When you realise “this isn’t it”

For the girl who wants to walk away from the life that made sense on paper and choose herself instead

Girls be like,
“I’m turning 30 this year. I don’t know what I’m doing with my life. I have a degree I don’t use. No interest in climbing the corporate ladder for the next 40 years. No urge to have kids. I just want to travel, work odd jobs, feel alive again. Do something that actually lights me up.”

And I get it.

You were taught to chase success like it was a checklist… Get the degree, land the job, find the partner, buy the house, have the kids, save enough to retire. Then maybe at 60 you get to live a little.

But what happens when you start checking the boxes… and still feel like something is missing?

What happens when you look around and realise you’ve built a life that technically works, but quietly feels like it’s suffocating you?

I remember going into the office every day and thinking… how is everyone just doing this? Like genuinely. How is everyone okay with this routine? The early commutes. The back-to-back meetings. The fake urgency over projects no one cared about. Somehow, everyone seemed fine. No one was complaining. No one looked completely miserable. And I started to think something was wrong with me.

Because here’s the part no one talks about, especially for high-achieving women. You did legitimatley EVERYTHING right. You were top of your class, went to a good school, you got an impressive job. The kind of resume that makes people nod in approval. You became the girl everyone points to like, “she figured it out.”

And yet… You’re sitting there staring at your screen thinking, I do not care about this. Meanwhile, your coworkers are passionate. Your friends are climbing the ladder, talking about promotions, long-term plans, ten-year visions… and you’re just sitting there like, am I broken? Because it’s not even that you want a different corporate job. It’s that you don’t want any of them.

And that’s the part that really messes with your head.

Because if you don’t want this path… and you don’t want the other “acceptable” paths either… then what the hell do you want?

So you sit in that in-between where you’re grateful on paper, but miserable in reality. And you feel silly because you’re making good money and so many people in life have it worse thank you. But you feel stuck in something you worked years to build. It feels terrible to admit that you don’t give a shit about the thing that’s supposed to be your “dream.”

But hear me when I say this…

There is nothing wrong with you.

You’re not lazy.
You’re not ungrateful.
You didn’t “waste” your potential.

You were just built for a different life.

Maybe you’re like me, and you start to look around at your boss, your boss’s boss, your coworkers… and they’re all just cruising. Meanwhile, I felt like my soul had packed its bags and left the building. I couldn’t fake it. I couldn’t force it. I couldn’t kick into gear.

It felt like I was dying inside.

I didn’t have the words for it at the time, but looking back, I know now what it was.

It was the feeling of misalignment. The ache that comes when your spirit knows something your brain can’t explain. It was the quiet whisper of this isn’t it.

And here’s the thing no one tells you…

Most people feel that whisper, they’re just too scared to admit it. Or too afraid to do anything about it.

Because doing something about it means breaking the rules, walking away from the safety net, and choosing yourself before anyone else understands why.

But once you take the leap? You start to breathe again. You start to feel again.

For me, the path I chose was through real estate investing.

Not because I wanted to be some girlboss landlord or had dreams of cashflow spreadsheets taped to my walls. It was honestly so much deeper than that. I was just tired of my freedom being dependent on a paycheck and wondering if I’d ever be able to rest without everything falling apart. I was tired of needing to perform in order to survive.

I didn’t want to build a business just to trap myself in another job.

I wanted to build something that could hold me. That could pay the bills when I needed a break. That could give me back my time, my energy, my creativity (without asking for permission).

It wasn’t about building an empire, it was about building a life that felt soft, sustainable, and free.

Real estate gave me not just a new income stream, but a new nervous system. One that wasn’t constantly bracing for burnout.

Suddenly, you realise you were never broken. You were just meant to build a different kind of life (one that doesn’t follow the script).

One that asks harder questions. That doesn’t come with guaranteed outcomes. That doesn’t always make sense on paper but makes so much sense in your body.

And yes, it can be scary, and lonely, and like everyone else is five steps ahead while you’re still trying to figure out what country you even want to live in next.

But the truth? Most of them aren’t ahead. They’re just committed to a path they never paused long enough to question.

You’re not behind.
You’re not lost.
You’re not late.
You’re just awake.

And that… that’s rare.

Your life gets to look different.

