Any decision you make for your life needs to make sense to one person – you. Sometimes your loved ones will want an explanation for a life-changing decision, and your reason won’t be good enough. Or it simply won’t make sense to them. That’s ok! It doesn’t need to.

For example, I’ve decided to leave my home (where I’ve been for 29 of my 33 years) for a trip to Europe. The plan is to be there for a year, if not longer. I will quit my “great” marketing job before I leave and pursue a career in yoga when I return. The idea is that I wanted to see the world before I made the switch in careers. Crazy, I know!

When I started telling my family & friends, it occurred to me that for the first time in my life I was making a decision for me, by me, and it didn’t make sense to some. Many greeted the news with absolute joy and excitement. Others wanted to offer me advice based on worry. I didn’t take it.

The doubt I was greeted with by some wasn’t new. The difference this time was everything was set for me to carry on. I had the money, and I completed my yoga training. The only thing left to do was break the news to my friends and family.

In the past, whenever I had a life-changing idea based on my happiness I would present it to my family and friends as a hope or dream. Their “loving” doubt about whether I could earn money or support myself discouraged me. And I always caved not moving forward with the idea. For the most part, I was a child doing my best to listen to what the adults in the room were telling me.

I don’t know what’s about to happen with this trip. Overall, I get the doubt. It is a scary idea to go to a country (alone), and without a safe source of income with nothing but the items on my back. Especially when I have security here already. I get it.

Another way of looking at it, this trip could become one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life and exactly what I need. It will lead me to a happier place, a happier life, and a better life than the one I have at the moment. I am leaning to the latter on actually happening.

Always remember – this is your life. YOUR life. Make decisions for YOU, and don’t ever feel the need to explain. Don’t tell anyone until it’s too late. Until you’ve decided to travel the world and purchase the plane ticket. Just an idea.

See you out there.