The Million Dollar Book

I have a little book. It is black. And it is called ‘The Million Dollar Book!’

This book is a compilation of all of my wildest dreams and desires. I bet you are familiar with the idea of writing down your bucket list?! 100 things you would love to do before you die! I wrote mine for the first time after seeing the movie ‘The Bucket List’ starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.

But I did not stop there!

The Million Dollar Book of mine does not have any ceiling! I resonated with this guy who was saying: “The more dreams you write down, the more dreams you are likely to achieve! 100 goals for life is nothing, I have 5000 goals written down. Even if I achieve 70% of them - I am winning in life!”

I couldn’t help but agree. I started as a shy child, angry at the world, full of hate. I struggled with relationships, both with women and men. And I lacked confidence and self-worth. Deeply.

I had to train myself to pursue what I want. To speak up my desires. To claim them. To stand for what I believed. And to dream bigger and go further. Fortunately, what I lacked in self-confidence, I was provided in determination and stubbornness. Lol. If there is one thing I still hate - it is mediocrity. In fact, the biggest fear I have is that I will waste my life.

So having a book filled with 5000 goals is an exercise for me!

Skydiving, bungee jumping, mastering English as my 2nd language, living abroad, facilitating a workshop, learning about Tantra and Kink, experiencing full body orgasms, learning public speaking, living in a van, playing with fire toys,... all of that was on my list. And this is what I have already done! I love my life!

And I am constantly being reminded to dream even wilder, bigger and bolder!

So this story is about a dream I have had for years and that reminded me that anything is possible! And that I am also not alone to make my dreams come true!

.

This story started 8 years ago.

I never thought she would be right!

‘Everyone stays there for 3 years and longer.’

‘Not me mum! I am going to Australia only for a couple of months, then New Zealand and Canada for a working holiday,” said the naive girl.

So, hmmm… I have been in Australia for 8 years now and haven't even made it to New Zealand for a holiday!

Moreover, I have decided that I want to stay. Forever. Make this my home!

There was only one problem! It costs quite a bit of money! At least the partnership visa I was about to apply for! Insurance, application, lawyers and other expenses… all together is about $20.000!

Not a small task for someone living on 20hrs/week.

If I learned something though, nothing is impossible! And the best stories actually come when you have no idea about the next step. But you let go. You surrender. You trust that everything is working out for you. And you just take the first step!

So I wrote my goal into my little black book!

~ Permanent residency in Australia

And now what?!

No clue!

Oh yeah! And I forgot to add - my visa was about to expire in 3 months!!!

I dreamt about staying for a long time but I never had the guts to go for it! And to be honest, I was afraid to make the decision between my country of origin, Czech Republic and Australia. I felt like an orphan between two countries - Czech is my home but I don’t want to be there, Australia is not my home on paper but that is the place where I want to live. Dilemma. Dilemma. Dilemma. And no easy task to decide. At least for me. In some way, I am leaving my family behind. I am accepting that I will see them only sporadically. So I boiled my eyes several times trying to decide. Until I did. It is Australia. My heart is unwavering. It is whispering the answers to me! It knows Australia is the home.

So I decided - last minute!

And I have only 3 months to find the way!

Who would not like a good challenge?

And also! This is through a partnership visa so I need a partner! A partner who will marry me so we can comply with the conditions!

No problem! Lol!

The Million Dollar book of mine really does not carry simple goals. That is why ‘million dollar book’ - it is only ideas that are worth millions to me!

I do laugh at me a lot though! The audacity of some ideas!

But did you ever have that feeling that you are living too slow, too shallow, too timid. Instead of being energised by the gloriousness of your ideas, you could not give a F*ck whether they happen or not! I think it is ridiculous that this is the way we live!

I found myself so often unmotivated, aimless, BORED!!! I had no drive, no desires and I kept sleepwalking through life! I was alive, but I was DEAD inside!

I just could not live like that!

So I rather aim ridiculously high then fail to try completely!

