You’re Cheating Yourself | Self-Reflection | Note 507

What are you afraid to do?

One day I decided I wanted to go to London and Paris. I didn’t know much about either country, but the thought of flying across the pond was attractive.
 
Would you believe me if I told you that having the courage to take a 13-hour flight changed my entire life?
 
For a month, I visualized myself standing inside one of those famous red telephone booths in London and standing underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
 
The thought of going to a foreign country was adventurous – it was something new.
 
I asked people to go with me, but no one wanted to go.
 
So, I did what any determined 20-something young person would do. I bought a one-way ticket from the United States to London.

 
That single plane ride changed my entire life, and I’ve been traveling ever since.
 
People are often amazed when I tell them I’ve traveled to over forty countries and been around the world as a solo traveler.
 
I often smile when I think about it. I am proud that I dared to take a leap of faith.
 
Occasionally, I wonder what if I didn’t take that trip.
 
Whenever I’m struggling and feel stuck, I think about when I was brave enough to cross the pond.
 
It always reminds me that being afraid to fly and live life on my terms is a disservice to myself and compromises my happiness.
 
Because if you’re not living a life doing the things that excite your soul, you’re cheating yourself. 

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