What’s it like to jump into the deep and follow your heart? To quit your job? How do you pursue your dreams and how do you create reality from a thought?
All these questions are answered on the Backstage Page and read below the translation of the entire interview.
Chasing your dreams, how do you do that? The best school to learn: learning from the top people who preceded you. So it’s time for a look behind the scenes at an inspiring person, someone who put all his certainties aside and started something for himself. This time: Kasia Hering (35), travel blogger for Stylish Travel Tips.
Kasia quit her marketing job to go through life as a travel blogger. And once in a while her friend Vincent van Vlugt (28), who also took the plunge and set up the site Travel and Visit, is allowed to travel with her.

Sunset Bagan, Myanmar
What was your last job and why did you cancel it?
“In my last job I was responsible for marketing for a large technical company. I had a very good year in which I was given a free hand in several projects that I was allowed to carry out myself. I got a lot of confidence from the management team and I’m still thankful that I took that job at the time, because I think I’ve grown enormously. And when I grow as a person, I start dreaming and making plans again. As a child, I dreamt that I wanted to go around the world, but what did I really want?
I noticed that I was not happy in business life and found it difficult to be pigeonholed. On the other hand, it feels very safe to go for a permanent job, but I don’t believe in solidity and dependency. I believe that, as a person, you should always listen to your heart because it gently whispers the answers of life deep inside you. All around me I see people wondering what they want by asking what makes them really happy.”

Huvafen Fushi Resort, Maldives
Fortunately, as a person, I am very open-minded and have the courage to make resolute choices when it doesn’t feel right anymore. When I asked my boyfriend at the beginning of last year what to do and he answered “just follow your heart” everything fell into place. The next weekend I quit my job not knowing what the rest of the year would bring me.
Why did you choose this travel blog?
Actually, I’d been getting inspiration on Pinterest for years. I followed several travel accounts and was confronted with all those beautiful places in the world every day. I’ve always worked in the travel industry myself, so I knew that passion was already there, but I didn’t know that I could do anything with it myself.
It was actually my boyfriend who is an online marketer and who inspired me to start a blog. Like no other he sees the opportunities in the future in the online field, but then you have to start profiling yourself online. I found that quite exciting in the beginning, because I’m not at all the type to publicly come to the fore. For me, Stylish Travel Tips has really become a lifestyle.

Vincent and I cruising through Denia
Can you make a living out of it?
‘What means make a living out of it? If you have a top mortgage with two cars in front of your house, and when you live on a full-time income, then you shouldn’t expect your blog to replace your current job in terms of income. Luckily I don’t have that and I don’t tend towards more materialism. The less you depend on the financial system the better, because it literally gives you freedom! And freedom has given me the choice to make this decision. Of course I saved a lot and that gave me the opportunity to make this choice and not to be under pressure.
It wasn’t until a year and a half after my blog started to grow that I was able to take on commercial assignments as well. This can be in the form of product promotion, but also writing travel content for other parties. At the moment I have been making plans together with my friend Vincent, who also has a large travel website. Very exciting and for all the travel bloggers out there, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter.”

Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
What’s the best thing about having your own blog?
‘That dreams are coming true! It is so special that with a thought and a wish you are creating something and then they will come true. I believe more and more that if you want to go for something and put time and positive energy into it, you will be able to create something that suits you.
Since the start of my blog, our lives have changed so much! We travel a lot, come to the most beautiful places and meet nice and inspiring people. Life on the road is so much more fun and meaningful. You literally get a lot of energy and inspiration from it. You get away from the “system” and literally live in a dream world in which you yourself play the leading role and that is of course the most fun!

Koh Samui, Thailand
And what are you running into? What are the downsides?
‘That nothing happens by itself. You really have to do something for it and have confidence in yourself when you work on your dreams. That sometimes you’ve lost your course for a while. All the beginning is difficult and sometimes you just can’t remember which way to go. I haven’t experienced any real lows. The past year was a year full of surprises and I’m still grateful for that every day.

Six Senses, Samui
Want to see more about Kasia and her travel tips? Check out her site www.stylishtraveltips.com or follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

Original interview “Backstage Page Amsterdam”