2025 Europe Travel Series: Part 2 of 8
Faith, Fear & the First Step Into the Unknown
Sometimes the Universe doesn’t wait for you to be ready… it just opens the door and says, jump.
I knew this trip would change my life. Deep down, I could feel it… this was the beginning of my becoming… the beginning of a spiritual journey that would test my faith, my courage, and my trust in the unknown.
But even knowing that, I wasn’t fully ready for what that meant. I was ready for the wedding, for the laughter and adventure with friends, for the comfort of being surrounded by people who felt like home.
What I wasn’t ready for was what came after… the solo stretch, the leap into the unknown that would become a spiritual journey.
And yet… that’s exactly why I had to go.
The Call That Started It All
Iceland was always the plan. And honestly, these weren’t just casual friends. They’re people who have pushed me, supported me, and shared some of my favorite memories outdoors… dancing in drum circles, rock climbing, hiking, exploring the kind of nature that makes you forget the norm. We grew close in a real way. They feel like family. So being there for them on their big day was important to me. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
I had already planned to travel to Iceland for my friends’ wedding, but I genuinely didn’t know at first how I was going to pull it off. I knew that, if it’s meant to be, it will be. All I kept saying was, “I’ll manifest it.” And I did… just not the way one would expect.
Before I knew it, my life turned upside down (or did it calibrate?). One day, I had a steady job. And the next, I was being laid off… staring at a future that suddenly felt wide open… slightly terrifying but very exciting at the same time because part of me knew that it was just meant to be this way.
Here’s the thing… sometimes life removes what you think you need to push you toward what you actually need.
I wasn’t sure how I’d afford the trip to Iceland, but when I discovered I could withdraw my 401k, without thinking it twice, I did. It was the only way to stay afloat until I found another job. When I learned that there was a penalty, I thought: “If I’m doing this, I’m going to make it worthwhile.”
“Sometimes life removes what you think you need to push you toward what you actually need.” – Amariliz Gonzalez
The Bold (and Slightly Chaotic) Plan
My original idea, besides the wedding?
A kiteboarding trip for a month.
Saltwater. Wind. Flying. Pure Freedom.
But the costs didn’t make sense… and I didn’t like the idea of bringing all my kiteboarding gear to Iceland and I’m glad I didn’t because our shuttle bus didn’t have the room for it.
Then I had the idea that felt good and aligned.
What if I just… flew somewhere else from Iceland just not a kiteboarding trip?
Plane tickets from Iceland to Europe were surprisingly cheap.
And that’s when the rebellious voice inside whispered:
“Do it. If not now, when?”
So I booked a 27-day solo non-kiting adventure. London, Madrid, and Ireland, right after the wedding.
At first, I felt confident. I knew I was meant for it.
But then… A little terrified.
Excited + Terrified = Growth
Starting out in Iceland with friends was the comfort before the stretch. They were my safety net before the freefall.
We were laughing, celebrating love, soaking in that stunning nature… Guided tours. Waterfalls blasting with power. Geysers shooting into the sky like a boiling water fountains.
And meanwhile, my stomach was doing backflips about London and the rest of my upcoming adventure. Because once that wedding ended, that was it.
No travel buddy.
No one to pick me up.
No one to guide me.
Hostel-style Airbnb with strangers in an unsure place.
No itinerary. No certainty. Just trust.
Just me… a woman with a laptop and suitcase… and a list of what I wanted to see while there. When I get there, I’d have to figure out train, the London Underground subway, buses… and a whole world I didn’t know yet.
My brain kept screaming: “Girl, what are you doing? You’re about to be alone in a country you’ve never been to!” But the part of me that tends to win said: “This is exactly why you’re doing it.”
I knew deep inside that my life needed a real change, and I hadn’t been initiating the changes that it needed. In fact, I knew that I needed to get out of my comfort zone to create real magic… and I hadn’t. I knew that this trip was the beginning, and I didn’t want comfortable anymore. Even more than that, I wanted expansion. I wanted to make my dream come true.
And sometimes expansion feels like panic… until it clicks into power.
The Habit I Needed to Leave Behind
Let me be real… I had been smoking again.
After 2.5 years of being done with that.
Stress entered… and cigarettes followed.
And I hated that feeling. Heavy. Low energy. Out of alignment with who I knew I could be. People smoke cigarettes to help with anxiety, but smoking actually gives you more anxiety, and I could feel it. And yet, I seemed to be harder to quit this time.
But a shift was coming… I could sense it. I didn’t know how or when, but this trip was the start.
It was like my soul said: “We’re not carrying this version of you into your next chapter.”
This Was Me Showing Up for My Life
There was a moment, standing in Iceland, cold air hitting my face, surrounded by people I love, where I just knew… this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Not because I lost a job.
But because I was ready for more.
More courage.
More trust.
More me.
I didn’t have everything figured out.
I didn’t even know what I was walking into.
But I knew one thing: I wasn’t going back to who I was before. This was a death and rebirth, a transformation, and I welcomed it.
So I packed up my nerves, my excitement, my fear, my faith… all of it… and I kept going.
Because the only way to live the life you’re meant to live is… to take the leap before you feel ready. You will never feel ready, that is why you just have to do it.
Magic happens outside your comfort zone anyhow, so I did it.
And Iceland?
Iceland was where I jumped.
For every journey begins with the courage to trust your becoming.
Coming Next in the Series
Part 3 — London: My First True Solo Adventure
→ Where freedom met fear, and adventure became my teacher.
Journal Prompt for You
When was the last time you did something even though you were scared — and how did it change you?
If you’re ready to live more intentionally, explore your inner world, and get into true alignment with what you desire… my Reiki-infused guided journals are here to support your journey.
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If you missed Part 1 of my Europe Travel Series, you can read it here:
Part 1: Iceland: The Beginning of an Adventure →
