Maybe some of you missed it at the time, so here's the old JetSetBabe newsletters, posted on GG six months ago by deemah906 (shout-out to her!) They give a lot of insights on where Aija is coming from.
---- Feeling Fabulous ----
Hi,
I’m originally from Stockholm, it’s the capital of Sweden and where I grew up. A large bustling metropolitan city nestled between Norway and Finland, by the Baltic Sea. Our winters are cold and our summers… are, well...barely warm.
I finished high school and... looking at the expected next steps: college, which meant four more years of not only school but of Stockholm... I just couldn’t do it.
The very thought of staying longer discouraged me. There had to be more to life. I needed to live life… I was 19 and I wanted to experience everything life has to offer.
I should have been excited, but I felt nothing. Nothing, but stifled. I didn’t want to be an ordinary young blonde girl. I wanted so much more from life than the simple life Stockholm would provide... I wanted to live an Extravagant life.
I needed an adventure. To be brave and to be bold. I wanted to be reborn… become a woman of the world. To live a life I deserved instead of the life that was on hold — paused and waiting for — something. At least that’s what I told myself as I packed everything I owned, and took hold of the only opportunity I had in order to change my life.
I traded my metropolitan city for the cosmopolitan City of Rome.
Warm and enchanting, Rome was everything I’d imagined and more...
Romance in the air, beautiful people everywhere, and shouts of “Ciao Bella” from the men put a smile on my face everyday.
An exquisite mix of graceful high society and the exuberance of youth, Italy was sublime. Excitement coursed through my veins and before I knew it, fabulous had found its way into my life.
I was still a diamond in the rough, — a plain jane — but I was young and life was grand. Whatever experiences life sent my way… I would figure it all out.
In a city like Rome — a vacation mecca and playground for the wealthy — it’s easy to make friends. But friendships and relationships in places like Rome are often transient at best. Some however, like the whirlwind romance I experienced with—let’s call him Paolo—have the potential to change your life forever...
I wasn’t seeking posh lifestyle when we started dating. Truth is I, sort of, fell in to it.
He was wealthy, but even more he was old family money. He didn’t just hold my hand and open doors open for me, he opened the door to high society. Together we traveled the world, and I was able to experience things I’d never even dreamt of… Not only that, the people I met were the best of the best.
However fleeting, I’d managed to join the jetset crowd.
The women were effortlessly elegant, and the men— casual, in control, and always demanding the best from themselves and those around them.
A year in affluence. The first cut made in the diamond that was me. This was the beginning… I was lovingly being polished wealth. I’d taken the first step in my journey, and although I didn’t know it then, I now see this is where it all began.
This lifestyle was a dream come true, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t mine. When it ended— and it did—I found myself back in my normal.
But I didn’t want to go back. I’d had a taste of the good life, and swore to myself I’d find my way back into the jetset life. No matter how long it took, I would discover the secret to become a member of this affluent world AND how to remain there.
I had to discover out how to level myself up.
With that in mind, I moved on to my next adventure. Sun, surf, and sand. In a place where the rich played… and played hard—Ibiza.
Have you ever wondered how good the good life is? Are you ready to go from diamond in the rough to a 10 carat diamond ring? Hit reply and let me know, I monitor this inbox myself, and am here to help in anyway I can…
Tomorrow I’ll tell you all about my adventures in Ibiza, the high profile socialite who single handedly changed my opinion of the wealthy, and the manager who taught me your network is everything...
Ciao Bella,
Anna
---- Behind The Velvet Rope: Summer In Ibiza ----
Hi,
So... with my relationship over... it was time to leave Rome.
But I needed a strategic move — I had no network and I’d only just begun the process of refining the skills I’d need in order to interact with high society—I was starting at the bottom.
So, I moved to Ibiza—Spanish island and playground of the rich.
Once Paolo had introduced me to the affluent lifestyle... I knew I wanted to get back into the jetset world. But I wasn’t sure how. Thinking about the elite society reminded me of this friend I met in Rome. She was working with wealthy people and had access to them through her work. I remember so clearly how I kept thinking… wow she’s so lucky.
I thought maybe I’d be able to get my foot in through the affluent door if I had a job that allowed me to connect with those already inside. Ibiza was all about the nightlife and I knew it was the best way for me to be exposed to the rich and famous.
I also knew I was a good dancer, which meant I’d be able to audition for one of the most coveted jobs on the island… I was about to become a dancer, but not just any dancer…
I was hired to dance, in the VIP section of THE HOTTEST club in Ibiza
Years later I can see how critical this decision was… even though I was just beginning my transformation, this position automatically made me part of the cool kids—and by cool I mean incredibly wealthy.
