The fears of living your dreams

How does one express the feeling of living a life that most people consider a dream?

“We’re quitting our jobs and traveling the world – 8 months in Europe and 6 months in Asia, then over to Australia…” we tell people – and then they look at us dumbfounded.

“Wow, I’ve always wanted to do that”… or
“You’re so lucky”… or
“You must have a lot of money”…

… is usually their reply. And it usually ends with a feeling of disbelief. How do you do something like this?

“Pick a date, and start saving!” is what we always say. But as we are now getting started on this trip, what I’ve realized is that there are so many more things that they don’t tell you about planning a world trip like this that are usually the things secretly holding people back. The FUD. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

Because unlike every other vacation I’ve taken, this one doesn’t end with me going back to a 9-5 job, or feeling like I’m escaping from my real life back home for a few weeks… This IS my new real life! And although that sounds dreamy in theory – the reality can be absolutely terrifying. The terror of living your dreams.

How does one prepare for a trip that is a completely open slate of opportunity, possibility and reality?

That’s where the fears and voices come in.

“What if you run out of money?”
“How is your life going to look?”
“How will you maintain all the friendships and relationships with family back home?”
“What if you get severely hurt?”
“What if something happens to your travel partner?”

And the scariest part of this is that the answer to all of these questions is an even bigger fear because of the uncertainty: “I don’t know but together, we’ll figure it out”.

Most people I’ve met are turned away by that much FUD. It takes an incredible amount of TRUST to push through it and believe in yourself enough to know you’ll be okay. It also takes a tremendous amount of TRUST in your partner – knowing that you can lean on him or her when times are tough, and celebrate when times are incredible.

Trust that the money always comes – and that we are smart enough to create money when our savings are enjoyed. Sometimes I feel like a tiger who’s just been uncaged, and now the only thing it wants to do is go back into its cage, because that’s what feels familiar… even though this new life surroundings is so much better. I d

on’t know how to survive in the wild.. There’s no roadmap for the wild.. I’ve built up enough courage to break free but now that I’m here I feel like I’m free falling.. Not knowing what’s going to catch me. Like I’ve jumped out of a plane and I know that the parachute will only take me so far, and after that I have to create my own, but I don’t know how to build one.

What does someone do in a situation like that? You leap, and you have faith. You trust the scary feelings as feelings of terrifying exhilaration of knowing that you’re doing 

something that very few people will ever experience. This is what it means to feel ALIVE. This is what it means to feel free – It’s going to be uncomfortable, it

’s going to be scary as hell – but that’s exactly how it’s supposed to feel. And what will end up happening, is that on the way down, you’ll realize that the parachutes are all an illusion – and you can fly without them. They’re training wheels on your path to truly letting yourself fly free. But on the down fall and taking the first leap – it’s one scary ride down…

So the question really becomes – are you ready to trust yourself? Are you ready to take the leap to live like no one else?