Today we’d like to introduce you to AJ Jones.
AJ, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey is unique because I feel like my life began when my friend’s life ended. In 2014 (Christmas Eve to be exact), I had a friend pass away in a fatal car accident. My mother had always told me tomorrow wasn’t a promised day, but it wasn’t until his death that her message really sunk in. His passing was my wake up call to get going on my personal endeavors before my time was up.
A few months after my friend’s funeral, I created a bucket list of goals I wanted to accomplish. Travel was on top of my priority list. There was a lot of chaos going on in my life at the time, and my emotional health wasn’t at its best. Travel had become a form of therapy for me and brought me comfort during that time of turmoil. When I was abroad I was able to drown out the negativity in my life and completely focus on strengthening my emotional and spiritual well-being.
The following year, I started writing about my global adventures for a couple of online websites. It started out as fun — more of a hobby — but later, transpired into a passion project. I eventually created a blog and I’m currently in the process of trying to monetize it. My goal is to become a full-time travel writer. It’s going to be a while before I can quit my day job, but I’m speaking into existence that this dream of mine will become a reality very soon.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have certainly been some obstacles along my journey. That’s life and those hurdles are what make my life story a bit more interesting.
My biggest piece of advice is to have faith in God and trust the process. You’re going to get frustrated along the way; be unsure at times. There will be occasions you’ll want to give up. Don’t. I promise it all comes together in the end. Be patient and hold on to your vision. I promise your time will come. Also, understand that everyone isn’t going to support your dreams… including your close friends and family. In fact, your aspirations are going to sound crazy to a lot of people. That’s okay. Everyone isn’t meant to understand what you’re being called to do. Remain focused, surround yourself with a solid support group, and continue to move forward with your vision. When everything comes to fruition, you’ll have the last laugh.
What should we know about Diary of Ambam? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a travel and lifestyle influencer/storyteller.
In 2016, I worked as a contributing travel writer for the Culture Supplier. During that time I received a plethora of questions from readers interested to learn about my excursions. As a result, I created a blog to document my global adventures and to share my favorite travel tips. I used my platform (a.k.a. my virtual diary) to impel young adults to step outside their comfort zones and take a few days out of the year to travel.
Since its launch, Diary of Ambam has evolved into a lifestyle blog. The content on my blog is still heavily focused on my adventures abroad, but my goal is to begin talking about other topics of interest (health and holistic wellness, food, relationships, sex, how to adult, etc.). I am more than just travel. I’m evolving and I believe my content should reflect my growth and what I do when I’m not globetrotting.
I think what sets me apart from others is my transparency, my ability to tell stories, and my sense of humor. Just watch my IG stories (and highlights) and you’ll understand.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
Canva (used for creating flyers and social media banners)
FilMic Pro (used for shooting video on my iPhone)
VSCO & Snapseed (used for editing my images)
Color Story (I use Color Story to see how my photos will appear on my Instagram feed before I post)
Tripcase (This app keeps my family and friends updated on my flight status while I’m traveling. It also keeps a record of the hotels I’m staying at).
Google Flights & Cheapdfw.com (two of my favorite travel sites for finding flight deals/inexpensive airfare).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.diaryofambam.com
- Email: callmeambam@gmail.com
- Instagram: @callme_ambam
- Facebook: http://bit.ly/2NpK1cC
- Other: YouTube: http://bit.ly/2KJLbOm
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
