Life Chats

With my next solo trip coming up in less than a week, I just felt it in my heart to touch on this topic again for today's Life Chats.  I have been receiving the sweetest and most heartfelt messages on my social media about it and you guys just have no idea how much your words mean to me.  Thank you for your constant support with not just my blog, but my personal journey as well. 
I took my first solo trip for my dad on such a whim and I didn't expect to be taking another one 8 months later.  If you would have asked me several years ago if I would travel across the world by myself I probably would have said "hell no," but that was back when I was a totally different person.   I've grown so much and learned so much since then and all of the obstacles in my life have shaped me to be the woman I am today.  Some of you have called me fearless for traveling alone to a foreign country, but I promise you that I am not.  I get scared and I get nervous, but the desire in my heart to experience life outshines any doubts that I may have.  I'll never stop thinking about my father and all of the things that he still wanted to do and never had the chance to.  I just refuse to let that happen to me.  I can't allow fear or comfort to stand in the way of bringing my dreams to life.  In so many ways I feel like everything I do for me is for him too. I will probably always feel this way.  I'm allowing him to experience the rest of the world through my eyes because I know that he's always by my side.  So even though I am by myself, I am never really alone.  I find comfort in that. 
So much is happening in the world right now.  I've literally been sick to my stomach these last few days just thinking about all of it and my heart breaks.  Our time is so valuable because we really never know when those last moments will be.  I think sometimes we go through life thinking that nothing can ever touch us, so our time gets wasted because we spend too much of it living in the bubbles that we have created.  I lived in that bubble for many years and I just can't do it anymore.  That's part of the reason why travel has become so important to me at this point in my life.  It allows me to have more experiences, more growth and a better understanding for different cultures.  My 30s have been completely different than my 20s.  I literally feel like a whole new person and honestly wouldn't have it any other way.  My priorities have changed drastically as well as my outlook on life. I know I've said it before, but I finally know who I am and in many ways my first solo trip to Ireland helped me come to some realizations about myself.  I know that this next solo journey of mine will do the same. 
I've had so many of you message me about wanting to take a trip by yourself, but still being afraid to go for it.  I think I tell everyone the same thing.  DO IT. If you are at a point in your life where you can make it happen, then just go for it and don't overthink it.  When you overthink, you literally talk yourself out of things. Trust me, I know.  You will feel free and you will feel like you can do anything.  It's empowering and it's inspiring.  You have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.  I promise you will come back a different person and if you do decide to take that leap of faith, I hope you will share your story with me. <3