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I sat on my sofa with my laptop in hand. I had known for a while that I wanted to become a travel blogger, because I know I have a deep passion for both travelling and writing. The question was: how and where should I start? 

It had been a while since I last wrote anything. With that in mind, doubt started creeping in—would this work? Will I remain motivated? Will I be able to turn this into an income? But I sat down anyway. You have got to start somewhere, don’t you? So, how did I begin? 

About a month ago, during our holidays to New Zealand at the end of August and beginning of September, I started brainstorming what I wanted to write about and the audience I wanted to target. I knew I didn’t want to write about anything that didn’t genuinely interest me. Here is the story of how my journey truly began. 

A month or two back, I discovered that I have cystic acne and pimple-prone skin. I always knew I had problematic skin and had tried countless products, treatments, and advice from those who appeared to be skin specialists within the services I could afford. But nothing worked. Driven by an enthusiasm for research, I began making my own enquiries, which is how I finally came to understand my condition. With curiosity and a determination to heal, I researched whether the products and treatments I was using were actually suitable for my skin. 

The answer was both yes and no. Individually, the products I was using were great on their own. But when combined, they were doing more harm than good. 

Once I solved the first part of the issue—knowing and understanding my condition—the next step was figuring out how to use my products correctly. In summary, instead of overloading my skin with active ingredients every single night, I learned to limit them to a couple of nights a week, allowing my skin time to breathe on the remaining nights (I will create a dedicated article on the exact products and routines I use soon!). I also switched to using only a gentle face cleanser and sunscreen during the daytime, adding skin-safe, minimal makeup only if needed. It is also incredibly important to mention that all of my products are strictly vegan and cruelty-free. 

But I was curious to know if the root cause was purely external. During my research, I found out that skin issues are often internal and closely tied to our hormones. Could it also be affected by the food I consume? Yes, exactly. This is where my next challenge began. I already had the right external products, I just needed to adjust my routine. But how could I fix it through food? You might think it’s simple: just research what food to eat and avoid for cystic acne. But it isn’t that simple! 😊 

To be clear, I am vegan, and being vegan is never an issue for me. I know a lot of wonderful plant-based recipes I can make at home. However, it took me a lot of time to find suitable vegan options around me when eating out with friends and family, or when I just wanted a quick takeaway. Now, I needed to adjust my vegan recipes to accommodate my skin’s needs, while also finding local places where the food was both entirely vegan and friendly for cystic acne. 

Well, guess what? I love a good challenge, especially when I am passionate about something. Plus, over the past few years, I’ve realised I have great willpower. Otherwise, how could I navigate a world where people so easily make excuses not to choose a vegan lifestyle, while staying completely true to my own path? My motivation has always been a profound love for animals and a desire for healthy skin. 

That was just the beginning. Along my journey, I discovered that the very places I already love visiting are happy to adjust their dishes to accommodate my skin needs, and I’ve uncovered so many hidden gems I never knew existed. 

That was the moment I decided this is exactly the kind of knowledge I want to share with the world. Sometimes it feels difficult to move in the right direction, and it’s all too easy to choose the most convenient path. But all you need is willpower, a bit of brainstorming, deep research, and a clear passion—then it becomes the most beautiful adventure of your life. If along the way I can help heal a single soul, or motivate someone to see animal exploitation for what it really is—supporting the incredible organisations already working to prevent it—I will consider that my greatest success. 

Now I knew what I wanted to write. The next step was knowing where to start. I must admit, AI truly helped me with the technicalities—showing me how to set up my Instagram, how to build this blogging website, and how to eventually turn it into a source of income. After studying it all for a couple of days, my Instagram page is officially ready to go. It just needs a great introduction post.  So today, I took my laptop, sat on the sofa, and my eyes shifted to my beautiful bunnies. They are lying flat, sleeping soundly in their happy, healthy, safe, and beautiful space. I watched them for a while, and with immense joy in my heart and happy tears in my eyes, I started typing this very first post.