Being willing to give things up creates space for new beginnings to take root.

“Creating a life that’s rich with learning, unlearning and evolution (aka aliveness) also requires you to lay down your need to have it all figured out or fit into a prescribed box… you are in uncharted territory without a map, making it up as you go, one brave step at a time. This is where the good stuff happens….you’re a badass for even being in the room.” - The Art of Aliveness by Flora Bowley, chapter 4

There is so much in Flora’s words that I hate. I want to be able to say it’s all untrue. I want to give her ideas the middle finger and an incredibly massive F-You.

But I also know that I’m literally living this out in real time. And unfortunately for the perfectionist-planner-who wants-to-always-have-it-all-figured-out, I’m realizing (insert sigh) it’s all actually true.

Dammit.

As a travel coach, I spend a lot of time helping my clients think deeply about how they want to feel on their journey.

When you have a desire. to travel or get away, it’s often because you want to feel something.

• Free?

• Vibrant?

• Confident?

• Creative?

• Strong?

So in my signature group program, Brave Journey, I help each woman craft a transformational journey that helps them evoke those feelings while traveling.

The experience not only helps each woman envision and plan her personal journey, but she also gets one-on-one check-ins during her travel as well as debriefing and celebration afterward.

My favorite story EVER about my Brave Journey community!

I love travel. It has always been healing and clarifying for me.

Hands down, it has been my greatest teacher.

But sometimes learning to just “be” in your home environment can be the hardest lesson of all — especially when you’re not sure you want to actually be there.

It never fails. Every winter, Lake Michigan transforms itself in a way that puts me in awe.

It goes from a sea of gorgeous, rolling waves in the summer to the kind of frozen formations that only Mother Nature could conjure in the peak of winter. And it looks different every. single. year.

There is not one of my approximately 18 West Michigan winters in which the shore has looked the same.

As I recently explored this winter's version, it occurred to me that this is how transformation looks for all of us.

It’s why I shy away from anyone peddling a personal or spiritual or career development process that says there are “6 sure-fire keys” or "4 simple steps” that work for ALL of us.

Recently, I was interviewed by The Washington Post about my upcoming plans to travel to Europe.

Here’s the article and a link to its full text:

The Russia-Ukraine conflict threatens travel far beyond Eastern Europe. Gas prices are rising, and there’s a growing sense of unease about the upcoming travel season. So how do you protect your vacation from a distant war?

That’s what travelers such as Dawn Pick Benson are trying to figure out. She’s planning to visit Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and maybe Montenegro this summer. And she’s keeping a watchful eye on events in Eastern Europe.

I hosted a small wine tasting gathering recently over the weekend, and in the process of it all, I learned French. 

Well, one French word, anyway 😉 — Terroir (pronounced /tɛˈrwɑːr/).

Terroir simply means “a sense of place.” It refers to the coming together of climate, soil and landscape in a way that all 3 factors react together uniquely in each particular vineyard. 

Terroir determines the character of a wine. In contrast to globalized products designed to taste the same, terroir evokes notions of authenticity, genuineness and particularity. 

We all have our own rhythm, our own sense of place—a terroir—that’s uniquely our own. 

It was one of those steamy August afternoons. I was in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, floating in deep Azul water with mountains all around.

I was in awe of the beauty and the tranquility of my surroundings.

But my insides were churning.

My mind reached back to months earlier when my therapist noted that I now have a blank canvas on which to create my life. The anger I felt surprised me. And the angst.

I hated that canvas immediately.

All the transformation I’ve experienced in the last few years can be traced back to a single decision I made after visiting the Sacré-Cœur:

To allow space each day for connecting with that solid ground inside and allowing wisdom to bubble up and speak.

This is exactly how travel—even if it's the shortest of getaways—can transform us. It takes us out of our routine and creates space for those "a-ha" moments.

Travel is one of the things that helped me dream again. Why?

Getting out of my comfort zone and into a new context offered a unique space to open my mind to possibility.

Being in a new location encouraged—sometimes even forced—me to be more creative and open.

Whenever I've taken the time to travel (near or far) in a purposeful way, I’ve found that it opens wide the doors for wisdom to enter ... and to speak directly into my soul.

I believe this can happen for you too.