Let's talk about how I went from being stuck in an office from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Azerbaijan to becoming a digital nomad, exploring Europe, setting my own hours, and finding a purpose.
My name is Lamiya, and I am from Azerbaijan.
At the end of 2021, I had a strong urge to change my life. I was inspired by people working remotely and living a digital nomad lifestyle. However, as an English language teacher, my income was too low to qualify for a visa or afford that lifestyle.
I wanted to study tech-related skills in Europe, thinking it would help me earn more money and live a nomad life.
I planned to quit my job in Azerbaijan and move to Germany. I was mentally preparing myself.
I chickened out the first time and stayed. After a few months, I took out a big loan and paid the deposit for a design course. Additionally, I paid for a university program in Barcelona, Spain, that would give me a longer stay option.
Then I got fired from my job, which meant I couldn't pay the monthly loan installments. This led to me chickening out for the second time. I canceled the course and university program, got my payments back, and started looking for a job.
Even though I knew teaching wasn't the career path I wanted, I still looked for jobs in the field. I received two offers, one from Estonia and one from Portugal. The Estonian visa was easier to get, so after weeks of debating with myself, I borrowed money from two friends and started the relocation process.
I got the visa and flew to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. My new boss picked me up at the airport, and I remember the ride to the apartment. My body knew what my mind didn't yet: this was a big mistake.
On my first day on the job, my mind got the message. There was some denial, but it didn’t last long. I put in my notice and left after two months. I didn’t find a job in Estonia, but I did find a remote job as an Instructional Designer. The pay was very low, and the team wasn’t up to standard. I knew I couldn’t afford life in Estonia with that salary, so I decided to move to Georgia. I couldn’t face moving back to Azerbaijan without quite reaching my goal. Once again, I had accepted a job below my skills.
Looking back, I would say my subconscious mind did the job, and I was fired after a month.
I couldn’t find a good job for months, so I decided to start posting on LinkedIn for teaching opportunities again. This time would be different—I could charge my own prices.
I saw an opportunity to be more active on LinkedIn and realized many people were in my shoes: they wanted to find jobs elsewhere, make more money, and have freedom. So, I niched down and started teaching English to those who wanted to find remote jobs.
Something inside me knew I had skills these people needed. I took a leap of faith and began offering resume writing services. After posting consistently about the service, I got my first client. This happened after I posted about helping my friend land a job in Estonia.
It became real—someone paid me for the first time to write their resume. Then I got a second client. I helped them find a remote job, move to Europe, become a digital nomad, and travel around Asia. This gave me immense confidence, knowing I could do it. I helped tens of people after that achieve their dream job, allowing them time freedom and the ability to make more money. Helping others achieve this helped me achieve my own dream.
In March of 2023, I moved from Georgia and took my first trip to the Balkans. I traveled to beautiful Montenegro first, and that year, I visited ten countries.
A big shift for me was that I started enjoying the beginning of my workdays. Previously, I had worked at jobs that didn’t inspire me, and I used to look forward to the end of the day. Now, I couldn't wait to begin my day and help inspire people.
And you know what else happened that year? I moved to Barcelona, Spain, just six months after traveling. I made my dream come true.
Something amazing happened after I followed my heart. I saw a scholarship announcement from Erickson Coaching International, shared my story with them, and was chosen to do the Art and Science of Coaching Level 1 program.
The program shook me to my core, challenging every single limiting belief I had, and continues to challenge them to this day.
What I have learned through this journey is not to rush things. Enjoying the process is much more important. We often focus so much on the result and set big expectations on how our lives will change after some achievement. Most of the time, these expectations are unrealistic. Moreover, you have the power to feel the way you want to feel today.
My recent challenge on this journey has been not feeling enough, and this feeling comes in waves. I had to be graceful with myself and acknowledge that I am still learning. It's okay to be honest about it with yourself and others. This honesty helped me articulate my value better. When I became better at articulating my value, I started seeing myself in a better light, feeling better, and delivering better results.
A constant reminder to myself is to allow myself to make mistakes and accept them as part of my human experience.
So where am I now? Living in Barcelona, I have built a somewhat stable income through job search consulting and am yet to grow my coaching practice. I am learning to love myself, life, and enjoying this process.