Success doesn’t have to come in the form of a two-story house in the suburbs and a job title you don’t care about. That maybe, juuuust maybe, the life you’re craving doesn’t live at the top of the ladder.

Maybe it lives on a beach in Portugal. Maybe it lives in slow mornings and wild dreams and choosing yourself again and again, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Maybe it lives in the courage to burn down what you were taught so you can build what you actually want.

There’s nothing wrong with you for craving more, or for wanting less of the things that don’t feel good. Or for saying “I don’t know what I’m doing” but still choosing to do it your way anyway.

That’s not failure. That’s power.

And I know, I know — it doesn’t always feel like power. Sometimes being “awake” doesn’t always feel like this magical, enlightened thing.

It feels like confusion and shame. Or like you’re the only one still figuring it out while everyone else seems to have it together. But most people are just performing the life they were told to want. You’re actually asking if it fits.

That’s the difference, and it’s a big one.

Because you totally could settle… I almost did. But something in me knew better. Something in me remembered there’s more. And that tiny inner whisper? That’s the version of you who already knows where you’re going.

So listen. Keep going.

And if you need a little reminder of who you really are, let me offer you this:

You say you’re behind because you’re not married or don’t have kids… but maybe you’ve traveled to 20+ countries, started a business, bought real estate, woken up for sunrise pilates, are in your 30s but actually look 25, have financial freedom, go to therapy, learned to enjoy your own company, take solo trips to Europe just because, and know how to invest in yourself.

Like girl… You’re not behind. You’re the blueprint.

This isn’t a detour. This is the path.

And it’s one only the bravest women choose to walk.

I’m proud of you. Truly. Keep building the life that’s actually yours.

Because the truth is, most people don’t even make it this far.

Life is too short to choose clouds ☀️
Olivia xx

PS: If this felt like a hug for your soul, send it to a girlfriend who needs it too. You’re not alone — we’re out here rewriting the rules together.

Your Leap Year Starts NOW!

Hi loves, I’m Olivia!

I’ve had this gut feeling to create a space that’s more me. Less how to buy real estate, more how to become the woman you need to be to live life on your own terms. Because everyone’s out here chasing strategy, but the truth is living the life of your dreams takes a whole lot more than tactics.

But first, a little bit about me… I left my six figure engineering job back in 2022 to become a full time real estate investor, business owner, and global citizen. I’ve built a multi million dollar portfolio, visited over 50 countries, and helped hundreds of high achieving women start building wealth on their terms.

But this isn’t just another newsletter about real estate investing. Let’s be honest, I get bored talking about it every day, and after you know the basics it’s honestly not that hard 😅

Everyone is chasing strategies and tactics. And don’t get me wrong, I share plenty of that over on social. But there is so much more that goes into living in alignment.

This is about what it really takes to build a life that feels like yours. A life that doesn’t require a five year escape plan or a daily dose of Lexapro to survive.

You don’t just wake up one day and magically love your life because you closed on a duplex or quit your job. The life you’re craving requires becoming a different version of you. One who trusts herself. One who honors the vision. One who stops asking for permission.

Your Leap Year is the messy, beautiful, behind the scenes journey of becoming the version of yourself who no longer tolerates misalignment. The you who doesn’t just want more, but embodies more. Because you are that girl.

More than anything, we’re going to talk about who you have to become to live the life you keep dreaming about.

Because the truth is, most of us don’t just need strategy. We need permission.
Permission to do it differently.
Permission to take the leap before we feel ready.
Permission to build wealth and a softer life.
Permission to not settle just because it’s stable.

It’s not about blindly grinding your way to some goal that doesn’t even feel good when you get there. It’s about building a life you’re obsessed with from the inside out.

This Substack is for the ones who did everything “right” and still found themselves asking, “is this it?”

It’s for the high income girlies who secretly Google “how to quit my job and move to Portugal”.
The ones sitting in traffic after back to back Zoom meetings wondering how the hell this became their life.
The ones who crave freedom but are also wicked smart go getters.
The ones who are ready to leap but don’t want to do it alone.

If that’s you, welcome. You’re in the right place.