I had access to celebrities, millionaires, and billionaires because I had unlimited access to the VIP areas where they played. I was closer than ever to the lifestyle I wanted… so close I could almost reach out and grab it… but still so far away.
But that was about to change.
My dance manager took a liking to me and made sure to always look out for me. She was an amazing networker and her little black book included several friends who happened to be multi-millionaires.
She taught me the importance having and maintaining a good network, the importance of being genuine in your interactions with the wealthy, and the importance of remembering that the affluent are people and have feelings too.
One of the perks of dancing in the club was — once the club closed — dancers were often invited to after parties — at massive villas or on expensive yachts.
One multi-millionaire in particular— a friend of my dance manager’s—would often invite me to his yacht where I’d dance the night away with a very high profile socialite. I remember one night in particular getting incredibly seasick, this socialite stayed by my side and took care of me the entire evening.
She didn’t have to, but she did. She was genuine and caring.
This left a lasting impression on me, I knew I wanted to be a jetsetter, but I was a tiny bit afraid that people would see me as bad or mean… there are so many misconceptions about the wealthy. But that night taught me… that rich people aren’t bad people, and they’re not all divas.
They could be, but most weren’t.
I realized there are good and bad people in all walks of life. People are people after all, and the hesitations I’d once had about becoming part of the jetset world began melting away.
Every day I saw beautiful people living beautiful lives, and the beaches of Ibiza became my classroom.
In the club, I learned everything I could about interacting with jetsetters. How to chat casually with the entourage, and how to find out what interested the them. What made the women they liked so special, and how those women carried themselves. I honed my skills, my confidence, and my taste.
That summer in Ibiza is where things really took off for me. I started to believe that my dream of becoming part of, could actually come true.
My summer in Ibiza fueled the spark — ignited in Rome, and intensified my now burning desire to join the jetset world.
Ibiza taught me about the jetset world and the different types of affluent people who inhabited it.
In Rome, I met the rich kids of old money and in Ibiza I met affluent people of every level from old money to the celebrity world to the young new multi-millionaires
In Rome I’d been exposed to the world of the very rich, and now in Ibiza I’d worked my way into the high life scene. The next step along my path lead me to a small town...the place where I made my biggest mistake... it involves a top DJ, losing myself, and eventually a return to Stockholm… but more on that tomorrow.
When did you realize you wanted to level up your life? That you were deserving of everything you wanted—no matter what anyone said? Hit reply and share your “Aha!” moment with me, I know this realization was a game changer for me, and I’d love to hear your take on it!
Hasta mañana, Queridas, (Until tomorrow, Darlings)
Anna
---- Fat Wallet and Cheap Mindset ----
Hi,
Ibiza was one of the best times in my life, but like many young women, I fell in love and temporarily lost sight of what I really wanted out of life.
I began dating a top DJ who was popular in the Ibiza nightclubs, but as the sun began to set on the summer in Ibiza, he was ready to go home… his home.
He was born and raised in Malta, and before I knew it, I’d become it’s latest resident.
As with any new adventure, in the beginning it was exciting and fun.
But as the dust settled, things started to change.
Without any real focus, I could feel myself drifting. The focused and determined woman I’d been in Rome and Ibiza was slowly slipping away...
I’d started to go out... a lot. I mean my boyfriend was the DJ and Malta was a tiny island with not much else to do.
I became well known in the social scene pretty quickly... and met every level of people including the most affluent. Learning to navigate through the highest echelon in a small town was a game changer — everybody knows everybody — and it drove home for me just how important connections are and even more... the importance of building an amazing network.
I wasn’t taking care of myself though, and life felt… on hold. There wasn’t anything Extravagant about my day to day anymore.
My relationship didn’t make sense. I was eating my misery. I stopped caring about how I looked. I was incredibly unhappy and it started to show.
Chubby, heartbroken and miserable, I made a big decision. I would break up with Mister DJ and go back home… my home... Stockholm.
But once there reality set in. I’d known leaving Malta wouldn’t solve my problems, but I figured I could take this time at home and go to school, get my degree in digital marketing, get a job and save up for my next adventure.
And I did exactly that. I started really taking care of myself, changed my diet, and lost the weight I’d packed on in Malta. My desk job was sucking the life out of me—there was nothing fabulous about it—but it was a means to an end, and I was grateful to have it.
Eventually, I even began dating again. I started seeing a man who was well off, but stingy. Nevertheless affluence was slowly working its way back into my life. I was healing myself, and making my way back into the right rooms, and getting around the right people, or so I thought...
