This is my favorite passage from one of the best books I’ve ever read. The bold parts are the ones that really stood out to me and made me think: “I’d like to repeat the advice that I gave you before, in that I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, …

These are some personal notes I reworked from my journal + some beautiful photos I took this past week. I take three deep breaths, clench and unclench my trembling hands, and repeat the mantra that has been circling through my head for days, “The world is a beautiful place and I am no longer afraid to die.” For two years I’ve missed out on countless incredible opportunities because my anxiety controlled me. This year the anxiety became so bad there were a lot of days where I couldn’t even leave my house. I put myself in a tiny box and tightly sealed the lid, allowing myself to stay in the abyss of my comfort zone. Coming from a family that travels a lot, I struggled to keep up with the outgoing mindset everyone had about all the activities we would do while on these trips. As a result, I would just insist everyone should go ahead because I wanted to practice my ukulele or go for a walk. Endless excuses spilled out like ink on a piece of paper. My …