#Trust30

One Thing by Colin Wright

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take a moment, step back from your concerns, and focus on one thing: You have one life to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. Sounds simple, but when you really focus on it, let it seep into your consciousness, you realize you only have about 100 years to get every single thing you’ve ever wanted to do. No second chances. This is your only shot. Suddenly, this means you should have started yesterday. No more waiting for permission or resources to start. Today is the day you make the rest of your life happen. Write down one thing you’ve always wanted to do and how you will achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to be very specific in how you’ll achieve it: once you start achieving, your goals will get bigger and your capability to meet them will grow.

Oh my gosh, reading this prompt scared me! My stomach literally dropped. It's morbid, isn't it? I don't think that is the feeling Colin meant to elicit, but it was certainly my reaction. Let's use it as motivation, shall we? To really live every day with the knowledge that we have limited time to fulfill ourselves, to take a step every day that makes us truly happy.

One thing I have always wanted to do -- that I can recall -- is travel. The destination, activities and companions change through the years, but the desire to GO remains. as a kid, my parents took me to the "kid places" like Disney World and amusement parks, but they also took me to actual cultural and natural attractions such as Acadia National Park, Washington DC and museums. They cultivated a curiosity and interest in me to learn about different people, time periods, events, cultures and places.

So, I'm going to be broad here and just say that I want to travel -- not to any specific place -- to learn about this world in which I live. Unfortunately I have limited resources and companions to just up and go, but I realize there are still steps I can take every day, like saving a little bit in a vacation fund.

I would like to take at least one trip a year to somewhere new. I think that is a reasonable goal. If I have to go budget, I'll try camping in a new national park or try staying in a hostel or using Airbnb. Regardless of what I have to do to get there, one new place a year.

Who's with me?

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

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