Just Do It
When I was 22, I left my home country of Canada with just a backpack with a couple changes of clothes and a dream of reaching Brazil. Over the next three weeks, I rode buses, wandered cities where I didn't speak the language, and accidentally ordered things like burgers with no horse.
The entire time I was on the road, people asked me, "Why are you traveling alone? Aren't you scared?"
The truth? I was scared. In fact, sometimes, I was terrified. But I went because because the fear of traveling across two continents alone was not as terrifying as staying in Canada and struggling along in a "normal" life.
16 Years Later
Spoiler alert, I never made it to Brazil. Instead, I landed in Guatemala in an untidy heap, desperate to learn Spanish before I kept traveling further south and in need of a breather.
The next six months were spent learning the language (my Spanish teacher told me I was too stupid to learn . . . so I went to the park and picked it up there), teaching English, bartending, and exploring Guatemala. It was an amazing country, but I had places to go.
Then I met him. Carlos. The man who became the father of my children and my life partner. And for him, I stayed in Guatemala.
The Lesson Learned
You can't change anything if you keep doing the same things over and over again. You need to just jump in and do it. Planning goes a long way, of course, but at a certain point, you just need to stop overthinking things and just do it.
If I had given in to fear and stayed in Canada, I wouldn't have three gorgeous sons. I would never have learned a second language that I now speak fluently. I never would have had the chance to translate for medical teams, lead tours, or help reunite adoptive families with birth families.
The leap I took was a massive one. I left my home country behind completely and I never went back.
Your leap doesn't have to be that crazy. But if you're waffling about which niche to choose, or whether or not to go premium with WA . . . just do it. Don't stay frozen. You'll get NOWHERE doing that.
You can do this. And if you need a kind, yet firm, kick to the butt, let me know and I'm more than happy to do that for you.
Recent Comments
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Wow! ... what a life story -- well a huge chapter ... congratulations on your courage & 'get-go!'.... thanks kindly for sharing & posting, keep well & all the best for every success, cheerio... :)
That is a huge leap to make, but I am so happy it worked out for you! Maybe you and your family can visit Brazil on a vacation and all your goals will be met!
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Love that article feel like I know you now. Keep up the good reads.