Every year I create a new goals list on a sheet of paper from whatever notebook is on my desk and pin it to my desk lamp... for the year – fancy, I know. The thought was that I would stare at it every day because of the obvious location, and without fail, I do. In 2021, I gave my goals list a title for the first time ‘A Year of Adventure.’ We were in the thick of Covid lockdowns, it was a ridiculous title given the nature of the world. But I didn’t think twice. Little did I know the adventure that was coming my way, a manifestation of sorts.
I've always had a travel bug and I LOVE airports... said no one ever. But I’m serious! An airport is my happy place. I am fascinated by flying, exploring new cities with no plan is my favorite type of trip. Sidebar – in high school, my amazing Uncle Al said he would take my twin sister and me anywhere in the world for graduation and while most teenagers would pick somewhere warm like Hawaii or the Caribbean, I chose rural Peru. I saw a photo of Machu Picchu online and needed to see it in person. I knew nothing about Peru... we went!
Everything changed when I started working in real estate. My business kept me stationary due to an unreasonable fear that I’d lose clients, or potential business if I ever left town. This fear is something many self-employed business owners face, why we're glued to our cell phones and businesses, often working unreasonable hours. My boundaries didn’t exist, I never thought much about it. The reality is I love real estate and have been blessed with the fact that I don't always feel like I'm ‘working.’
It wasn’t until May of 2021 when a conversation with a stranger led me to question everything I had been doing. My world flipped upside down and I left the conversation with an urge to go back out and travel again. And I did. Something amazing happened, no one hated me. I didn't lose business. I came home refreshed, ready to work and nothing changed. It was a total breakthrough for me, facing a fear that was 6+ years in the making. So, I left town again, and again and again. Little trips to new places, some with friends, some on my own. New York City in the fall, Chicago for my birthday, Los Angeles for a solo weekend, Charlotte, Seattle, and more. All the while, business continued, and homes were bought and sold, 47 that year.
I never saw it coming. There are no words to describe the freedom and happiness travel brought me. My career in real estate changed my world, but a big piece of that world was missing adventure. We often tell ourselves lies when we’re in unfamiliar territory, it is easy to think we can’t do something, picking safety over, well, growth.
Should you be stuck in a rut, or questioning a new endeavor, I challenge you to go for it! Trust yourself, trust that the business will be there. It is true what they say, on the other side of fear is freedom.
All My Best,
Amanda
