The Process

It isn't achieving the goal, but the process of working to a goal that will change you.

I've heard something to this affect a hundred times. I tend to listen to motivational speeches when I go to the gym. It's great for my mental and physical health but this particular shred of knowledge is a reoccurring theme.

Since making the decision to go on megatrip it's startling to reflect on how much I've changed. The most noticeable is in attitude of being able to achieve goals. As I mentioned in an earlier post, for years, I questioned whether or not I could make a trip like this happen. I realized that I could make it happen, and what's more is that it's pretty simple to do! I even find myself experiencing a pang of irritation when I talk to people about my trip and I hear "I wish I....." or "if only I could......" or "it's too late....." In keeping with having civil conversation I tell the person that they can achieve it, whatever 'it' is. I resist the desire to scream how it's possible and go into motivational speaker mode, but I have this forum. It's so possible, and very simple. It's not necessarily easy, but it's simple. You must be focussed on what you want and just make it a priority. For the last 2 years I've de-prioritized eating lunch out, buying clothing, buying toys, and making other purchases that I would normally otherwise make.

As a result of my prioritizing I am now 10 days away from making my biggest adventure and one of my life goals a reality. Hasn't always been easy, but it's been amazingly simple. Whatever the goal you work towards, it is the process not the goal itself that will transform you.

Why do this trip?

Why do it?

That is the question that was always one of the first when people find out that I will travel the world.

I've had a number or responses to this question such as: Why not?,  I want an adventure, I think it would be fun, and many other typical answers.

When I get right down to the true essence of my reason to travel it's hard to put into words. I want to see things I've never seen, taste food I've never tasted, meet people I would never otherwise meet. I want to come out with stories that are beyond imagination. I want to feel the extremes of the human experience and push myself in all kinds of ways. Through it all I want to create memories that will transform me and change the way I see the world.

One more thing, I want to be one of the most interesting people I know. I realize that might sound a bit strange, but it's true. Everyone's relationship with themselves is crucial. If you took a 3rd party look at yourself asked some questions and answered honestly I think you should like your answers. Do you like yourself? Like hanging out with yourself? Would you be friends with you? Would you find you interesting? Would you be inspired by you?

Hopefully this is some food for thought, even if it's food you've never tasted before.

Travel

What does the word 'Travel' mean to you? 6 little letters and it explodes with meanings, ideas, hopes, memories, excitement, anxiety, dreams, melancholy and plenty more.

When I think about travelling and how the definition of that word has evolved for me over the years its a pretty remarkable word. As a child it meant being on my bike and going somewhere. When I got a bit older it meant extended car rides to spend time with friends or family (many childhood road trips). Later, I felt the word became a tool that I was inspired by, hearing and seeing cousins and others going on long trips abroad and the impact these trips had on them. One of my great learnings came when I realized that travel can be whatever you choose it to be (a trip to Montreal was especially key for this). Eventually I realized that travel can be limitless. Seeing people spend months or even years at a time travelling was pretty amazing to learn about. One constant, regardless of the age or travelling experience is that there is/was always a feeling of freedom.

Freedom is what defines travel for me now.

There is something utterly intoxicating about the idea of travelling. Even if you don't go on a trip, just thinking about the possibilities about what a trip can be, as small as a weekend away, is exciting. The laughs to be shared, the treats to be tasted, the weather to soak up, the experiences to try, the memories to be made. Even that last sentence right there probably sparked something in your mind as you read it. Travel is that powerful.

About 7 years ago I had a boss at a practicum who told me about the time she and her partner took one year off from their regular lives and travelled the world. One of them quit their job the other took a leave, they packed up their belongings and poof! they travelled the world. When I think back to key moments that shaped my ideas of travel this one shifted something within me. I had been intrigued and inspired by many other people's travels but this one more so. I think what really changed me was not only the scope but the apparent ease it was done with. Just pack up and go? don't worry about work? leave it all behind? is it that easy?

For the following 5 years I had a debate in my mind about the idea of 'travelling the world'. On the one hand it seemed so easy. Simply decide to do it and then do it. No more to it than that. On the other hand you had the 'what abouts'. What about the money? What about the people in my life? What about taking that much time? what about the things I currently enjoy doing, am I willing to sacrifice them? This argument simmered in my mind for a long time but really ramped up when I got my current job and the option of taking a leave from work presented itself. I would be able to save money and have a job to come back to. That cancelled off a few of my biggest 'What Abouts' but the debate still lingered.

There was so much that appealed about travelling and yet I still had so much in my mind convincing me that I couldn't do it or wasn't ready to do it. At one point I actually printed out the application for taking a leave at work and it sat on my desk for over a year blankly staring at me. I would hear stories about travel, read quotes, see articles, all of which was slowly increasing my desire. Then, by exposing myself to all the media about the benefits of travel the scales started to tip. The first was seeing a picture my sister posted on facebook. It basically said that the only thing stopping you from reaching your goals is the bullshit excuse you tell yourself. Very direct, and so true. There really was nothing holding me back. The second real shift happened reading an article about travelling benefits and the point that hit home was about how when you're older you won't remember the new pair of shoes you bought, you'll remember the adventures you had. My 'What Abouts' were slowly fading but these 2 moments along with all the smaller ones weren't enough, the debate still went on.

