FACING A FEAR IN GREECE AND ITALY

I kept something from you guys for a while. I’m in Europe. I didn’t want to say for sure that I was going because, well, I wasn’t sure. As I’ve mentioned a few times now, I’ve been struggling quite badly in the past few months with generalized anxiety. Traveling has caused me anxiety in the past, so given this new delightful bout of generalized anxiety (and my new-found fear of flying), I really didn’t know if I could do it. I know fearing a vacation might seem bizarre to some, but I tortured myself for weeks leading up to the trip. The decision of whether or not to go in and of itself caused a heck of a lot of panic. I didn’t actually decide for sure if I was going until the day of the plane ride. But, as I'm sure it’s become evident to you guys, I decided to do it.

I’m happy to report that I’m so, so glad I did. I know there will be a bunch of people back home thinking “I told you so,” but it never seems that simple when you’re living it. At any rate, the feeling of facing a fear so intense is incredibly cathartic. For the first time in a long time I feel proud of myself. The thing about anxiety is your world becomes smaller and smaller and facing simple tasks become harder and harder, so taking on something so scary is a huge win for me.

Anyways, enough of the mushy stuff. I want to show you guys some pictures from the trip!