When time-out looks like a challenge...
tackle it like any other.
There is never a perfect time to take an extended break. There is always a seemingly good reason to delay, shorten or simply keep it as a pipe dream. In May, I took the plunge and and boarded a plane to Santiago, Chile to pursue my long awaited adventure to South and Central America.
Making the decision to leave was not an easy one, even though some may think it would be. I mean who wouldn't want to spend time abroad travelling? Some observers assumed there must have been something wrong for me to take some time away, in fact that couldn't be further from the truth. I have been very fortunate to find myself in a position to have the financial resources and support network, both personal and professional, to help me take this step.
Exploring entrepreneurship through both One10 and pixelx designs made me rethink the status quo. I was already aware that there was more to life than just doing what I was supposed to do. The question then became: what is holding me back from taking some time out for myself, to follow my passions?
What was holding me back? Why hadn't I booked that ticket? Ultimately, the truth is I was scared. Scared to take this leap, to pause, reflect and spend such a significant amount of time focused on growing myself, recharging and reenergising.
Without meaning to I can let sensible Emma get the better of me. So many iterations of worst case scenario rocked through my head: from losing everything I cared about, to not making it back, and everything in between.
But then - what happens when the tables are turned? Am I going to look back 2, 10 or 20 years from now and wish I'd seized the opportunity whilst I had it in my grasp. That is a regret that I don't want to experience.
At the end of the day I chose to step out past the fear. I thought, it's not about what I can't do, but rather what I can do. I can buy the ticket and step on that plane. I can seize the moment and challenge myself in new ways making the most of the opportunities at hand and seize them.
Challenging that fear has been rewarding so far meeting new people, exploring new cultures and above all observing new perspectives and ideas. I look forward to sharing some of these stories with the One10 community as I keep travelling.
