I realized this week that one of the activities I find most rewarding can’t be categorized as either a vocation or an avocation. It’s really more of a mission, and until now, a secret one.
It’s simple but big: When given the chance, I will do anything in my power to galvanize people to aim higher, dream bigger, take a leap, make a change, move out of their comfort zones, or move on from a dead-end. Call me the “Enabler for Good.”
It’s probably no coincidence that I’ve incorporated an element of this into Mockingbird. By focusing on less-traveled destinations, I’m encouraging travelers to think outside of their travel box and stretch themselves to explore new parts of the world. Say, for example, Cambodia and Vietnam (ahem). And it’s one of the things I love about helping people plan travel: the opportunity to support them (and provide an extra nudge, when necessary) as they pursue dreams and bucket lists.
My enabling isn’t limited to travel, though. On the fence about starting the non-profit you’ve been thinking about for two years? Not sure if you should quit a boring job to volunteer around the world? Thinking about expanding your business into something you would enjoy more? YES, all of the above.
Those of you who have tried to keep up with my home address in recent years (or read my bio on our website) know that I’m not just talking the talk. I’ve made some big adjustments in my life course over the last six years. While the outcomes of my decisions weren’t always (ever?) what I expected them to be, I wouldn’t go back to the way things were. Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of what my life would look like now if I had stayed the course in 2010 – and I’m freshly reminded of how glad I am that I leaped off the cliff instead. In fact, I wish I’d shaken things up a lot sooner.
So now I’m on a mission to inspire other people to shake things up in their own lives. Whether it’s a vacation or a job or a relationship, you – and your long-term happiness – always deserve the best. Yes, there’s some risk involved. But there’s an even bigger risk in not taking risks: that you’ll spend too many years of your valuable life unhappy, uninspired, or unfulfilled.
If you’re standing at a crossroads, trying to decide whether to make a big change in the direction of something better, I’ll happily be your coach, cheerleader, and fan. Seeing you make that leap is all the reward I need.
Speaking of making a leap, it’s never too late to join Mockingbird on one of our exciting trips! Click here for more information.