Complacency v.s. Fear

Complacency: n. A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy.

Fear: n. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

Although self-satisfaction is something we often strive for, it can also become a crutch especially when matched up against fear. People are often more apt to choose complacency over confrontation of fear, because the outcome can never be negative. However, the outcome isn't negative because you are already living it, the answers already exist. With fear, the end is unknown, the path is usually unknown as well. Things could end badly. On the contrary, sometimes the most frightening things have the greatest rewards. You have to risk big to gain big.

I make this comparison because I think it can so easily be related to travel. It is easier to not travel then travel alone and chance being mugged, lost in a foreign country, not meeting anyone, being lonely, winding up in a dodgey part of town where you don't speak the language. On the other hand, facing that fear and getting on the road solo can lead to stumbling upon amazing sights and adventures, meeting new best friends and making lifelong connections, experiencing feelings you never have, feeling personal excitement and satisfaction that is only achieved by conquering fear.

I have traveled solo on multiple occasions, in the US and abroad. There isn't a single solo trip I go on that I don't feel fear and anxiety for at least a few minutes upon departure or arrival in a new city. But it's that fear that drives me! It's like that old show, Gladiators. People would run at doors knowing that it was possible that a Gladiator would be on the other side, but running through that door was the only way to win in the end. If you can stare in the face of fear and laugh, then right behind it is a rainbow and pot of gold.

Generalizations are not usually my favorite, but I'm going to go ahead and make one. It seems that, as a culture, Americans are not promoted to travel like residents of other countries. Along the way, I have met very few Americans on the road, taking a gap year or just traveling. There are the "post college backpack across Europe" group, but I mean really travel...round the world, south america, south east asia, africa, europe, the whole shebang. We are promoted to go to college, get a good internship, get right into the working world and begin working 70 hour weeks to make our millions. Even in the way we dine, it's a "wham bam thank you ma'am" kind of culture...we are trained to seek instant gratification. You can almost see the disappointment or shock on people's face when you say, "i think i'm going to take a year off to travel." It's like you have officially been labeled "slacker vagabond" by saying that. Traveling should be a requirement...it truly makes you learn not only about yourself but more about your culture, where you came from, where you are going.

Back to the complacency topic - the thought of throwing in the towel and taking off on an adventure is probably one of the most frightening things we can experience. Whether it's taking a new job, moving to a foreign country or quitting your job to take time off and travel. What is it that finally allows people to take that leap, that big step? What is the "tipping point" to finally packing your stuff up, putting it in storage, packing a bag, buying a ticket and taking off...knowing when you return you are jobless and homeless? The mental battle that occurs knows that, as mentioned above, getting past the fear will reap the greatest rewards, but how do you quiet the "responsible" side of your mind? Do you just have to purchase the ticket one day and there you have it?