My Next Chapter and the Power of Letting Go

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Last week I sent an email to over 10,000 people titled, “You might want to unsubscribe. I’ve changed.” 

Dramatic, much? LOL. In typical Aries fashion, I wanted to make a bold statement letting people know that in the last 7 years that I’ve had this blog, you might’ve seen 5 different versions of me, and I’m not sure which one people are sticking around for.

So in an attempt to do some virtual Spring cleaning, I let people know things will be a little different moving forward.

Evolution is a beautiful and scary thing, because all this time that I was building my travel blogger brand, I was unintentionally boxing myself into a place where I felt like travel was all I could and should talk about.

If you saw my timeline bio post today (see here or photo below), you know that my entrepreneurial spirit started at 5 years old.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Apr 17, 2020 at 7:57am PDT

I’ve always been wildly passionate about business, branding, and all things creative. It feels so damn liberating to fully lean into that.

The rebranding started last year, launching my flagship course Blog Like a Boss (just enrolled my 236th student, unreal!), doing a series of luxury retreats with female entrepreneurs in Playa del Carmen, Cappadocia, Zanzibar, Belize, and Malta, and then ending the year hosting my first Sisterhood Summit, bringing an All Star line-up of social media and Hollywood stars to pour into my audience, each waiving their speaking fees because they believed in lil’ ol’ me.

HUMBLED.

The entire event was a $150,000 investment that I would spend all over again because of the new friendships, renewed energy, and bonds it created for these incredible women who booked plane tickets to attend a first-year event. I will never take that kind of support for granted.

I’ve had a pretty crazy run over the years, feeling like each test I was handed would prove that my luck surely had an expiration date, and that all of this would end soon. *insert self-sabotage here*

Even as I type this, cozied up in a home I’ve ironically been self-isolating in since January, I feel so overwhelmed with abundance.

I remember calling a good friend and just crying like, “How did this happen? How do I deserve this?!” 

And she said something so powerful, I’ll never forget it…

Glo, you’ve always deserved this! And you’ve always had this! You’ve just never been able to see the rewards of your hard work in physical form in front of you all at once like this before! So now you can really appreciate what all that hustle has afforded you.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Apr 10, 2020 at 4:53am PDT

BINGO! Sure, I’ve treated myself to 5-star hotels and have been sponsored at thousand-dollar-a-night resorts, but the dreaded day always came, when I’d have to eventually pack my suitcase, beg for a late check out, and say goodbye.

I was staying in some of the most coveted properties around the world, but that euphoria was always short-lived.

I finally have a place that I can decorate from the ground up and physically touch things that my hard work has paid for.

This feeling is so new and so effing magical.

I hope I never get used to this.

Public giving, but private living

As I’ve talked about this next chapter of stability, the same question came pouring in by the dozens.

So where did you live?
What city is this?
Where did you decide to call home?

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Apr 11, 2020 at 7:24am PDT

This question is understandable as I’ve built a brand off of tagging exotic locations around the world and encouraging you guys to visit.

But the more people that flooded my DMs with this question, the less inclined I felt like sharing.

I originally was going to share at the beginning of the month, and as each day passed, I realized I didn’t actually want to share, but rather felt obligated to because I’ve been so open in the past about where I’ve explored.

But this is different. This is where I live. And I can’t take that privacy back.

In this next chapter, I’m loving the newfound peace that comes with keeping some things sacred for myself. New home city included.

Being selfish with myself

I talk about this often, but growing up, I never fit in. I had friends, sure, but I was a floater.

I would sit with the cheerleaders one day, and the chess club the next.

I never had a circle or clique, but that allowed me to develop some observant skills at a young age and learn to adapt to any environment to fit in.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Mar 2, 2020 at 6:14am PST

80 countries of adapting later, and ya girl is exhausted.

I’ve given so much energy to hundreds of people for the sake of that coveted sense of belonging, and I’ve neglected myself in the process.

I joke all the time that I’m so glad I grew up an ugly duckling in school. Had I gotten an early taste of being “desirable” by guys, I would’ve likely become addicted to that, and would feel incomplete without someone on my arm.

Being single at 30 (blog post on this coming soon) is the biggest blessing in my life right now and I’m allowing myself to truly enjoy this selfish level of freedom that motherhood and marriage don’t quite allow.

Daily learning  and daily serving

At the beginning of the year, I made a commitment to show up on Instagram daily to serve you guys.

