Before I Leave

The countdown truly has begun. On June 28th, 4:00 PM, I'm officially off to St. Petersburg, Russia for a month. But before I leave, I'd like to share a new mindset I've developed over the last couple of months. Changing the way I think has been crucial in who I've become as a person. I'm hoping this will help my readers in one way or another.

Probably the most important thing I've learned is to live in the present; not the past or the future. While planning ahead is extremely important, it shouldn't be your main focus. Along with that, always enjoy the little things. That cup of coffee or book you're reading, savor it and take in every little detail. Most people will be shocked in how many of those amazing little details they are actually missing. The cliche phrase, "Stop and smell the roses" is one of the most truthful things someone has ever said to me. Similar to this idea, I've come to the realization that life is too short to not enjoy the little things. We only have one life, why not try and make the best of it? 

For the longest time, I looked at the glass as being half empty. I thought being a cynic was the only way to think about the bigger picture. On the contrary, this couldn't be farther from the truth. I've found that maintaining a positive outlook on life is essential to being happy. Sure, we all have moments where we feel down and don't want to get back up. But, it's important to get back up and keep pushing forward. In truth, I never was awarded anything for being a cynic. Nothing positive came along and changed my life. However, ever since I've become an optimist an unbelievable amount of positive things have come into my life. I promise the same will happen for you. 

Finally, I've officially decided to always follow my heart in things I want. If there is something out there you truly want, go for it. I'll agree that it is important to use your mind in making decisions. At the end of the day however, listen to your heart. There have been many occasions where I listened exclusively to my mind and ended up missing out on an amazing experience. Ultimately, my heart told me I should go on this trip. It was something I truly wanted to do. And what do you know? I'm actually doing it. All I can tell you is make the leap! Everybody deserves to have what they truly want.

Before I end this post, I'd like to say that my letter series will continue. Most likely once I return from Russia. For the time being, I'll constantly update this blog with pictures and posts about my experiences abroad. I'm hoping to inspire everyone to go out and see what the world has to offer. 

Until next time, 

Colby