From asylum seeker to Paris on the Eurostar - a dream come full circle

Hey friends,

Today I am super excited as I'm doing something that has a lot of significance for me.

My dad and I will be travelling to Paris on the Eurostar this afternoon! 🇫🇷🚇

I've never been to Paris, despite living in the UK for almost 29 years.

I have vivid memories back when the Eurostar departed from Waterloo Station (instead of St Pancras), and my mum, my sister and I would walk past the departure gates. We were still waiting to hear whether we’d be allowed to stay in the UK - as asylum seekers, we had to wait seven years to receive our definitive answer, and whilst we waited, we weren’t allowed to leave the country.

My amazing mum, positive and resilient as ever, would point at the entrance to the Eurostar and say to us:

'One day, it will be us travelling on that train and going to Paris, you’ll see.'

Me and my sister weren’t so optimistic - our answer would almost always be, 'What makes you say that? They could deport us tomorrow.' The uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen to us was a lot to deal with at that age - a truly uncomfortable feeling that I still vividly remember to this day. But Mum insisted that one day it would become a reality for us.

Looking back, I realise that the same uncertainty I felt back then is something many solopreneurs experience when starting a business (including myself) - the feeling that our dream life is so far away. But, just like my mum kept reminding us, belief is always the first step.

Have you ever had a dream that felt so far away it seemed impossible? If so, what kept you going?

As a child, in my young mind, the Eurostar came to represent freedom itself - a distant world I longed to be part of, yet one that felt impossibly out of reach for so many years.

We were fortunate to be granted indefinite leave to remain and eventually full British nationality. And yet, I still never travelled on the Eurostar… until today!!! My mum and sister have already been, and they loved it ❤️.

So when I found out that dad was going to visit us in the UK, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for both of us to experience it together (he's never been to mainland Europe). And so today, we get to travel through this magical tunnel and explore one of the most famous cities in the world!

Dad and I love exploring and adventuring, so we are both really excited about Paris!

I’m taking a moment to count my blessings and to acknowledge how fortunate I am to now be living the philosophies that I aim to teach my coaching clients - to create businesses that allow us to build fun, interesting lifestyles that are flexible, adventurous, and full of freedom. Today is a wonderful reminder of this dream now being a full reality for me.

I love the flexibility I have created in my business - this morning I’m hosting a welcome session for my brand-new business coaching community, and I’m so excited to meet and greet all the new members and get them connecting with each other. It’s so fulfilling to be bringing this community to life! After our session, I’ll finish packing and head to St Pancras with dad! That's what today looks like for me.

I don’t plan to do any work whilst I’m in Paris. I want to be present and enjoy quality time in a brand-new city with my dad. And I feel so grateful that this is now my life. It’s not perfect, of course, and it has taken a lot of work to get here - but it goes to show that it is entirely possible, even if it once felt like a far-away dream.

That’s what I love about entrepreneurship - it’s not just about creativity or productivity. It’s about designing a life where you can take your dad to Paris on a Wednesday afternoon and still run a thriving business.

Lesson: Every business milestone begins as a dream. But freedom isn’t built overnight, it’s created through small, consistent steps toward the life we imagine.

So, I want to ask you: What’s the dream that still feels far away for you, and what’s one small action you can take this week to move toward it?

I’d love to know! As always, please share your thoughts and insights with me. It really makes my day when I hear how my stories resonate with your own journey. 💌

Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week, and I’ll see you next week!

Au Revoir! (I’d better practice some French in the next few hours! lol) 🇫🇷❤️
Marcela

🚀 When you’re ready, here are a few ways we can work together:

🏄🏻‍♀️ Adventurous Solopreneurs Community
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