Dina's Freedom Seeking Journey!
Lesson 1 of Personal Development: Life is a complex mixture of emotions.
“I believe that everyone has the power to be whatever they want. It’s simply about knowing what you have to offer, putting yourself out there, and being ready to do the work. Failure is just learning.”
I grew up in a small seaside town in Wales, the kind of place where a long stretch of beach was always just around the corner… usually accompanied by a rain cloud.
As a teenager, my favourite thing to do was walk or run along the coast, dreaming up ideas and adventures to take my friends on. My mind has always been a creative playground, constantly imagining, building, and exploring what could be.
In many ways, I lived in a fantasy world… because dreaming felt safer than reality at home.
My family went through a turbulent divorce, and from a young age, I found myself surrounded by adult problems. By the age of eight, I had become the one people turned to — holding space, listening, and supporting those around me.
That role never really left me.
Through those experiences, I learned resilience. I learned empathy. I learned how to be strong, not just for myself, but for others too. And without realising it at the time, I was already stepping into the foundations of what would later become my life’s work.
By thirteen, I was deeply curious about people. I’d ask my friends questions most hadn’t even thought about, about their emotions, their fears, their motivations. I wasn’t just listening… I was fascinated.
Understanding people became second nature to me. And so did lifting them up.
I’ve always believed that when you help others, it comes back to you, if not directly, then somewhere along the line.
Lesson 2 of Personal Development: You will never regret being kind.
“We are all human and have our bad days. Show kindness to everyone and it always comes back… if not immediately, then in ways you don’t expect.”
So when I left school, Psychology felt like the obvious path.
University wasn’t just about studying, it was my first real taste of independence. Living with housemates, meeting people from completely different backgrounds, and seeing how many different ways there are to live a life. It opened my eyes in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
During that time, I also started my first business, a charity fundraising company at Swansea University, where I hosted events to raise money for meaningful causes.
Even then, I was bringing people together, creating experiences, and building something with purpose. It was my first real taste of business and I loved it.
After graduating, I moved to London, a city that expands your thinking whether you’re ready for it or not. With over 8.5 million people, it showed me countless versions of what life could look like. It was sad to leave RaveAid, my fundraising business, but I set myself up as a freelance event manager and then ended up chasing money in Corporate Event Sales.
And yet… somewhere in the middle of it all, I lost myself.
I was ticking all the “right” boxes, moving up the ladder but inside, I felt empty. Anxious. Trapped. Like I was performing a version of myself that didn’t feel real.
Lesson 3 of Personal Development: Life is a ride and you can ride it as you wish.
““There is no right or wrong way to live (as long as you’re not harming others). There is only what aligns with you.”
One day, my boss called me into his office. I was shaking, convinced I was about to lose my job. Instead, he said something that changed everything:
“Dina, this job isn’t right for you. You should consider coaching… and read The 4-Hour Workweek.”
I left that office still nervous… but with something I hadn’t felt in a while… clarity and curiosity. I wasn’t leaving unemployed, I was leaving with direction that I didn’t fully understand.
I signed up for a free coaching weekend. And something clicked instantly.
Listening. Supporting. Helping people find answers within themselves… it felt natural. Like I had finally found something that aligned with who I truly was.
Around the same time, I uncovered a deeper truth: I didn’t just want a new career… I wanted a different life.
So I booked a ticket to Thailand.
That trip changed everything.
Being away from London, my routine, and everything familiar gave me the space to reconnect with myself. I rediscovered my adventurous side — hiking, surfing, exploring — and more importantly, I rediscovered my energy.
It was there that I made a decision:
I wanted to help people navigate change and become the best version of themselves… just like I was learning to do.
“Take time to yourself to get to know yourself again, whether that's going for a walk, meditation, yoga, travelling or having a coaching session.”
I came home and decided it was time to see a career and life coach, especially after being inspired in the coaching training weekend. I started my quest to find a coach which I felt was a good fit for me. I did my research and spoke to a few coaches, but I didn't feel like I connected with any of them. I wanted a happy medium between professional and personable. It was hard to find.
After working as a coach for a while, I decided that this wasn't enough. I wanted to make sure that I was giving my very best to my clients and so decided to go back to University whilst still running my coaching practice. This course covered leadership and development, coaching, recruitment, wellbeing and workplace culture. It gave me the in-depth knowledge to really make a difference. I am now also able to give high quality personality questionnaires to facilitate any coaching that I do.
Lesson 4 of Personal Development: Spend time away from your norm to rediscover yourself.
“Take time to get to know yourself again — whether that’s through travel, stillness, movement, or coaching.”
When I returned, I invested in my own coach — searching for someone who felt like the right balance between professional and human. That experience shaped the kind of coach I would later become.
As my coaching grew, I wanted to deepen my impact. So I went back to university while building my business — studying leadership, development, wellbeing, and workplace culture.
Then came another chapter.
I co-founded a wellbeing company with a friend. We built a team of 10, working with organisations to “breathe life back into the 9–5.”
But ironically… I had built another version of the life I was trying to escape.
60-hour weeks. No freedom. No flexibility. No space.
I had created my own trap.
That experience taught me one of the most important lessons I now share with my clients:
Build your life first — then build your business around it. Otherwise, you risk creating something that looks successful… but feels completely misaligned.
Lesson 5 of Personal Development: Life is about learning. Happiness is knowing yourself.
Lesson 6 of Personal Development: Freedom to be yourself is more important than anything.
“I want to always be allowed to wear flip flops while I work.”
When the Brexit vote happened in 2016, it became a turning point. My business partner and I decided to go our separate ways and pursue what we truly wanted.
Freedom.
I transitioned into remote work, built a business aligned with my lifestyle, and began travelling the world.
And I never looked back.
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve built and run multiple businesses while travelling to 50+ countries, creating a life that blends freedom, purpose, and impact.
Today, I combine my background in psychology, coaching, and real-world experience to help others break free from the rigid 9–5 and create lives and businesses on their own terms.
This is where my work as a digital nomad coach comes in.
I help people step into what I call Remote Ownership: taking full control of how they live, work, and design their lives.
Through my coaching, I’ve supported people from all walks of life to build freedom-based careers, businesses, and lifestyles they’re proud of.
There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone realise what’s possible for them… and then actually go out and create it.
Alongside this, travel has been one of my greatest teachers.
Through different cultures, conversations, and experiences, I’ve continued to evolve — not just as a coach, but as a person.
I consider myself an eternal student — of people, of the world, and of life itself.
And along the way, I’ve developed a deep love for capturing these moments through photography — telling stories through landscapes, cities, and human connection across the globe.
This journey isn’t just about travel.
It’s about freedom.
It’s about alignment.
It’s about becoming who you were always meant to be.
And now… I help others do the same.
Check out my photography here: dinatravelsphotography.com
If you have any similarities, questions or want to share something with me, send me an email and I’d be happy to share.
Lesson 7 of Personal Development: Persistence and focus conquer all.
If you want something enough and put in the effort, you can get it.
Thanks for reading and now that you know a lot about me... I can't wait to hear about you!