My New Year’s resolution for 2017 was a very simple statement: Do More Things. No specifications, no rules, no qualifications. It was kind of a cheat resolution- A) because it was January 2nd and people kept asking what my non-existent resolution was and B) because there were no guidelines on which to check myself, nothing to hold me to up-keeping and following though on my yearlong goal.
And while my haphazard improvisation of a resolution was a little vague (to say the least) it did happen to be something I genuinely believed in, as 2016 left me feeling a little stale, a little stagnant, a little discontent, and a little antsy.
I had tried other forms of positive openness- The “Say Yes” philosophy, for example, is great, but in my half-hearted past attempts with this, I ended up feeling guilty for living my life (Those times when I was too exhausted and passed on a dinner out with a friend, or when I changed my mind about going out on that date, or when I wanted to watch The Great American Food Truck Race instead of go to the park.) I think “Say Yes” also implies that you have to say yes in RESPONSE to something, a plan or idea that someone else has put forward. While I am all for attending an event or outing that I didn’t have to plan myself, I would do a LOT less things if I didn’t get the ball rolling first.
All this to say, I surprised myself. I slowly but surely began to embrace the “Do More Things” mantra- meeting up with more friends (even if it meant leaving my apartment after 6 pm in the winter), going out on more dates (even if it meant putting myself out there), and planning more travels (even if it meant I would have to work 60 hour weeks to make up the cost).
I have wanted to travel for years. I can’t even specify where I’ve wanted to go, because in my imagination I’d receive a free ticket to (insert location here) and be simply thrilled. Italy, Jordan, South Africa, Greece, Thailand, etc. I would happily go anywhere with the promise of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In the 10 months of 2017, I have bounded across the country, the Atlantic, and the Pacific, to London, Reykjavik, Dublin, Gettysburg, Hilton Head Island, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Colorado Springs, and last, but CERTAINLY not least, Tokyo. Ya know. JAPAN.
I was fortunate enough to accept an international job (my dream!) and have been living in a lovely Tokyo suburb for nearly two months now. I’ve only just begun to crack the surface of all the wonderful and amazing sights, atmospheres, and activities Japan has to offer. Every day I learn new words, phrases, foods, public transit routes, customs, hotspots, and things to do.
My Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card of a New Year’s resolution has given me such wonderful adventures and taken me to parts of the world I never expected to see, offered me food I never expected to eat, and introduced me to people I never expected to meet.
Even as I type this I am getting a little verklempt. This world is so big. This world is so small. So many parts of it are similar to our own home, wherever in the world that may be. This world is full of people- kind, caring, helpful individuals who want to live in the best community for themselves and their families’ well-being. Customs and cultures are unique, languages vary, landscapes differ, but we are all humans hoping to lead the best life we know how.
I hope to share my travel experiences: past, present and future. Keeping in line with 2017: Do More Things, I will be starting my travel blog, Bedelia Bounds. Keep up with me here and check out my Instagram account @bedeliabounds. Thanks for reading and check in soon!
Bedelia Bounds 