Sometimes in life we simply feel stuck. We get into the same routine each day. We find ourselves becoming consistent and we start to accept our unchanging atmosphere for what it is. That is exactly how I have started to feel now being in my third year of college. Sure, having a set routine can be great. I now know how to better manage my classes and studying, a social life, and taking time for myself than I ever did my freshman year. However, I’ve started to realize, it’s time for something new.

I took the leap and decided to apply to study abroad in Rome, Italy for the spring semester. I thought, “why not?”. I turned in all the paperwork, did all my research, and although my parents had slight anxiety about the idea, they soon were on board as well. Excitement started to flood over me. It became a whirlwind thinking about the new adventure and opportunity I would soon have.

I then got my acceptance from the school in Rome. It’s then when reality set in. I think my exact words were, “Oh shit. This is really happening” There was no turning back now. This was going to become my reality. I will soon step onto a plane and travel 12 hours to a foreign land that I will be calling home for the next five months of my life. I have barely been outside the U.S. and have never been to Europe. To say that I am not petrified would be an absolute lie.

I stumbled across something the other day that started to put my mind at ease. It said, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”

This saying is so true. Remaining constant does absolutely nothing for us. We can become confined by our own limits we start to set. The best things happen when we simply say yes instead of becoming crippled by our own fear. When I look back, some of my best memories in life came from moments where things didn’t seem possible and I was absolutely and utterly afraid. We become scared by the thought of new beginnings. Uncertainty is not something we look forward to. We like to know the outcome before we take the first step.

However, we begin to find ourselves in those scary, unsure, and completely new moments. Going outside of your comfort zone is where you find yourself. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. It’s time for a new adventure.