A unique story about how traveling alone abroad can change your perspective and goals on life. This is my journey into a new world of experience and rejuvenating my focus on life and business. Making a dream board from dream to reality.

1. Alone in Iceland
After36 yearson earth I realizedIhave livedalotlessthanI have beenliving.I sometimesfeelI have
beengoingwiththe flow withoutanyresistance tothe day-to-daygrind.Like abackseatdriver, youare
capable of makingchoicesaboutyourdestinationbut holdyourself lessresponsible if youcrash. In
otherwords,you can eitherbe alongforthe ride or youcan drive the bus.
Decisionneeded
In 2016 I needed tomake a change inmy life butwasnot sure where tobegin. One SaturdaymorningI
sat lookingata newly-constructeddreamboardI’dcreatedforwhatI wantedto happenin 2017.
I was alsoreviewingmy2016 dreamboard, onthat board wasa picture andcaptionthat read,“travel
more.”That is a commondreamor resolutionmanypeoplemake,Iamsure. The picture on my board
was of the colorful roofsReykjavikinIceland. Thispicture hadobviously inspiredme atone pointinmy
life.
As I lookedatthe colorful rooftops, Irealizedthe change inmylife needed tobe me.Iknew whatI
wantedtodo, but nevercommitted todoingit.AsIstared at the dreamboard, I realizedIhadto make a
change in mylife thatday. The previous dayshadall beenthe same and I knew Ineededsomething
newfortomorrow.
Action taken
I bookedmytripto Icelandin fewerthanforty minutes.Flight,bus,andstayinReykjavikwere all
planned.Ileftthe restunplanned;tobe figuredout whenIarrived atmy hostel.Ishutoff my computer
for twenty-fourhours.Ihadto or I wouldhave cancelledmy reservations. There wasavoice inmymind
tellingme Iwascrazy. It wasfear frommy subconsciousrealizingitwasnot incharge.I had taken
control and gone outside mycomfortzone. Itwas to thisday one of the mostmeaningful decisionsI
have made inmy life.
Each morning,leadingupto the trip I feltbetteraboutmyself andbecame more excited.Iwasstill
nervous, of course,butexcitementwaswinning.Iknew Ineededthisinmylife anditwasgoodfor me.
It was a feelingthatbroughtanticipation tomylife everyday.
Arrival
I arrivedinIceland planningtostayforfour days.I researchedthe thingsIwoulddo there buthad yetto
committo any of themuntil I hadarrived.I decided tosee the Blue Lagoon,the northernlights,and
walkup anddownthe streetsof Reykjavikenjoyingthe nightlife. Iplannedonspendingalotof time
sightseeing.
Beingthere alone openedmyeyesto new people,experiences,andideas.Itmade me vulnerable ina
wayI had to overcome.Ihad setmy mindto remove myfearsandmy introvertpersonalitytraitsas
much as possible onthistrip.
I was determinedtobe okay withoutaplanwhere most people wouldinsistonhavingone.Iwantedto
prove no matterwhatthat I was capable of beingalone;somethingI’dhadlittle experience with.

2. The trip wasa success.Imade a solotripto Icelandwhere Iwalkedatleast thirtymilesbackandforth
throughReykjavikenjoyingthe city.Iwentto the Blue Lagoonand sat inthe crystal blue water.I saw the
geysersandblackbeaches. Climbedavolcano andset footon the volcaniclavapaths.
I walkedacrossa glacier.Watchedthe northernlightsglow overme while enjoyingthe cool crispairof
the inland. Imetfour incredibletravelers whoinspiredme toreachnew heights. Istayedina hostel
(whichIwill neverdoagain). Istoodbetweentwocontinentplatesthatare slowlydriftingapart.
The journeywasmuch lessthe destination,butthe actof beingalone and exposedtofearsIhadabout
myself. IprovedIcould trekup a glacierand walkinto tendifferentbars andmake conversationinevery
place I went.Sonow the questionIcouldn’tstopaskingmyself was, whatelse amIcapable of?
Thisexperience changedwhoIwasand how I thoughtaboutmy future.Itchangedmy ideaof whoI
wantedtobe. It was an excitingandwelcomedfeelingtosaythe least. If youhad to picture a near-
deathexperience where youwake upandrealize yourlife canendatany moment,yourealize youhave
to make the bestof everyday.Goingto Icelandandexperiencingitthe wayI didwas as close tothat
experience asIthink a person can get.
Comingback toBuffaloI foundmyself proudertotalkwithpeople aboutmyexperience.A humblesmile
came overme whenI foundanopportunitytotell mystoryof mytrip to Iceland. Ihad a sense of pride
whenpeople discoveredIwentthere alone.
That trip startedme on a newpath.It’s interestingtothinkajourneyends andstarts a new journey at
the same time but that iswhathappened tome.
In a businesssense Iknownowthistripplacedme ona road of exploration.The tripopened mymindto
newideasandbeing more certainof my own.My confidence was higher, andmysense of adventure
was revived.AsayoungermanagerIremember havingloftyideasof makingadifference whereI
worked.Asmytime at workwenton I startedfeelingsafe and didn’ttake chances. Ididn’tspeakup,
where inthe earlierpartof my career, I wouldhave. Thiswas all paintingapicture of my future self and
he was becomingcomplacent.
Icelandwarmedapart of me that I thoughtwas longgone.Itbrightenedmylife justasthe Northern
Lightshad on that chillyhill outinthe middleof nowhere.Itwarmed andcomfortedme like that
eveninginthe warmcrystal-clearblue lagoon. Climbingaglacierandvolcanoremindedme of the
heightsIusedto climbto. Before I came to IcelandI wasgrowingmore contentwithjustdoingthe
average. People Imetinspiredthoseexciting”whatif”thoughtsthatI usedto have all the time. The trip
to Icelandshowedme thattravel andexperience isthe onlypurchase thatmakesusricher.