Happy August 1st!
When my friends decided to spend five days in Paros I was ecstatic about the opportunity to get to Greece. That sparked my desire to explore more and I wound up having an additional ten days. My itinerary started and ended in Athens, and I mostly explored Ikaria, Paros and Hydra. Before picking those destinations I spent countless hours researching and then mapping out the additional flight and ferry times. Here are a few of many takeaways:
You can plan everything except the weather! This is one of my favorite phrases and I will probably share more in depth about it another time. The overarching concept that nothing in life is certain is calming for me.
Sometimes we have to see things for ourselves. Oftentimes the stories we imagine are different than the reality (how I felt in Ikaria). In many instances we cannot imagine how our expectations will be exceeded (Hydra being one of my favorite places I have ever been).
Whether it is a site you want to see or a stressor in a relationship… There is the dream outcome, the drama, and the reality of a situation. Ikaria was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and in many ways it was not what I imagined. I had to see that firsthand to know it. Similarly, sometimes you need to have difficult conversations to understand the truth versus getting caught up in the stories.
Fall in love with yourself. Over and over again. Take yourself on dates. Acknowledge where you are and where you come from. Recognize growth. Embrace that you are still growing. The list goes on…
xoxo,
Amanda
PS In case no one told you today, I love you.