Part of that commitment triggered an insane desire to learn more.

I’ve been flying through books (sometimes up to 3 a week) with obnoxious adrenaline to create inspiring content that can help you guys get through these crazy times.

This has ignited another level of productivity and servant-leadership that I didn’t know I had.

My friends would reach out like, “Glo, you’ve been on fire lately and I’m loving it!” and it feels great to truly be walking in my purpose right now.

The type of content I’ll be sharing

So there are three verticals of content you can expect from me moving forward while travel is on pause.

EDUCATION, in the form of whiteboard class sessions and couch conversations:

ENTERTAINMENT, in the form of my Nigerian comedy sketches:

EMPOWERMENT, in the form of my public journals and vulnerable stories:

Needless to say, I’ve got an endless list of ways I want to continue showing up for you guys, and I’m so excited to just get back in my studio and keep creating again.

What my business looks like now

While this is an incredibly trying time for travel bloggers and travel influencers, my heart hurts for the small businesses around the world that won’t survive this pandemic.

Travel will never be the same after this, and it’s important to accept this as a truth, so we can move forward with more consciousness and clarity.

Business-wise, I feel so fortunate that a tragedy from my past equipped me for something like this.

A few years ago, a brand breached a contract and left me stranded in a country (with no money, but no surprises there) after they were supposed to fly me to another country for a gig.

I allowed myself to sulk for a night, before promising myself that I’d never be dependent on a single brand like that again.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Jan 10, 2020 at 10:43am PST

The following year I launched 3 services and products that still bring me passive income today.

With two of my travel ambassadorships at a standstill, the brands generously decided to deposit our checks anyway.

And with a couple of my speaking engagements postponed to 2021, the companies also graciously advanced our speaking fees.

Yes, these incredible companies exist and this is how they win me over for life.

Outside of branded and sponsored work, I run a Mastermind of powerhouse women, I have group coaching programs, I teach quarterly Blog Like a Boss cycles, and I’m on the verge of launching my new Serve, Sell, and Scale Academy.

I’ve somehow made more during this pandemic than previous quarters, and that’s the power of income diversification that the breached contract a few years ago prepared me for.

God’s sense of humor is incredible.

Never again will I complain about a tragedy, because He’s proven time and time again that He’s preparing me to withstand and overcome something greater.

What I’m letting go of

It’s easy to think that if all is going well, you should kick your feet up and relax.

But I feel like now I should be working my hardest as I’m in the privileged group and need to show up for those that need daily encouragement.

I also think this stillness has allowed me to go on another journey to rediscover myself, and see who around me shares the same passion of servant-leadership, positive energy, and constant evolution through learning.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Jan 6, 2020 at 8:50am PST

So I’m letting go of people’s expectations.

I will disappoint many people by turning things down that I don’t want to do.

By not entertaining the gossip I used to.

By actively dissociating from anything that I don’t feel is adding to a positive or conducive lifestyle.

It’s not intentional, and I don’t harbor any negativity towards them, I’m just letting go of feeling like I need to be available for everyone.

That’s why I show up on social media daily, because I can reach over 100,000 people with a single piece of content.

High impact, low touch.

 

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A post shared by Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad (@glographics) on Jul 21, 2019 at 8:32am PDT

If you feel a friend (me or anyone else) being distant, do NOT take it personal.

They’re on a journey and need space to pour into themselves in a way they haven’t been able to.

Friendships are generally hard to navigate at any age.

Needs change. Energies shift. Miscommunication happens.

It’s just important for people to understand that there’s no love lost if space is needed.

There are chapters and seasons that bond people, but when those seasons change, it’s important to reflect on your energetic needs in a friend and who from your past has consistently met them.

And finally, the most in-depth interview I’ve ever done

A few weeks ago, I got to chat with the amazing people at Teachable, who have been so supportive and encouraging while I’ve transitioned into this online education space.

In the most comprehensive interview I’ve ever done, I recollect the last decade and all the trials, failures, but ultimately blessings that led to the life I live today.

Catch the full transcript and audio here.

What I’ll be sharing on this blog

Alllll the things! How I’m feeling, what I’m learning, what I’m building, etc.

This chapter of stillness has been so sacred and I feel like I’m just a kid in a candy store enjoying the basic joys of drinking wine on my balcony and listening to an old school playlist while the sun sets harmoniously in the background.

Life has been incredible these days, and as always, I’m humbled that you guys continue to stay along for the ride.

Until next time,
Glo