In the September 1st blog, The Birth of a Rite of Passage, I shared my desire to commemorate my 60th birthday in 2024 in an impactful way. I could feel a new adventure begin to form, a mindful quest to help me embody this new decade.

And without warning, I woke on a Sunday morning a few weeks back and just knew – I would be roadtripping to Alaska for 3 ½ months in 2024.

I ended the post by quoting podcast guest Sara Harris who said, “Making the decision to commit to the vision quest, when you say ‘Yes’ – it begins.” And that certainly feels true. I feel like I’m “in it,” like the experience has been launched. But there’s more.

It’s been three weeks since that epiphany. And I have to say, I’ve been filled with a mix of nervous anticipation, enthusiasm and buoyancy ever since. I’ve been adding random items to a dedicated notebook I made just for the trip on an almost daily basis. I find myself jotting down songs for future playlists, writing topics to explore, people to visit and potential driving routes. That notebook is tangible evidence that an experience is forming and I’m creating a plan, no matter how loose, to bring it to life.

But I’ve also been really curious about the decision itself. It’s unusual for me to make a brazen declaration and I rarely make a public pronouncement unless I’m absolutely certain I’ll be able to see it through. So why the atypical behavior?

Two things come to mind. The first is the quality of the decision. It felt so certain, almost like it was made for me. There was a sense of knowing, of peace, of calm. It felt like a puzzle piece clicked into place. There was no debate – it just was.

The second is the quality of the experience. The roadtrip is specifically designed to invite transformation. It has the elements of a life-altering journey, including some solitude, time in nature, the freedom to travel, contemplation, writing, ritual, ceremony, intention, discovery, shedding the old, inviting the new, growth, receiving medicine (i.e., a gift of insight or revelation), and renewal – all the things I’ll need to ready myself for the next decade.

So it all feels right and makes sense at my inner most level. But on the outside? It makes no logical sense. I have no idea how this will all work out in the end. None! And I’m not sweating it. Really the only risk I took was to put a stake in the ground. But making that public proclamation made me step up and put some skin in the game.

That’s what has created this incredible momentum that’s carrying me through my days – the simple act of affirming a life dream by voicing it and creating space for it to take root, in the form of a 99 cent composition notebook.

There will be a time to gather all the items in the notebook and get tactical. When the time is right, I’ll create my plan to bring this dream to life. But right now, I’m just enjoying riding the wave, one of infinite possibility.

If you’ve been postponing a life dream or there’s something you’ve always wanted to experience, find a low stakes way to get it started. You do not need to take a big risk to get the momentum going. You can put it on your calendar, even if it’s years from today. And once you do – learn about it, prepare for it, make room for it. Find others with similar dreams and share the journey.

And enjoy the lucious feeling of riding the momentum that comes from making a decision that feels true to you.

Journal Reflections: What’s the dream you keep tucked away for “some day?” How might you give it voice? What’s one small action you can take to breathe life into it?

The Propulsion of a True Decision