My fear: Started when I went to trade school. I had no real direction in life, i just knew that I was expected to go to school, get a job, get a car, buy a house, etc.
After 2 1/2 years of transportation school, I finally landed a job with Southwest Airlines at Reagan National in DC. I lived about 9 miles away from work. I had no car, so I had to bike through whatever conditions arose. Shoot, one day the snow was up to my knees. It almost took me 2 hours to get to work that week. Anyway, I loved SWA. They are truly a great company to work for but it wasn't for me. Working 16 hours a day, getting only $10 an hour, paying $1400 for a tiny studio apt. I was basically working my ass off for free. I had nothing to show for it. I became more depressed than ever.
I made a promise to myself that I would never put myself in a position where I felt 'stuck' in life. I've always wanted to travel, see mountains, wildlife. ..so i decided to ride my bicycle to the end of Colorado (Fruita, CO).
April 2015 I sold all of my stuff, literally EVERYTHING. Got rid of the studio, and slept under an old belt loader and ate nothing but those nasty pretzels and peanuts for 2 1/2 months until i saved enough to quit and start my adventure.
My Love: Began the day I finally left. Brought a few psirs of clothes, a tent, and a Felt F90 road bike converted into a touring bike. I got to see America at its finest. Camped out on mountains, farms, graveyards, seen just about every animal you can think of and ALL SORTS of interesting people. I felt like a celebrity when I'd stop at a gas station or a McDonald's because everyone would ask what I was doing. When I told them, they thought I was insane. People would ask for my number, website, they'd invite me inside their homes for dinner or just to talk about our lives. I have stories for days.
Took me 30 days to reach Fruita, but that was the most meaningful 30 of my entire life and wouldn't trade that experience for a million dollars. As corny as it sounds, I really did learn that its not about status, money, or impressing people with your jobs. The people you meet, the things you see and go through, the relationships you make with these people, they are the things that allowed me to finally believe that life is truly a gift that should not be taken lightly. It is. ot something that should be confided to a job, a cell, or any specific location. I'm in control of MY life, not the mighty dollar.
I eventually moved to Sacramento, and on my way to create a mobile business.
In conclusion, fear was a great motivator for me to find what I truly love in life. Fear is as much of a friend to me as love is. -Brandyn