Very often I feel brave for giving up a dull, but stable future in favor of a more rewarding, but uncertain one. Then, the “what-ifs” start swirling in my brain and I feel more crazy than brave. I suppose the truth is, I am little bit of both–brave and crazy. There are days when I’m so excited I can hardly wait to start my adventures, traveling around the country, leaving most of my material possessions behind, exploring new places, experiencing new things, and meeting new people.

There are other days when I’m filled with a sense of dread. What if I don’t like living on the road? What if I can’t afford it? What if I regret giving up my “things?” What if I’m just kidding myself about being a photographer?

Quite often, I must remind myself that there are no guarantees in life. That staying in a safe situation can also mean stagnation and tedium. That taking a risk, even if I fail, is better than never knowing what could have been. Sometimes, when I tell someone my plans to downsize and go on the road, I see their eyes light up, and they tell me they’ve often dreamed of doing something similar. But they haven’t, and likely won’t, because it’s too scary. When that happens, I often feel very brave for a moment or two, and then I wonder if I’m insane.

Then I think about all the things I would never have seen if it weren’t for my wanderlust. And all the things I have yet to see. And I decide that maybe I am insane. But, no matter how this experiment turns out, it’s something I have to do, or I will forever regret not doing it. Hopefully, all of you reading this blog can come along and join me. Maybe live vicariously through my adventures, big and small. If it’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but weren’t quite crazy enough, maybe you can tell me how brave I am.

Or at least remind me that being crazy isn’t always a bad thing!