What a fantastic year. We sit holding hands on the white sandy beach. In front of us the turquoise sea. The sun rose an hour ago and immersed the sky in breathtaking orange and red tones. Today is New Year’s Eve and at the turn of the year, we’re celebrating our new life for the third time.
We have been traveling the world for three wonderful years. Like every of these last three best years of our life, we look forward to the turn of the year with one weeping and one laughing eye. The sorrowing eye sees another year of our life pass by. The laughing eye looks back at a year full of life and interesting encounters, adventures, and discoveries.
A year full of love and friendship, tears and laughter, hundreds of sunsets, kisses in different countries, wildly romantic nights in nature, amazement and enthusiasm. We had health problems, were rescued from the wilderness, were welcomed by friends and strangers when we needed help, witnessed the #blacklifematters birth in Minneapolis, lost money setting up a company, experienced a pandemic in many countries on two continents, were threatened by corrupt police officers with the gun and we mourned with friends. And we are grateful for that.
There is no point in arriving
This year, our third year on the road, we heard more and more statements from friends and family: “You have to arrive someday to somewhere”. What they actually meant was “When do you finally stop with this sloppy life” or “When do you look for a real-life again”.When people like us find the courage to try something new, we threaten other people. Good people, sensible people, people we have trusted for years. Our ambitions remind these people of the pain of their own missings. We are mocked by these people and the target of joking. We are poked and questioned. And for a very brief moment, people like us think about if it was the right decision. Stop! No matter what it is, it was and is a good decision.
Every good idea, every good project, every change is offensive to someone.
Every good idea, every good project, every change is offensive to someone. This is the nature of change. Everything new means change. And change is dangerous because it collides with what is certain and known. Remember: if you find the courage to try something new, it says that the old is not fulfilling you. And that’s criticism for all those who stay behind.
These people become defensive and aggressive. A few passive-aggressive jokes are quickly shot in your direction and hundreds of good reasons are found why you should reconsider. What they really mean is: “When you challenge the old, you challenge ME. ” Dreamzappers, as we call such people, are everywhere – they can be found at work, in your family, and often in your bed.
It’s up to you to be yourself
And under the pressure of this circle of friends and family, we get small and we think again. And a whispering voice inside of you is telling you: Maybe they are right, maybe we should “play it safe”, or “sit it out” or “be thankful for what we have”. By the way, this is the worst advice ever. Worldwide. Being grateful for what you have is why so many of us stay in a job we hate, stuck in a relationship that makes us sick, and in a boring and uninspired existence that we call life.
It is not always easy to follow your dream. It’s not easy to trust yourself or make bold decisions that friends and family disagree with. It is not easy to live your life by your own rules. It’s not easy to throw up your arms and say “Yayyyy, I’m quitting my job and I’m going to travel the world” or “Yayyy, I’m going to open a flower shop in Southern France and serve my customer’s raw cakes” or “Yaayyy, I’ll be a writer” or Musician or photographer or – you get the point. Even though we live in an age where all of this is possible, most people drift through life desperately trying not to get a serious illness.
And we have to tell you: Nobody out there judges you and lights the way for you. Not the great committee of good and bad actions, no God, not the universe, and most certainly not your family. It’s up to you to be yourself.
As it turned out, a radical self-perception and confidence changed everything for us. We set out from an everyday, uniform life to find ourselves today in the best and most wonderful version of ourselves. And we are grateful for this and set off into the fourth year of our new life – full of adventure.
We strongly believe that you dare to be you. Happy New Year.
Hi, my name is Jürgen. Most know me as Jay. I know, this can be confusing. My new name was caused by hundreds of Starbucks cups, all labeled with different names. I have never encountered life as powerfully as it has in recent years and I should not be surprised that I have left behind the realm of quick and impersonal business and conforming to society’s expectations. I swapped my jacket for hiking clothes and shorts, the aftershave for bug spray, and my car for a camper.
