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I had plans

I had plans

Written by: Smaragda Vavakaris
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About this listen

Freelance chaos, mum life, side gigs, and the glorious mess in between. I’m Smaragda - a tech freelancer, mum, and professional button-presser - sharing the wins, fails, and reality behind the “flexible” work-from-home life. No scripts, no guests, just honest stories, sarcasm, and the occasional snack.Smaragda Vavakaris Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • I had plans… but learning didn’t fit my life
    Jan 19 2026

    Most people don’t stop learning because they don’t want to.
    They stop because learning stops fitting their life.

    In this episode of I Had Plans, I talk about what happens when access, location, timing, and real life get in the way of education - and why that experience shaped how I see learning systems today.

    I share what it was like trying to learn while living remotely, relying on small libraries, early internet, and whatever resources were available at the time. It’s also why tools like LMS platforms — especially Moodle — matter so much to me. Not because of the tech, but because they remove barriers and make learning possible when life isn’t neat or predictable.

    This episode is about access, adaptation, and finding another way forward when the original plan no longer fits.

    I had plans… and when they changed, I found another way forward.

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    5 mins
  • #15 I had plans… I just didn’t ask first
    Jan 12 2026

    Most of the plans that changed my life didn’t come with approval.

    No green light.
    No roadmap.
    No one saying, “Yes, that’s a good idea.”

    In this episode of I Had Plans, I talk about curiosity, starting before you feel ready, and doing things without waiting for permission.

    I share how wanting to “just understand how things work” led me into tech, eLearning, and LMS work long before it felt sensible - or safe. How learning after hours, ignoring the noise, and following curiosity quietly reshaped my career.

    This episode is for anyone stuck in the loop of:

    • “I’m not ready yet”

    • “I need more experience”

    • “I need permission”

    Because most people who move forward don’t wait.

    They just start.

    I had plans.
    I just didn’t ask first.


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    6 mins
  • #14 Why 2026 is the year personal branding stops being optional
    Jan 6 2026

    2026 feels like the year personal branding stops being optional. Not in an influencer sense, but in a practical one. In this episode, I talk about what it really means to put yourself out there, why being seen by people who already know you is the hardest part, and how visibility often comes before confidence. This is about clarity, consistency, and letting yourself evolve in public.


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    8 mins
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