Here’s what you can expect from me:

• Real estate strategies that actually make freedom possible

• Behind the scenes of scaling a soulful business to 7 figures and beyond

• Culture shocks, dreamy travel, and transcontinental living

• The mindset and identity shifts that changed everything

• Conversations about love, identity, faith, and evolution

• The moments I question everything… and leap anyway

Your Leap Year is about claiming the version of you that is already inside you. This is the space where we stop waiting for the perfect time and start building lives that actually feel good.

So pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine you definitely earned, get cozy, and let’s go there.

Because your leap year
It starts now.

Olivia xx

How I went from $25K in Credit Card Debt to a $3M Real Estate Portfolio

I just got tired of being stuck and decided to do something about it

I want to tell you a story I don’t share often enough.
Not the highlight reel… the behind the scenes version.

Back in 2020, I was $25,000 in credit card debt. I had just gotten back from a trip to Alaska and ended things with my boyfriend at the time. It was one of those breakup moments that cracks you open a little, not in a dramatic way but in a quiet, sobering one. Like I literally went sober and did Whole 30 for 30 days 😅

The wild part is, there wasn’t anything technically wrong with the relationship. But deep down, I knew staying would mean settling. And that was a future I couldn’t choose for myself.

I came home and looked at my life. The debt. The job I wasn’t lit up by. The ache for something more. I remember thinking, this can’t be it.

I was $25,000 in credit card debt. Not because I was out buying designer bags every weekend, but because I had been living what I thought was just an ordinary life. Flights to visit friends and family. Trips to escape burnout. Groceries. A little too much Uber Eats. The kind of lifestyle that looks cute from the outside but was weighing me down inside. I was working a “good” job as an engineer, I had a degree, I was doing all the things you’re supposed to do. And yet I couldn’t figure out why I felt like I was drowning.

On the helicopter on my way to the Oil & Gas platform

The money would come in and disappear just as fast. Rent, bills, brunches, Sephora, a random flight here and there just to escape for a weekend… it all added up. But the real weight wasn’t the debt. It was the shame. I kept thinking, how did I let it get this bad?

At the same time, I knew I was meant for more. I couldn’t explain it. I just had this gut feeling that life wasn’t supposed to feel like a never ending loop of working and waiting for Fridays.

But I didn’t know what the alternative was.
I didn’t know anyone who had “passive income.” I thought those were things reserved for people with trust funds or rich parents.

Still, something in me refused to accept that this was it. So I started learning. Quietly at first. Podcasts on my commute. Books at night. A journal I kept hidden in a drawer where I wrote things like “Everything is figureoutable” and “I am debt free and under contract on my first duplex” even though I had no idea how I’d ever afford one.

Looking back, that was the shift. The moment I stopped waiting to feel ready or worthy and started getting curious. And curiosity turned into action.

I got my real estate license and started selling houses on the side. I was working nights, lunchtimes, weekends, any pocket of time I could find. I picked up tutoring gigs and even became a real estate agent’s social media manager just to bring in extra income. I was in full hustle mode, and every single extra cent went toward paying off that debt. I remember going to dinners with friends and just ordering water because I refused to spend recklessly. I wasn’t trying to be cheap, I was just focused. None of it even felt like a choice. It felt like a mission. I knew I wanted more for my life, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get there. And the craziest part? I paid it all off in just 8 months.

I found out about the FHA loan and realized I didn’t need 20 percent down to buy a property. I learned what house hacking was and figured out that I could live in one unit and rent out the other. I started running the numbers on Zillow like it was a game. I kept my head down, did the work, and said no to a lot of things that used to be yeses.

Eventually, I bought my first duplex. I used less than $25K out of pocket, about the same amount I had once owed in credit card debt. I lived on one side and rented out the other side on Airbnb.

From $25K in debt to closed on my first duplex in less than 8 months

That property covered my living expenses and gave me my first real taste of freedom. It wasn’t just about the cash flow. It was the shift in identity. Suddenly, I wasn’t just someone trying to get by, I was someone building something.

From there, I became obsessed. I went to conferences, joined coaching programs, and partnered with folks to buy more properties. And I got smarter with every deal. I made mistakes, got burned, and learned fast. I lived out of suitcases, reinvested every dollar, and slowly turned my reality into something I used to write about in that hidden journal.

And now, a few years later, I’ve built a $3 million real estate portfolio that gives me freedom in every sense of the word. The freedom to travel. The freedom to rest. The freedom to say no. The freedom to build a life that actually feels like mine.

