Fear

 The first, and crucial (in the sense that you can't skip it), step in any truly worthwhile endeavor is fear. Planning my Grand Tour is no exception. In fact, the reason I became aware that I needed to leave my comfortable home here in Denver and set out on the road is because the fear reached such a fever pitch that I could no longer ignore it. I was so afraid to leave that it cast a negative shade on everything.

That sounds a bit troubling and disturbing, and it is. A healthy response to fear might be to channel it into the excitement that one is expected to feel, and I do feel excitement. But I also feel that uncomfortable sense of anticipation that screams in my ear, "What are you doing? Are you sure about this??" And that's just how it is with me at the moment.

That said, I'm not leaving because of fear, I'm leaving because of the awareness of fear and specifically, the awareness that I can't let it rule my life. The static makes it harder to hear the music, but the music is still playing and there to be heard. And from experience, doing the thing you're afraid of, facing that fear, eliminates the static and allows excitement and enthusiasm to come with their full force!