The Day I Asked, “What If?”
“Every journey begins with a question. Mine began with two simple words… What if?”
Every Story Starts with an Idea
Looking back now, it’s easy to think my journey began with a photograph. Or perhaps my very first Instagram post. Some people might even imagine it started with my first short film.
But the truth is…
None of those moments came first. Everything began with a simple question.
What if?
It wasn’t asked out loud. It wasn’t written down in a notebook. It simply appeared one day while I was thinking about the kind of stories I wanted to tell. At the time, all I knew was that I wanted to create something that felt different.
I didn’t want to tell just one story. I wanted the freedom to tell every story.
What if I could step into different worlds? What if every adventure could take me somewhere completely unexpected? What if one day I could be exploring forgotten ruins, and the next I was standing on a mountain, diving beneath the sea or finding myself somewhere that shouldn’t even exist?
The more I thought about those two little words, the bigger the possibilities became.
Then suddenly everything clicked. Instead of creating one single story…
I would create a world where every story was possible.
That was the day What If… Alice was born.
At the time, I had absolutely no idea where that little question would eventually lead me. I only knew one thing.
Hi, I’m Alice Parker…
…and I’m just a girl who really wants to tell stories.
Knowing Who I Wanted to Be
Once the idea existed, I could have rushed straight into the world and hoped for the best. But that never felt right. Before introducing myself to anyone else, I wanted to understand who I was.
Not perfectly. Just honestly.
I spent a long time thinking about the journey ahead.
What did I actually want to achieve? Why did these stories matter to me? Who was Alice when the cameras weren’t rolling, and the adventures hadn’t begun yet?
The answers slowly started to appear.
I wasn’t chasing popularity. I wasn’t counting followers. I wasn’t dreaming about numbers. I simply wanted to create stories that people could disappear into for a few minutes and hopefully leave with a smile. That became my purpose.
Once I knew that, something changed. Alice stopped feeling like an idea. She started feeling like… me. Only then did I feel ready to take that very first step.
Looking back now, I realise that waiting was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t beginning. Sometimes it’s having the patience to wait until you know why you’re beginning in the first place.
So, in July 2025, I finally introduced myself to the world. I had no expectations. No grand plan beyond hoping that a few people might enjoy the adventures I wanted to share.
Little did I know just how many wonderful people were waiting to say hello.
Looking Back at That First Step
If I could sit beside the Alice, who was about to publish that very first post, I don’t think I’d tell her what was about to happen.
I wouldn’t tell her about the incredible people she was going to meet. I wouldn’t tell her about the friendships that would grow. I wouldn’t tell her about the adventures that still hadn’t been imagined. I certainly wouldn’t tell her how many people would eventually become part of her world.
Some surprises are simply too beautiful to spoil.
Instead, I’d just smile. I’d tell her to trust herself. To keep believing in the stories she wanted to tell. To stay focused on the dream that started with two tiny words.
And then I’d say…
“Stick to your guns.
Stick to your plan.
Stay focused.
And guess what…
You’ve totally got this, girl.”
Looking back now, I realise that my journey never really began with a photograph.
It didn’t begin with Instagram. It didn’t even begin with a story. It began with curiosity. With imagination.
With one tiny question that quietly changed everything.
What if?
Love,
Alice x
Continue the Story
You’ve reached the end of this chapter, but there’s plenty more to discover.
