Earlier today, a friend and I took to Facebook for a virtual pow wow on our creative pursuits. A recent change to my freelance hours due to budget cuts (yes, again) have left me a teeny bit uncertain about what direction to take things in and moments like these often lead me to toy with idealistic dreams.
"If you could live and do anything anywhere, where and what would that be?" I asked her.
As writers who yearn to travel the globe, we both mentioned moving overseas and working for ourselves. I don't know if it's because of all the traveling I've been doing or because I want a different pace of life and scenery to shake things up, but I've been growing tired of New York City. Thirty years and I admit I've yet to scratch the surface on all it has to offer, but seeing the same sights, walking the same streets, and feeling the constant push and pull is wearing out my soul.
"The boredom comes from knowing you could be doing more to fulfill your purpose," she said. "So what is stopping us?"
To this I listed three options: fear of failure, fear of success, and fear of giving up the life you've grown accustomed to. My poison is the last: it's scarier to give up the habits and life I've become comfortable with - even though they're not so satisfying - for something unknown. But like my friend was quick enough to remind me, there is also something exciting to be found in uncertainty.
Would you ever leave pieces of your current life behind for the chance to create something different elsewhere?
Image: viensmangerunecroquette.tumblr.com