Life gives you lemons… book a solo one-way flight to Europe.
Take the Leap!
For the majority of Americans, we find a million blockers in traveling to Europe. These obstacles include daily commitments, the inability to step away from work, taking care of pets, responsibilities towards dependent family members, or relationships where time apart may be challenging if your partner cannot accompany the trip.
I consider it a privilege to have these “obstacles”.
I would dare to say, that most people spend a lifetime looking to find these things that keep them grounded; a career that gives them purpose, a spouse they are in love with, happy healthy children, routine and stability in their routine.
I was laid off due to a startup crash. I moved to a costly, brand-new, city all alone. While simultaneously, having to walk away from a very long-term relationship. My life was flipped upside down in a matter of days and I lost my sense of self and completely lost sight of my vision.
When it Rains… it Pours.
I was handed these figurative lemons and forced myself to view this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There is beauty in this lack of stability. I had an amplitude of freedom, almost a scary amount. The beauty wasn’t obvious at first, it was initially hidden by fear and shame. Fear of the unknown, fear of being judged, the shame of not having it all together, or a solid path.
Mindset is one of the most powerful things we have control over. I chose to be proud of myself. I am taking this opportunity to travel to Europe for six weeks. I chose to not hold guilty or be ashamed about given circumstances, even though it would be easy to.
There was a day, I prayed for the things I have today.
I encourage you to reflect on that... What do you have today, that you used to dream about?
Finding Gratitude For Things You Don't Have Yet
There will come a day when I will have: A career I am passionate about, a house with a white picket fence, a big family with children who depend on me, and a whole laundry list of obligations & responsibilities that I will be so grateful to have.
But- today is not that day.
Today, I am grateful to create a Europe itinerary. To figure out my passions for my future career. To make brand new friends in a new city and prepare for one day, to date again.
Just before I published this article, I purchased a one-way ticket to the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, for my six-week-long excursion. Cue an “Eat, Pray, Love” experience.
When reflecting on what I want to get out of this experience, what I landed on is that I want to fall back in love with myself and fall back in love with spending time with myself doing the things that I love to do. I want to learn, explore, try new foods, and see new cultures.
Question old as time: If a tree falls in “Europe”, but no one is there to see it, did it fall?
I have noticed that when discussing with friends/family who have apprehensions about me going, their worries are very different than the worries I have. Naturally, their unease stems from the language barrier, public transit, and their recalling of “Taken” with Liam Neeson.
My worries are different. They are comprised of wrapping my head around the fact that if I didn't share this experience with someone else… did the moment even happen? If I see a beautiful sunset on the Amalfi Coast without someone to share it with, does it count? I know that the answer is yes. I think that's the fundamental core of solo traveling.
See you soon; Paris, Berlin, UK, Amsterdam, Rome, Positano, and Barcelona
Ciao!
