I wrote this piece to document a trip that changed my life. This trip may not sound like a big deal to some, but it was a huge step in my healing journey and my fight for freedom. Living outside of my comfort zone has been a struggle for so long. I wanted to write this to encourage myself to keep moving on the days the world feels too big and too scary. I also want to encourage others to live outside of their comfort zones and do the things they once thought impossible for themselves. My motto has become: Do it afraid.

I wrote this piece as a starting point for a memoir I have wanted to write for quite some time. I don’t feel ready to expand on it yet, but writing this has helped me heal and gain control of my narrative. I believe there is so much power in writing and our stories can impact the world around us.

Last fall I was going through a rough time and I was inspired to start gratitude journaling. It sounds so simple, but it changed my mindset. This piece was inspired by different journal entries from last fall until now. This is something I would like to expand on down the road and maybe even add to my memoir.