One day, maybe a month after reading the article about what you will remember when you're old I was sitting on my couch and it hit me. I knew with the time I needed if I were to do a trip of that scale that I needed to act soon, because if I didn't do it soon, it wasn't going to happen. Right then and there I decided that I was going to do it. I was going to travel around the world. What surprised me is the conviction I had in the decision, there wasn't even a doubt in my mind. I couldn't even tell you what about that moment triggered such a decisive decision. Of course, the decision was ruminating in my mind for years, but in that moment the concept shifted from an idea into a goal. That happened about a year and a half ago. As I write this I am 83 days away from departing on a 6 continent trip around the world using a 9 month leave from work to do it.

As I've been planning, at time I've felt overwhelmed and anxious but I've also been completely thrilled at the idea. The fact that this is happening is so exciting and I've never felt this level of freedom. anything is possible, to go anywhere is possible, to do absolutely anything is possible. I just needed to stop with the excuses.

capturing moments

A rare blog post. What the heck, I'm in the mood to tell a story.
 So tonight at dance I had one of those rare, awesome, special moments while teaching. These types of moments I've only experienced a handful of times as a teacher and the moments that every teacher/choreographer wishes they could capture all the time.
 I was presenting a new song, a new dance, a new costume idea to my class of teenage dancers. I could go into why this is an important moment, how opinionated students can be sometimes, how I feel like students don't understand the power of their words or just how much teachers actually care about their students but I will save all that. In this particular moment as I explained my idea, in its entirety, my students were excited.
 Let me be more clear, the students were thrilled at the concept I was going for. Everyone of them were excited to the point that they were smiling throughout, working hard, and expressing their desire to just learn more and more. It's hard to put into words just how powerful of a moment it is as a teacher and as a choreographer. This isn't specific to teaching dance either. Anybody who has lead any group for any length of time knows how special of a moment it is: when every single person you are leading not only buys in to what it is your wanting to give/teach/sell etc. but are genuinely excited about what you're giving/asking them and are eager to work their ass of for you to make your idea a reality. To have a group of people passionately support you and help you achieve something. well, that's just something special.
 I'm not sure if this brief story really does it justice but I thought I'd share.
 As an aside to this story, I obviously am writing on a blog I don't normally write on and in logging on tonight I see a comment was left on a post I made over 2 years ago. an anonymous student commented on how I helped them referencing my post about leaving KDA. I haven't worked there for some time and I don't even know who wrote it, but it sure makes me happy and feel like I'm doing something right.
 It's been a good day.

demo week

You know those days when you feel your mortality? you can feel that you're getting older, can't stay out as late, can't jump as high, run as fast, remember a name etc. I feel this almost daily as I look myself in the mirror and see the slow but unmistakable transition I am going through to become Frank (my dad). My forehead is getting bigger and my "yeaah gang" face is becoming more prominent. As I write this I am sitting in a dance class being run by another teacher. It's demo week which basically means that this is the one class a year that the parents and grandparents and whoever else who wants to come watch gets to come and watch in the front of the room and smile and watch and take photos. Today I feel my age! back in my day demo week featured me wearing some very bright, and noticeably tight, biking spandex shorts and these were the classes that had the pictures taken of which I still get to see. The biggest difference in demo week from when I did it to when these kids are doing it? when it was my demo week my dad would lug out the camcorder (which was the size of a small suitcase), set up the tripod, and then hook it up to the VCR so that it recorded!. he brought all of this to dance class and took up a small area of the room. by todays standards he would look like he was doing a national broadcast for monday night football! There is a grandmother sitting next to me who is filming her grand daughters ballet class on an iphone. grandmas is smiling, the child is gesturing over to her and trying to get noticed by teacher. Yes, I feel my age and see huge differences in technology but the experience of demo week seems to be fully intact and alive. why couldn't you just have used an iphone dad?

how old are you?

I was at work the other day and a co-worker of mine shared a story about some 20-somethings that she had encountered. this got me thinking about our ages and how we describe them. if we don't want to say the specific age of someone or of ourselves there is any easy way to be close without being specific. we will use the age group of 40-50 year olds. if someones age falls right ont he even decade (30,40 50) then thats easy we use that as their name. 41-43...early 40's. 44-46 mid 40's. 47-49 late 40's. so using this formula I am in my mid 20's. this of course, is not perfect science. if you don't knwo the specific age of the person you are referring to then you are probably guessign in which case if you guess young, chances are the person you are referring to will be pleased. if you guess too old, well then thats your mistake. and this my friends, you can take to the bank.

backing in

most people who have driveways or parking spots to park their car at the end of the day do not have the luxury or having a "drive through" spot. you need to stop in your garage, stall, or spot. In the morning when it is time to drive again you must back out your vehicle and start your day. How come hardly anyone backs in when parking? either way at some point you're going to have to drive in reverse. I try to back in when parking. here is why, 1) when you hop in your car and just start driving it feels bad ass to just go. 2) sometimes (or often, if you're like me and wait till the last minute) you're in a rush and you can save some precious seconds by not having to back out. nobody ever arrives home in a rush, but lots of people leave in a rush. so I ask you world, why don't more people back in when parking?