"Wow you're so brave travelling by yourself." "Thanks, I am also scared."
This is a conversation I've had many times. People see the courage but rarely the fear that comes with it.
Had I succumbed to fear from others or my own doubts, I would not have embarked on solo travel. I would not have left my comfortable life in England nearly two years ago. I would not have continued journeying when circumstances became challenging.
Fear and courage are not opposites. They are companions. You cannot have courage without first having fear. The brave act is not the absence of fear — it's the decision to move forward despite it.
Every meaningful experience I've had in my life existed on the other side of fear. Moving countries. Teaching my first yoga class. Leading my first retreat. Sharing my poetry with strangers. Starting over. Again and again.
Growth doesn't happen in comfort. It happens in the space between what you know and what you don't. In the trembling hands and racing heart. In the moment you say "yes" before you feel ready.
Grow THROUGH fear. Not around it. Not away from it. Through it.