This is me in Paris of this year. I went to Rome for 10 days (with a side trip to Venice, Florence and Pisa) and spent 5 days in Paris. What a wonderful and memorable trip!
It was a trip of a lifetime, especially since I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would have a chance to go to Europe. You see, travelling to Europe was something that other people did, not me.
Other people can just decide to jet off to Europe and have a vacation. I didn’t think that visiting Europe was in my future, after all, I’ve only done a limited amount of travelling to a couple of cities in Canada and the US. Plus, I’m too busy paying bills to afford an expensive trip overseas.
I made it happen though. I didn’t let the fact that I hadn’t done extensive travel before or that I had never been to Europe before stop me.
A friend was going and even though I wasn’t invited, I made it happen. I found the money. I booked the time off work. I invited myself along for the trip 
I knew that I had to take advantage of this opportunity and not let it pass me by.
Who knows when I would ever get the opportunity again? I couldn’t afford not to go.
I was letting my past influence my future. Because I had never done it before, I didn’t think it was something that I could do. It was for other people, not me.
Just because it wasn’t something that I ever had done in the past, I wasn’t letting that stop me from going to Rome and Paris. No way!
I needed this experience to build upon. I knew that if I could do this, then I could go to other places, too. Other places wouldn’t be as scary and unknown. If I did it once, then I could do it again. And, again. Confidence builds upon confidence.
Do you think that going to Europe for vacation is for other people, like I did? Small city people don’t go on vacation to Europe, after all. That’s for young, fit, backpackers or for seniors with money. Not for people like me.
What have you always wanted to do in your life?
What is holding you back?
We need to shift our mindset and say “If they can do it, then so can I!”
It doesn’t matter what your limiting belief is, if someone on this planet has done something that you want to do, then you can do it, too. There are over 6 billion people on the planet. Do you really believe that you are the only one in your sitation and in your circumstance?
Lose 100 pounds? Someone has done that, too.
Go back to school at 45? Someone has done that, too
Have a child at 40? Someone has done that, too
Get married at 50? Someone has done that, too
Go to Europe for vacation? I’ve done that!
Change careers at 35? 45? 60? Someone on this planet has done that, too.
I take comfort in that I my situation is not unique. Somewhere out there, there is someone similiar to me who has already done or is in the process of doing what I want to do, too.
If they can do it, then so can I! So can you!
When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened. – John M. Richardson Jr.
Don’t let your past limit your future. Every day is a clean slate that you can fill with whatever you want.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. A cliche, I know, but it’s also very true. You already have within you all the skills and knowledge that you need to figure things out.
Your past does not have to determine your future. Don’t let it hold you back from whatever you want out of life.
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Good for you! I hope you enjoyed it, and had some decent weather? Unfortunately the picture doesn’t suggest that too much
Hi Charles,
The weather in Rome was very hot in September. Paris was cold, we wore jackets. It’s suprising how much different the weather was between the two cities at the same time. It was a cloudy day when we went up the Eiffel Tower and when that picture was taken.
Seeing the Sistene Chapel, the Roman ruins, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican in Rome was simply amazing. Being able to view the original David in Florence was also a surreal moment. As was seeing the Mona LIsa, Venus de Milo, Rodin’s Thinker, and going up the Eiffel Tower.
I kept asking myself if I was really seeing all the things you see on TV or in magazines. I had to pinch myself to believe it.
No one tells you how big “David” is or how small the Moa Lisa painting is or that Rodin has his own museum with The Thinker in an outside garden with his other statutes. I didn’t know that Rome is covered in graffiti and they have more cars (and churches it seems) than people.
Have you been?
Never been to Italy actually. I’ve been to Spain a lot though, but Italy sounds fun (as does Croatia).
Gotta plan that for next summer
Hi Karen, I have been lucky enough to visit Paris and Rome, although I have to say Paris is my favourite place to be. Rome was too hot for my liking, but it was worth the trip especially as it was my honeymmon. My husband proposed at the top of the Eiffel Tower, he was terrified!(not at proposing;), but the height) Rome was our honeymomon as a gift. I have been to London, Idaho and Denmark, but there’s nothing like being home in Scotland (except in winter) Great blog
Welcome Maria,
Thank you!
I thought Rome was spectacular, especially all of the ruins and Churches, but it was too hot for me. Paris was really nice, but I think we were too tired after 10 days in Rome to appreciate it more. If I go again, it will be first on my list rather than last. The Eiffel Tower can be very scary to people who are afraid of heights. I’m not, thankfully, but it was really windy up there. Great views, though
I would like to visit London and Scotland. Someday
Thanks,
Karen
We definitely can do what we put our minds too. Look at me, last year I was writing a journal about my relationship break up and now it is a book, and going on the 2nd Edition, I also write my blog something I never thought I would do and am working on building another site to create beautiful things for people to sell. So ya, never under estimate the power of yourself. Great, Great post. And I wish I had been there in Paris, maybe someday
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Congratulations on the book, winnie. That’s fantastic news!
You’ll make it to Paris. It’s a great place to visit. You’re right, we can do whatever we put our minds to do. If you want the goal and have a strong enough motivation, you’ll find a way to make it happen.
Glad that you enjoyed the article.
Thanks,
Karen
Absolutely Karen
Congrats on going to Europe! You broke your negative chain of thinking and went for it! I totally respect you for that.
Your past does not equal your future
Stephen Pierce says it good too, he says ‘Yesterdays Impossibilites are todays possibilities’
After reading something similar elsewhere I never believe that Im the only one in my sitation and in my circumstance?
There is always someone like you always! People need to realise that! what you are experiencing/doing/learning etc someone has already gone through it/learnt it/done it
There is another lesson here too.
Learn from the people who have done what you want to do. You mention this in your other post. The key is learning from your mistakes and other peoples to enjoy a better future!
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