But I will never forget where it started.

Just a 25 year old girl, over having to shove her bubbly personality into slacks and polos

It started with debt, shame, and not knowing what I was doing and doing it anyway.
Not because I was fearless, but because I was tired of living a life that didn’t feel like mine.

So if you’re sitting in that moment right now… the stuck, anxious, how did I end up here moment, I just want you to know… it’s not your final chapter.

You don’t need to have it all figured out today. You just need to believe that it’s figureoutable.

Because it is.

Olivia xx

The Rubber Band Effect of Building a 7-Figure Real Estate Portfolio and Business

What no one tells you about expanding your capacity, holding duality, and choosing growth, even when you feel like snapping

“How do you keep doing it? I’m exhausted.”

One of my students asked me this recently, and I felt it in my bones. Because the truth is, there are moments on this journey where it feels like everything in you wants to shrink. Hide. Rest. Quit.

But that tension you’re feeling? That pull between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming?

That’s the rubber band…. And the only way to grow is to let it stretch you.

There is this thing that happens when you’re building something bigger than you’ve ever held before. Your nervous system kicks and screams a little. You find yourself second guessing, spiraling, checking the locks one more time just to make sure. Not because you're doing something wrong, but because you’re doing something new.

Like one of my students said in our community:

I love this question because the answer is yes and no.
Yes, it gets easier…. But also no, because the game changes. Your capacity increases, and then the universe hands you more to hold.

Let me explain.

But first, let’s be clear… This is not burnout.

Burnout is what happens when you are out of alignment. When you are doing things just because you think you have to. When there’s no clear connection between your effort and your purpose. Burnout drains you. It shrinks your spirit. It’s when you’re stuck in motion without meaning.

But increasing your capacity? That’s different. That’s the stretch that comes from moving toward something your soul actually wants. It feels hard, yes… But there’s a quiet fire behind it. A knowing. A clarity. You’re not depleting yourself, you’re developing yourself. And that distinction changes everything.

When I first started investing in real estate, hosting one guest felt like a full-time job. I would triple-check everything. I’d pace around my apartment, waiting for the message that everything was perfect. I poured all my energy into getting it just right.

Now I manage multiple properties across different cities, one of which regularly hosts over 15 people. I have people checking in and out almost every day. There’s no time to micromanage every little thing.

I had to surrender and I had to trust. I had to build the muscle to hold more.

That’s what the rubber band effect is. It’s the stretch that happens between where you are and where you’re going. The part where your capacity hasn’t caught up yet, but the opportunity is already here. And you get to decide in that moment whether you’re going to expand or snap back.

This has shown up in every area of my life.

In business, I went from posting a few times a week on social media to showing up online every single day. Not because I had to, but because I knew the woman I wanted to become didn’t play small. Now it’s not something I think about, it’s just part of who I am.

In fitness, I started out barely able to do a pull-up. I was the girl who stuck to the baby weights in the corner. Now I can do weighted pull-ups and squat 225 pounds. Not because it was easy. But because I kept showing up through the awkward, heavy, shaky reps.

In mindset, I used to spiral every time something went wrong. One bad review would ruin my day. A quiet month would make me question my whole career. Now? I take a breath and zoom out. I remember that the version of me I’m becoming can hold duality. She can be nervous and still take action. She can feel the pressure and still choose peace.

This is the part no one talks about.

The part where your nervous system wants to crawl out of your skin because everything feels too big.
The part where you start questioning if you’re even built for this.
The part where you feel like you’re being stretched past your limit.

But that stretch is what makes you strong. It rewires your identity and prepares you to hold the life you asked for.

So if you’re in it right now and you feel like you’re at your edge and everything in you wants to pull back…

Let this be your reminder that it’s working. The rubber band doesn’t stretch unless you're growing, and that tension you're feeling? That’s what it feels like to become her.

So breathe. Trust yourself. Let yourself expand.

You were never meant to stay small anyway.

Olivia xx

PS:
If you’re in that season where you can feel yourself being stretched, where you know you were made for more, and you’re ready to build a life that gives you more freedom, more capacity, and more joy through real estate investing. Wanderlust Wealth Academy was made for you. It’s not just about buying your first investment property. It’s about becoming the version of you who can actually hold it all.
If that’s the life you're craving, apply here.