I took a paper and wrote down ‘Friends I could marry’

I shortlisted 6 of them. Men only. I thought I will start with men as it will look genuine on paper and then I will get to women if needed! Haha.

This is like the ultimate test of my friendships! Do I know people that can back me up? Even just as a favour?! I had no idea but I figured I have been here long enough to try. I am done wasting my life on maybes! Literally, how often do you let go of your dream for the fear of asking for it?! I am done shutting myself down! Diminishing what is calling me! Pretending I am cool living mundane life! I did not come to Australia because I wanted to live a normal life! I am an adventure seeker, baby!

So I texted my closest friend Amanda: “I am getting married.”

“To whom?” she replied.

“I don’t know, I have shortlisted 6 of my friends!”

Don’t worry, I am not wanting to use them! I am making jokes here but this is very serious to me and I would never push or manipulate anyone to do it. Let’s face it, I want to stay here and there is an opportunity to make it happen. This is life-changing for me! Nothing I take lightly! And with all honesty, any time I imagine that someone would say yes to my crazy request, I start tearing up. To have someone support me in such a profound way is more than I am comfortable to ask for and it touches me deeply that someone would do that.

So what do you do when you want to make your dream come true?!

The simplest I have learned is to start talking about it. Talk about your desire and what you are looking for to make it happen. And whenever the inspiration hits you, ask the right questions.

I must admit I was shy and timid to ask those men for help. So I procrastinated. Hmmm… Not ideal when you have only 3 months! But I started to talk to my friends about the whole thing! Celebrate the small wins!

And this is where it gets wild!

Amanda has been my friend for the past 3 years. I love her to bits and we have spent a lot of time together, sharing everything. She knew how much this means to me and she was invested as well - she wanted me to stay!

I saw her a week after telling her that I am getting married! I was tearing up! I was doubting everything! “I don’t know if I can do this?! I am afraid to ask, I am scared it won’t work!” I went on for about 30 mins and she just sat there and listened to my vent. God bless friends like that! She was so comforting and kept reassuring me that it will be all fine!

I calmed down but still had my doubts when I was leaving. I decided that I will sleep on it and then get over myself and start pursuing my dream with some real action tomorrow! Because if I don’t do it, who will?!

.

The message read ‘I have a surprise for you!’

It was Amanda!

And there was a link to a group she has put together. She has invited all of our common friends, everyone from my Facebook and wrote the whole story of mine. I was in tears just reading that. But what was even more amazing was what unfolded. She not only told my story but asked everyone to become part of the solution! She set up an account for people to help out and as little as I could believe it, the money was streaming in! I would never be able to ask. Yet my friend did for me!

I have called her up.

“Are you insane? What have you done?”

“This is the universe talking through me saying Yes to your desires, love. Receive!”

I always dreamt about community and supporting one another. This is the whole reason I am motivated to earn money - to pay for the whole bill in the restaurant, to organise trips for friends that are fully paid for, to support those in need…

It took 6 and a half days to reach $20.000!

Yeeeaeaaaahhhhhhhhhwwww!

The celebratory dance I did! You have never seen anything so ridiculous! I was jumping up and down like a 3 year old...so hard I almost broke my leg falling over a corner of the carpet! But it is all good! I didn’t!

But I did break into tears! It was done!

The other details were irrelevant. Simple to do. Oh yeah - I forgot to say - I got the husband too! My friend texted me in the middle of this almost mad: “Why haven’t you asked?” We talked and he offered his help. I cried again.

I am seriously a big, big cry baby!

I don’t care!

When my dreams come true and in a ridiculously short period of time, I can look like a lunatic for what I care!

.

When you have a dream, you pursue it. Period. No matter how ridiculous. How extraordinary. Weird. How laughable it sounds to others!

Orville and Wilbur Wright were laughed at when they started talking about flying! But I think that everyone is quite happy now that they did not give up.

The world is full of million dollar ideas! Where is your book? What will your story be?

This is one of mine!

(This story is a pure fictional dream that I hope one day to come true, in one way or another :))