“Taking the road less traveled is a good start, but you can also build your own road.”
– Chris Guillebeau, The Art of Non-Conformity
A couple of years ago, I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii, having never been there before. It was hands down one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In late April of this year, I moved to London, having never been to the UK before. It’s only been a short time, but I am full of possibility as I write this.
Along the way, I would inevitably get the questions: But do you know anyone there? Do you have someone you can call? I know these questions come from a genuine place of caring. Wanting to know that there is some measure of safety near me, some already-in-place community that I can turn to for help if needed.
There is something in me at the moment that revels in leaning into the unknown, embracing that which I have never done before. I say hello to my fear of change and shake its hand.
And what I have discovered along the way is that there are people all around the globe ready and willing to be welcoming, loving forces, whether I knew them before or not. I may not have known anyone on the Big Island before getting there, but I most definitely have a community there now whom I love and treasure. And the seeds have just been planted in London, but they’re already starting to sprout here and there.
Safety nets can be good things. Already started paths or paved roads can be comforting. But don’t set aside the thought of forging your own road out of fear. That road may be a physical move, an idea for a business, a novel way to approach a project, or countless other things. And who knows? If you shake hands with your fear and build your own road, something really surprising and awesome just might appear.
