No matter what stage of life you’re in, there will always be unknowns. There’s never certainty whether we will like the new city we move to or the new job we take. And when you think about it, every day on this Earth is uncertain and not guaranteed. The more I grow up, the more I realize how precious life is. However, that does not mean I have not dealt with my fair share of anxious thoughts about the future. I’ve experienced several spiraling moments where I’ve sat and cried because I didn’t know what step to take next. 

Many of us experience this kind of anxiety: the anxiety of growing up, the anxiety of feeling stagnant and not moving forward, and perhaps the most challenging of all, the anxiety of being stuck in our own heads. It’s so easy to sit and worry about the outcome and the “what ifs”. 

Have you ever felt stuck in your ways, hoping for a way out but unsure how to make that happen? Does anxiety have its grip on you, telling you to stay where you are because it’s “safe”? Do you watch others, while doom-scrolling on your devices, chasing after YOUR dreams? 

I went through these same sets of thoughts and feelings, grappling with uncertainty. But, let me tell you about what helped introduce me to the richness of life: I decided to travel with GIVE Volunteers. That trip got me out of my funk and fueled a fire in me that had long gone unlit. My GIVE trip showed me what it means to truly LIVE, and when I returned home, I was on a cloud that anxiety could not reach. I returned with a new lens of myself and the world around me.

Conquer your anxiety by stepping out of your comfort zone. Stepping out of your comfort zone is the first step to taking control of your life and starting to break free and move forward.  A GIVE trip is just that and where the magic happens. This immersive experience reveals the beauty of the world’s people, cultures, and nature. It shows you that truly living is within reach, rather than just existing. The first step is saying “no” to anxiety and societal pressures, and “yes” to purpose, love, connection, and GIVEing.