Many of the wealthy people I’d met in Ibiza where kind, generous, and gracious. But this man showed me there was a dark side to the rich and fabulous. He was was stingy, and wielded his wealth like a weapon, he loved his money and the power it gave him over others.
I saw a man who’s scarcity mindset led him to be mistrusting, unkind, and downright mean.
When money owns a person… it’s all they’re able to think about, and he had it bad.
Extravagant nights out were forbidden. Even simple meals out were weighed against they’re cost. Every penny was counted, but for the wrong reasons. It made me feel insecure, undervalued, and like I wasn’t worthy in his eyes. Truth be told was never about how much money was spent, but about how and why it was spent.
Money is a resource. One we can use to build the life of our dreams… memories, experiences, and moments and meals. More than anything I wanted to find someone who wanted to share that with me—create the life of our dreams… It quickly became clear it just wasn’t him.
Have you ever been to a dress shop and observed women shopping? Then as you notice someone emerge from the dressing room you think to yourself, “What a gorgeous dress. I love the lines. The way it flows. The color...”, and then you notice the woman?
Then minutes later out walks another woman and you’re stunned by how beautiful she is? She’s the epitome of elegance. Chic. Sophisticated. And wearing the same dress as the woman before…
The second woman wore the dress, the first let the dress wear her.
When money owns someone, it’s a problem.
Realizing how to recognize a “cheap” wealthy person when I saw one was the third lesson I gained, but in order to really understand, I set off on yet another adventure… but that’s a story for tomorrow.
Var alltid snäll, (Always be kind)
Anna
---- He Was Nice, But Colombia Stole My Heart ----
Hi,
Back in Sweden again, I was starting to feel stifled.
So I made a plan.
I’d get my degree in Marketing and work as hard as I needed to, in order to make sure I didn’t get stuck in Sweden again.
Once I broke it off with the Swedish Cheapskate, I was ready for my next world adventure. I’d managed to save up enough money to buy myself a one way ticket to South America.
Yes, I traveled to Latin America. By myself.
It started in Central America. In El Salvador, a small country with a spectacular coast on the Pacific ocean.
While in Rome, I’d made many friends, but there was one girl, from a wealthy affluent and influential family in El Salvador, whom I’d remained in contact with. When I told her I was planning a trip to Latin America, she invited me to stay with her for a month at her family’s massive home!
She hadn’t mentioned her handsome brother, but once there, young love gripped us tight!
What’s life without a little romance right?!
My new Latin Lover unlocked the local social scene for me. I got to know the Latin American rich kids well, but El Salvador just wasn’t working out for me… and neither did the romance. It was short lived, and the time to leave came sooner than expected.
I went from Honduras to Nicaragua, and from Nicaragua, to Costa Rica. I even spent a few weeks relaxing in Panama, which is where I met a lovely young man I started spending time with. He told me he had plans to visit Colombia, and invited me to come with him—never one to turn down an adventure I went all in!
My new friend was sweet, but Colombia became the star of the show, and my next romance. I wanted to explore this beautiful new country, and lose myself in it.
I spent three amazing months in Colombia. I wasn’t focused on being affluent, on social climbing, or dating. I was young, and wanted nothing more than a little adventure and new experiences in my life.
I realized I’d entered the jetset world in an unhealthy way. Clubbing and dancing, although fun, had been exhausting. I now saw that the men I’d dated were either interested in owning me and showing me off like a trophy, or were completely shut off to me emotionally because they weren’t exactly healthy themselves.
One made me feel like a doll they’d dress-up to show-off, and the other made life toxic and practically unbearable.
I thought traveling halfway across the world, was about healing myself, but in the end it was me once again, trying to escape my problems. I met new people and life was fun and exciting but everywhere I went, I took myself with me, and my problems came too… always waiting in the shadows.
I knew I needed to figure this out, but was running low on time and money, so I started applying for jobs back in Europe while still in Colombia. London was the most attractive suitor so I packed up my bags, and made my way from Colombia to the United Kingdom.
I was back in Europe, for now.
I learned a few lessons on this leg of my journey, and I’m excited to share them with you, but let’s talk about that tomorrow…
For now, you tell me! Have you ever felt like you want to run away from your problems only to realize you take you with you no matter where you go? How did you shift this? What did you learn?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Con Cariño, (With Tenderness)
Anna
---- The Fairest Of Them All ----
Hi,
The day I was comforted by a well known socialite in Ibiza, on a billionaire’s yacht has stayed with me. A true-to-life vision of beauty and substance who never flaunted her own wealth. She was the epitome of elegance and poise.
But as I learned in Stockholm, wealth has many sides.
Another side?
When a person relies on money to define who they are.
