and finding new and unique ways to utilize social networking. This is my job. It may not seem like work, but should anything that you plan on doing for the rest of your life?

Now, my blog is seeing enough success that I’ve been able to have some of theseheliskiing unbelievable experiences in exchange for media coverage. I’ve used that to help others make their dreams a reality during my year and a half of blogging. People send me there bucket lists regularly and I do everything in my power to make them a reality. You can see examples here: http://www.bucketlistpublications.com/category/we-make-it-happen/. I organized and found a way to offer these experiences for free for my readers. One reader drove a NASCAR and hung out in the pit with the crew, another reader went skydiving, and another went heliskiing at one of the top resorts in Canada. (These are just a few examples.)

I made this life and now I have a chance to see another 25 countries and get $50,000 BBB Contest Videothrough the Biggest Baddest Bucket List contest. I know I can make that happen too. This contest was made for me!

Now, I’m asking, shamelessly, for the support of others. I’m not embarrassed and I don’t feel badly about it because this is the community that I created in blogging and we can keep that going.

To vote, click on this link and scroll down to the video. Next to the video, you can see “Vote for this entry”. Each click counts as an additional vote so click away and share with others.

I hope all of your dreams come true and you stop at nothing to make them happen.

Happy clicking!

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

132 thoughts on “Then, I started blogging. It was the accumulation of all of my dreams come true.”

    • Thank you for voting and for reblogging! I truly appreciate the support. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and be sure to vote again in the finals! I look forward to hearing from you again soon 🙂

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  4. Voting for you! You totally inspire me. ” It was then that I realized that the more unrealistic I am with my dreams and goals, the more I’m able to achieve.”- words aren’t able to describe how that hit home for me. Thank You. Seriously.

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    • Wonderful! I’m now following your blog and I will check back again soon. Please feel free to send your facebook/twitter links my way and I will follow along there as well. I didn’t notice them on your blog.

      Be sure to vote again in the finals! That will be crunch time!

      Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

      Lesley

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  5. I’m so glad I found you Lesley! You’re an inspiration. That’s exactly the kind of life I’d like to live. Simple but full. Good luck! I hope you win.

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    • Thank you for the support. I don’t see the link to your blog. I’d love to head over; could you send me the link please?

      Don’t forget to vote and, more importantly, don’t forget to vote again in the finals. I’m thinking positively about making it into the top ten and then the top three; then… the world! 😉

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      • It’s https://thedavinciapprentice.wordpress.com/. I’m new to blogging so I’m still working on developing, honing, and consolidating my blog’s essence. But I love all the things I’ve been learning about on wordpress. It’s an exciting world. I’m glad you’ve been able to share yours.

        I voted for you! I hope you win so I can see what adventures you have! 🙂

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  11. Best of luck to you. I know that you realize that you are fortunate, which is the #1 reason I have ever read this or voted for you in other competitions. Others might feel “entitled”;, butI know that you truly enjoy it all and are not jaded by your opportunities and experiences. Enjoy it for al of us, too, will you? Best of luck to you in all of your travels and in life.

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  13. Fair play Lesley. I wish I had half the ambition and drive you have! You’ve got my vote & I look forward to reading all about your future adventures after you win 🙂

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  14. Hi Lesley,

    Just want you to know I’ve gotten a bunch of my friends to vote for you AND I just sent a pitch off to my editor at People magazine to feature you as a hero—for making others’ dreams come true. I called you a one-person “Make a Wish” foundation.

    Thanks for all you do and I LOVE that phrase “The more unrealistic I am with my dreams and goals, the more I’m able to achieve.” In fact, I will likely quote you in my own blog next week.

    Thanks much.

    Giant blessings,

    Pam Grout
    http://www.pamgrout.com
    http://www.georgeclooneyslepthere.com

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  22. I really hope you make it over here to London Lesley. I can’t vote personally because I don’t use social network sites, but I have a best friend who does. I’ve sent her the link to your post and asked her to encourage as many of her contacts to vote for you as possible. Good luck 🙂

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  26. Pingback: Then, I started blogging. It was the accumulation of all of my dreams come true. | SassiItalyTours

  32. Love this and your whole attitude to life. You were the first person to ‘like’ a post on my blog and that made my day! I voted some time ago and today have also asked my Facebook friends to vote for you too. I so hope you stay at the top of the list!
    All the very best to you and your family 🙂

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  38. Lesley – best of luck – I voted for you because you are so inspiring – but in truth I don’t have the energy to do half of what you do – Good for you for owning up to what you want and what you need – so important in life and so many of us do not do that – Go Lesley!

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