We often talk about where we want to go.
But we don’t always talk about what’s holding us back from getting there.
In conversations with prospective travelers—whether students, friends, or professionals—the same barriers tend to surface:
“It’s not the right time.”
“I don’t know anyone else going.”
“What if it’s uncomfortable?”
“What if I don’t belong?”
And of course, the big one:
*What if I can’t justify the cost?”
These are real questions. Real fears. And yet, beneath them, I’ve come to believe there’s often something else: a longing. Not just to travel, but to travel differently —with purpose, with heart, with meaning.
The kind of journey that changes more than your scenery.
In my own life, the most transformative travel moments didn’t come from perfect timing or a carefully controlled itinerary. They came when I leaned into the unknown—despite discomfort, uncertainty, or doubt.
Saying yes to leading a faculty-led study abroad program years ago changed the entire trajectory of my work. Creating Off the Beaten Path came with risk and vulnerability, but also joy, alignment, and impact I couldn’t have imagined.
And time after time, I’ve seen travelers—many who were unsure at first—return home changed. Braver. Clearer. More connected. Not because everything went smoothly, but because they went anyway. Because they said YES!
“You don’t need to see the whole path. You just need the courage to take the first step.”
So, what holds us back from traveling differently? Fear, yes. Finances, sometimes. But more often, it’s the quiet story we tell ourselves that we’re not ready yet.
Here’s the truth: You don’t have to wait for everything to be perfect. The perfect time may never come. What matters is your readiness to engage, to grow, to be changed.
If you’ve been thinking about joining a journey—whether it’s across the globe or something closer to home—maybe this is your invitation.
The courage to go doesn’t mean the fear disappears. It means you say yes anyway.
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