It’s easy to tell other people to follow their hearts wildest desires — be it taking a gap year to backpack Europe or start their own business. But when it comes to our own dreams and aspirations, it can be difficult to take that leap. Why is it so hard for us to take our own advice? Maybe it’s because we feel like playing it safe seems like the easy way to get through life — it gives us comfort and makes us feel like we are accomplishing something. When in fact, we are only hiding from our own potential.

Our dreams can be bigger than life itself, but until we do something about them, they are going to sit in the closet collecting dust. We need to break free from the fear that is holding us back and follow our hearts ambitions.

Take that year-long trip around the world, go backpack Europe for a few months, or even explore your home city — travel is the easiest way to find your potential and make your dreams a reality.

Curiosity Over Comfort

When we live a life of curiosity instead of comfort we are bound to reach beyond our borders. Our hearts are made to explore new possibilities, so when we become passionately curious we will be more than willing to say “yes” and ultimately give in to accepting the unknown — making us feel safer in the “what could be” rather than the “what is.”

“Curiosity is the whole thing. If you stay curious, you’ll never stay stuck.” -Frank Gehry

Stay wildly curious while finding yourself in each and every moment.

Take A Chance

Living life to the fullest isn’t always going to feel secure. It’s risky business to give up everything that you have worked so hard for to follow a “silly” little dream, but in the end the relief you are going to feel is going to be much larger than the regret. Don’t let the fear of what could happen stop you from doing anything at all .

“If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it.” -Elon Musk

Follow Your Heart — It’s Usually Your Best Intuition

Sometimes, it’s best to stop thinking and just follow where your heart takes you. Your heart knows your purpose and if you choose to not follow it, you are going to spend the rest of your life wishing you had.

“We betray our true selves when we do not follow the heart’s desire, for what the heart is attracted to, is your destiny.” -Leon Brown