Honest Thoughts

Only two weeks until I head to Georgia and start the AT! I am super excited, but I am also anxious.  Anxious? Despite this being a lifelong dream? Yes! There are nagging questions that pop up every now and then.

 What if I don't finish? Is that a failure? 

I have invested a lot of time, energy, and money into this. I quit a good job. I have opened myself up to friends, family, strangers even. This is actually a huge deal for me. Making this public is a huge commitment. There's no going back. I don't want to disappoint them, and I don't want to disappoint myself.

There's a reason many people don't finish the AT. It's freaking hard as shit. So I think it's at least a bit realistic to think about what happens if I don't reach Katahdin. I don't dwell on these thoughts, but I'd be lying if I said I don't battle this swarm of pesky gnats from time to time. But I refuse to give in to anxiousness. I refuse to listen to negativity. I refuse to wallow in doubt.

Being paralyzed by fear is not an option. 

I may have fears, but it would kill me not to go after my dream. To me, that is the failure.

If I don't finish, I will be disappointed and frustrated. I will feel lost and uncertain. I will feel an immense loss of time, money, and effort wasted. But I will know that I gave it my all in pursuit of my dream. 

I don't see myself coming off the trail, barring severe illness or injury. However, I do know I will have low moments where I just want to come home. 

Don't let me do that!

Already the response I have received is overwhelmingly encouraging. People are inspired by my journey, and that's exactly why I started this blog. I want to encourage you to discover the life within the beauty of pursuing your dream.

Are there fears trying to hold you back? How are you battling them? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!