Exactly five years ago, in July 2014, I faced one of the most significant crossroads in my life. 

I had made the biggest change in my life, one that has impacted my life in ways I couldn’t imagine at the time. Just after completing my degree in business and communication, and graduating {with honors ?} from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, I left my parents’ house in Jerusalem and moved all the way down south, to Eilat, leaving behind everything and everyone I know and love.

“Why the heck did you move to Eilat?”

Is a question I hear from 99.9% of the people who find out I’ve lived there, and the truth is, the answer is all that simple {and cheesy} – for Love.

Yep, I moved to a city I never had any interest in FOR A GUY.

But not just any guy… THE guy, The one! If you follow this blog enough, you must have already heard me raving about Daniel, who has since become my best friend and husband {And yes, my Insta-husband too ? }

Due to a job relocation, Daniel moved to Eilat a year before I did, so we were doing the whole long distance thing for a quite a while. Since we knew he had to live there for an additional 4 years, It was up to me to decide if I was going to join him or not. The rest is history…

The truth is, I don’t remember deliberating over it too much. Despite the distance, I wasn’t intimidated by the move. I do adapt pretty quickly to change, and never imagined that such a move would be traumatic or life-changing, but, to put it lightly, it was both! 

My first year in Eilat? Whoa. Looking back feels like opening a Pandora’s Box. 

After a short period that felt more like a vacation, the awful truth hit me hard. I suddenly understood there was no chance of me finding any job in Eilat, a job that would allow me to realize my potential, or even one that – pardon my french – I could enjoy.

From my experience, the job market in Eilat is not exactly what you think it is, in fact, it’s worse. At least for anyone who isn’t into hotel management, restaurants, water-sports, banking, or working at city hall.

I chose to study communication so that I can become integrated in the fields of communication and journalism. {Though at the time I was pretty naive, and only later on did I find out that the connection between an academic experience and ‘real life’ is totally coincidental ?} Now, it’s not that Eilat doesn’t have any local newspapers or radio stations, but let’s just say that wasn’t exactly the direction I was aiming at. To sum up, saying that I didn’t find myself in Eilat would be an understatement. 

I spent my first year in Eilat tirelessly searching for a job, hoping to find a normal opportunity. I also worked every kind of job you could possibly think of, I coordinated groups and events at a hotel, I waited tables, I worked different events, I squeezed juices at the mall, I worked for the local radio for a short minute, and my last stop was at a boutique marketing business in town. Each and every one of these jobs made me feel drained, and like you or someone you know has felt – made me say time and time again “I hate my job!”. 

So basically, I went through a lot that year.

I felt stuck at the end of the world with minimum options, while watching my friends from school slide into jobs communication and marketing, which all looked so appealing at the time. Knowing that everyone other than myself was moving forward professionally, while I was doing nothing special, was eating me up inside. My greatest worry was that I’d leave Eilat with zero professional skills and I’d find myself a million steps behind everyone else. 

You can imagine that year was spent mostly crying and being frustrated, with lots of sleepless nights. Although I had no friends or family nearby, I was lucky to have Daniel by my side. He held me up, supported me, and even suggested that I move back and we go back to a long distance relationship, anything for me to be happy. But I wasn’t about to give up. Long distance was not an option for me, and I was determined to make it work, one way or another.

And then, exactly 4 years ago, on July 12, 2015, I started my blog. 

I know, I know, lots of information missing here. What made me decide to start my blog? How did I envision it would help me? The truth is that the period during which I decided I would go for it is quite cloudy in my memory. I can’t really explain, and like I said , can’t really remember. I was always into blogs, social media, etc., but have no idea why I decided this would be it.

And boy, what a change it was.

I have been an independent blogger for 4 years now,  and I’m so grateful for being engaged in what really interests me, and for having been able to build up my brand from scratch, with my own “ten fingers”. Since I started my blog, I managed to get so many amazing things done, and to have opened doors I never dreamed of. I took part in leading campaigns, a 3-page interview in GoStyle magazine was written up about me and my work, made an appearance in various international magazines and websites, had a regular spot on a lifestyle talk show on Israeli TV, stayed in some of the most beautiful luxury hotels around the world, consulted bloggers and small businesses, met interesting people all over the world, designed strategies for visual branding, and created content for some of the most amazing customers, and most important – I have fulfilled my dream of creating my first professional online course. And as they say, there is more to come…

Four years later, I still wake up feeling so grateful that my job allows me the freedom to do what I want and motivates me to continuously develop and grow. 

Remember I mentioned I was afraid I’d leave Eilat with zero skill and be a million steps behind? I could not be more wrong! And how happy I am for that! It is thanks to the years I spent away from it all that I learned so much, acquired practical tools and have applied them, and have truly grown professionally and personally. And that is the ultimate outcome from this crazy ride. 

For my 4th blogiversary I would like to raise my glass to renewal and revitalisation. 

This time, I'm at a new crossroads in my life. At the beginning of this June I finally returned from exile in Eilat and moved to live in Tel Aviv, where although I can not predict the future, but as you already know me – I have long learned to look to the future through the pinkest of  lenses ?

My “baby” has grown in Eilat over the past four years. Not once nor twice was I worried that the distance from the big city and the center of it all would keep me from developing in this way or that. You have no idea how many events, launches, and mingling opportunities were missed due to the fact that I was living so far away. {Every trip to Tel Aviv involved flights, taxis, and even overnight stays, so things got complicated}. Looking back, I'm glad that at the beginning I didn’t have these distractions which allowed me to devote most of my time to the development of my brand. Today I can safely say that my blog and myself are matured, and well established, and this is the perfect time for me to become more experienced in the industry, without losing my values of course, and see what direction is right for me. 

I am currently working on a number of simultaneous projects and can’t wait to see where the wind of Hedonistit will blow.

This post is not only a birthday celebration. It is also a chance to thank you – my amazing community.

Those of you who enjoy traveling alongside me via my blog and Instagram account, and read my travel guides. Those of you who {like me ?} are addicted to the good life, and those taking their first steps into the blogging world. 

Thank you for your time, reading, following, and commenting, sending beautiful love and appreciation-filled emails and messages.

Thank you. You are truly amazing! ♡