Entrepreneurs, billionaires, visionaries, and inventors such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos would have never achieved the success they did if they didn’t dare to dream big.

Though they are proof that dreaming big ultimately pays off, many are afraid to take that first step and chase their dreams; something is holding them back. According to Freshbooks’ 2021 Annual Self-Employment Report, almost half of the Americans who dream of self-employment are worried about cash flow, inconsistent income, and that they will actually earn less.

As Maeurn Smiles explains, it’s only natural to be afraid of big leaps in life because the human brain is hardwired to fear anything that might put it in danger. “Math is simple here. Taking a risk means losing money, and no money means starving to death,” says Maeurn. “It may be a survival instinct, but those who want to turn their dreams into reality need to overcome this instinct and eliminate the fear that is holding them back.”

That’s exactly what Maeurn Smiles did three years ago. This young Filipina decided that enough was enough and left her job as an English teacher (that paid a measly $1 per hour) to make a name for herself as an Instagram model. It was a tough decision as Maeurn was her family’s breadwinner, but her desire to have and live a much better life was stronger than her fears.

“I promised my family that I was going to help them until the day I died, but I started to feel trapped by my low-paying job. It wasn’t enough to make ends meet, and I knew that I could make a better future for them and for myself somewhere else,” says Maeurn Smiles.

A quick change in career proved to be the best decision that Maeurn could’ve made. After being stuck for over 16 years in the impoverished neighborhood of Cebu, Philippines, she left home without telling anyone and moved to Manila, where she started her Instagram account. Over the past three years, Maeurn worked hard to attract new followers and build an easily recognizable brand by utilizing various strategies.

However, she explains that there were a lot of ups and downs, as not every strategy proved to be beneficial. “When I started Instagram, I was about 18, and I had a really small following. I was posting pictures multiple times a day, but I soon realized that you couldn’t really gain much from hashtags,” says Maeurn. “That’s when I decided to build my following by buying a lot of marketing. I would get on meme pages, I’d jump on trendy music reels that were going viral, and then I’d just get views and follows.”

Today, Maeurn is one of Instagram’s favorites with over 860,000 followers, living the dream life she always wanted. According to Maeurn Smiles, her life now is much more comfortable when compared to a few years ago. Besides treating herself well, she also helps her family by taking care of their every expense. She also acknowledges that she wouldn’t be where she is today if she let her fears snuff out her dreams.

“When I first started modeling, I was scared. But if you never try and take risks, you’ll never know what is possible,” says Maeurn. “And don’t be scared of mistakes. They are just teaching moments, and they will simply turn you into a better and stronger person.”

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