How I finally decided to follow my dreams🌏

For those of you that know me, how many times have you heard me say: "I just want to quit my job and travel!" I had to have said that to about everyone I know. But part of me never truly believed if I would ever have the courage to do just that. We are told it isn’t the responsible thing to do, or that we shouldn’t give up the job we have because they aren’t easy to find. Or that we should just settle down and have kids. Personally, I don’t like the phrase “settle down," because even after we get married and have kids, I don’t believe this should mean we stop going on adventures and exploring the world. I don't believe because of these things it makes us "settle down". But we are certainly not told enough that we should go and do what makes us happy, try new things, and get out of our comfort zone. So one day, with some of my best friends in Kansas City, it finally struck me as the right time to do exactly that; go. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. I was battling a decision I had to make by the end of the weekend on whether or not I would return to my former company with a new position, or continue working at my new job, where I didn’t feel like I was growing or being challenged enough. I realized that I was looking at it all wrong, as if I only had those two options. The job I was offered was something I felt I would excel at. It would challenge me, and keep me busy, but I also felt I would be comfortable, because I knew the people and the plant. I was afraid that if I went back, I would never be able to quit and travel, which I had been talking about doing for years. However, the thing about life that I am finally beginning to realize, is that we all have endless options. It is never the opportunities, or the choices that are lacking in our lives, it is the courage or faith to pursue alternative choices. We often take the easy route. I know I did when I accepted my first job out of college. I told myself I would only be there a couple years because I know it wouldn’t make me happy. I waited 4 years before finally gaining enough courage to leave. And then when I left that job, I took the safe route again, lining up another safe job at a reputable company. We fill our minds with excuses for why we can’t or shouldn’t pursue the things we want; oh we could never afford it, or we’re too afraid of the unknown and not having a plan. But I was tired of talking about what I wanted to do, so I decided to just do it already. Because if not now, when? Now is always the time to do what you want, because you never really know if you will get the chance later. Or if there will even be a later. I didn’t enjoy my existing job, nor did I see a future there, and I was not happy in my day to day life. I felt stagnant in St. Louis, as if I wasn’t growing anymore. So I turned the new offer down, put in my two-weeks’ notice, and came up with a rough-ish plan. Because if you know me at all you know I am not a great planner. I had savings that I had been saving for years. I told my roommate, moved all of my stuff into a friend’s house (thanks Dave), and cancelled all my monthly expenses (rent, utilities, phone, car insurance, & gym membership). That is when it finally started feeling real. I got to stay at my friend’s place in Kobe, Japan for a couple weeks (thanks Mickey) and then head off to SE Asia. It was going to work, because I was going to make it work. I could travel as long as I wanted, and if I started not enjoying myself, I could come home. It wasn’t easy, but once it finally struck me that I could do this, that i was GOING to do this, it was simple. It was all going to come together. I just jumped both feet into the unknown, knowing only that it was all going to be okay, and that I was finally going to start living the life that I wanted to live every single day. Not on the weekends, or when I went on vacations, but every single day.

So then I got to Japan. I had a couple weeks to just explore, hang out, do what I WANTED to do each day. And you know what, I'm going to be honest with you, it was weird. Our daily lives are so regimented and planned for us that each day is just so simple. You know what you have to do, when you are going to do it, and how you are going to do it. Wake up, go to work, work out, eat dinner, go to sleep, and repeat. But with each brand new day and being faced with the decision to do exactly what you want to do that day, what would you do? What do I do? What do I LIKE to do? I don’t even know. I began writing, reading, hiking, and exploring new cities. Running through the city, meeting new people, and eating new foods. And I am enjoying it. I will say that it is an interesting thing to try to balance doing what you want to do each day and not spending outrageous amounts of money as if you are on “vacation." Because this isn’t a 6-month vacation for me as much as it is living abroad for 6 months. I can’t do everything everywhere I go, because I don’t have a stream of income, or a money tree waiting for me when I get back. So it is a balance between just going day by day exploring and living and trying new things. And so far I am loving it. I am learning new things every day, meeting new people and making friends in so many different countries, and seeing new, beautiful places. I am so blessed and fortunate that I have finally found the courage within me to pursue something that I had only dreamed about, and made it a reality. So I will end with this: dreams don’t have to be dreams, they can become reality simply by taking the leap of faith, because in the end, what do you have to lose? Chances are that you will never regret trying. That doesn’t mean it is easy, and that it doesn’t take work, it simply means that it is always possible.