My recent trip to Barcelona turned into quite a revelation about who I want to be.

Last week, hubs and I had an adventure in Barcelona, Spain. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve been out of the US before on cruises, but this was our first time flying across the globe to a new and exciting city. Once I got over the fact that we were flying over an entire ocean (YIKES), it was nothing but bliss.

We stayed at the W Hotel overlooking the breathtaking Mediterranean Sea. We wandered the streets of Barcelona, shopped the Boqueria Market, explored Santa Maria del Mar and the Cathedral of Barcelona, ate paella, drank sangria, and so much more. It was three much-needed days of exploring and relaxing (the W does have two pools and a full spa, after all).

You can see my Instagram Highlights of the trip here.

I still can’t believe we did this trip. When we first started talking vacations, I thought small and stateside. At most, I thought we would do another cruise, but ultimately we decided to do something new. See, I’ve always wanted to see the world, but I have always told myself that a trip like this was “too big” or traveling like that “wasn’t me.”

Why do we let ourselves believe this crap?

Seriously. Why do we allow ourselves to be content with our insecurities ruling our lives? When did that become the norm? We continually tell ourselves these lies and the sad thing is that if we tell them enough times, we begin to believe them as truth. I could have missed out on a chance to see Barcelona if I continued to believe what I had told myself for so many years.

Luckily, I married a man who doesn’t let me use excuses. And you know what I learned on this trip? Traveling across the globe is “big.” BIG adventure, BIG fun, and BIG memories with the man I love. And guess what... that is me.

We need to stop stifling our dreams just because we’ve never done them before. We must stop believing that the things we want in life “aren’t us.” If you want to travel, then travel. If you want to start a business, then start it. If you want to run a 5K, then lace up those sneakers. I guarantee you that working through that fear and doubt is a lot easier than living with the regret.

This is your life and you only get one shot at it. However, the beauty of it is that you get to decide what kind of life it is. You are in control.

So, go have an adventure.

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