They develop a crass view of money, people, and ultimately themselves. It shows lack of substance, and a lack of genuine kindness. Being so caught up in the game of comparison leads them down a path where they become so lost, they’re no longer true to even themselves.
Throughout my journey, I worked on and focused in on improving my physical appearance first. I thought it was all I needed in order to be part of the jetset world.
I looked good. I’d gone from plain jane to grace and elegance. Or at least that’s what I thought…
I’d begun to think of myself as sophisticated, and as one of the beautiful people. Only to see — I wasn’t. I wasn’t there yet.
A video recording of me, one I wasn’t aware of, made its way to my desktop and shook me to my core. I’d attained physical beauty, yes, but there was so much more to do.
It took remembering my socialite friends kindness and generosity. The kindness of my dance manager helping me get my foot in to the affluent world of the elite, and everyone else I met along my journey to truly transform...
When the person defines themselves by their integrity, honesty, and kindness instead of money, they possess an internal sense of peace and harmony. It’s effortless. The houses, cars, clothing and more are just an inevitable part of the way they live their lives.
The shift they’d made, the one I needed to make next, was an internal one. I needed to make my inside as beautiful as I’d managed to make my outside. I needed to become gracious and kind — love myself for who I’d been, who I was, and the woman I was becoming — that’s when my transformation was complete. The day I became truly beautiful.
I know there are people who believe that wealth is everything, from my mentors I’ve learned that relationship is everything, and it all starts with the relationship you have with yourself.
Afterall, what good is all the money in the world without someone to share it with?
Have you started started your journey of transformation yet? Have you discovered there’s just as much work to do internally as there is externally? It catches everyone off guard you know, even me. Let me share a blog with you— Do Jetset Babes Suffer From Low Self-Esteem — so you can see we all feel vulnerable at times, and have internal work to do so our insides match our outsides...
You’ve got this,
Anna
---- Nothing Worth Having Comes Easily ----
Hi,
I jetted off to Asia.
Over there, I met a wealthy man who showed me how a real man looks after his lady. Financially, materially, somehow also emotionally. At the same time I was learning exactly how that worked. The art of being provided for.
I have not worked a job since—I work for myself, but that’s different.
It was only after I’d come back to London, that I understood going to Asia was — once again — attempting to escape from myself. I had been inspired to have my own “Eat, Pray, Love”, journey but that didn’t happen. Instead I found I was losing myself.
All the spiritual seeking things I was trying were great, but they really didn’t transform me. There were so many issues that were sabotaging me and the success I wanted for myself.
Yes, I was leveling up.
Yes, I was more beautiful and my lifestyle had changed.
Yes, I had access to free flowing finances, without having to work a job.
And yes I’d surrounded myself with great people… and great network... I was doing well.
But.
Pieces were missing.
And what was missing was a huge pain point for me. The relationship I was really looking for—my happily ever after— was the only thing I’d yet to find.
The men I was dating were wealthy, generous, and kind. They wanted to provide and have relationships with me, but long term… I was the one who wanted more.
I was struggling and I needed help.
The next step in my journey was unexpected, but incredibly needed… therapy.
This decision changed everything for me.
Therapy was hard but incredibly significant for me. It’s still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. There are an infinite amount of layers you get to work through. Each one revealing new levels of peace and harmony for you, which is why, my therapy continues to this day.
It may be difficult for you to imagine, but the first 10 months of therapy, I felt like nothing was happening. It was brutal. Things weren’t getting better… as a matter of fact, it often felt like they were getting worse. Chaos ruled… my life, and my emotions.
Breaking down the defense mechanisms I’d built up over a lifetime— and reconnecting all the bits and pieces from my childhood — was almost too much to take.
But I did it. 10 months of torture and then? I received my first breakthrough. Finally, I was able to see the progress I was making (and had made). Hope filled me and I knew I could move forward.
I was becoming emotionally healthier, no longer feeling like I needed to run away, and within a few months of this breakthrough, I met my current partner.
The work I’d done had opened me up to myself and from that place I was able to open up to someone who’s become incredibly special to me.
I know for a fact, that if I’d met him before therapy… or before my breakthrough… it never would have worked out.
Here’s the biggest lesson I learned though—Yes I was more beautiful physically, and more gracious and kind— but up until then, I hadn’t learned how to be beautiful, gracious, or kind to myself.
I was the last lesson. Reconnecting the missing bits and pieces of me had made all the difference in the world.
Therapy is both hard and wonderful, but something no Jetset Babe can go without.
Have you seen a therapist? What do you do to reconnect with yourself? I wrote this blog last year to start off 2018, but you should never wait to make you life better. Start today and see where you end up.
To a better life,
Anna