As I write this I’ve officially been living in Kuala Lumpur for 5 days. I’ll spend the next 5 weeks here and will move on to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand in the next few months. In the weeks leading up to my “big leap” I was playing it cool but deep down I was scared shitless. I dragged my feet packing and selling my stuff because taking pictures off the walls meant I was actually leaving (sounds crazy I know). I was having meltdowns every few days (including one in the middle of JoAnne Fabrics with my cousin) and the worst one was on the day I actually left.

[Tweet “taking pictures off the walls meant I was actually leaving”]

Jeremy took me to the airport and came in to make sure I made it off okay and as I left to go through security we both cried our eyes out. It was like a bad rom com. Every time I’d turn around he’d wave and then I’d start balling again. The next time I’d turn around I’d wave and he’d be sobbing. The TSA agent asked me if I was okay and through my sobs I mumbled “I’m moving to Malaysia and I’m losing my shit”.

[Tweet “”I’m moving to Malaysia and I’m losing my shit”.”]

Once I made it through security I found one of those private bathrooms and cried like a baby. Like ugly cry tears from my soul balling. And then I realized that I’d brought something with me for this very moment. Before I left my friend Brandi gave me a beautiful card filled with prayers and affirmations entitled “Black Magic Abroad”:

1) I am protected by a powerful God and my ancestors everywhere I go. My belongings and I make it safely to each destination

2) Being black enhances my experiences abroad, I am welcomed across the globe with open arms

3) I bring beauty, love and joy with me to every country I visit

4) Everywhere I go I gain an insight, skill or relationship that exponentially enhances my life and my ability to share my gifts with the world

5) I can be my authentic self on any continent

6) Sources of abundance effortlessly flow to me, allowing me to travel without worry

7) Fun follows me everywhere I go!

8) I am a global citizen

9) I maintain self-care and self love while away from home

10) I am black Magic abroad, watch me SOAR!

[Tweet “3) I bring beauty, love and joy with me to every country I visit “]

I began reading them out loud and immediately started to feel better. I wiped my tears and reminded myself that I was stepping onto that plane to walk into my destiny. That’s something to celebrate! As the plane finally took off (on the first attempt we had to make an emergency landing and were rerouted back to Detroit) for Tokyo I put on my new favorite album “We Are King” by King. My anthems for this journey are two songs entitled “The Story” and “Native Land”. In “The Story” they sing:

“Taking a journey to a land afar

Been thinking of charting my voyage to a different star

Got a story to tell

Goodbye, farewell

The ride is rocky and the road is long

But I know that my soul is never gonna steer me wrong

Gonna master the art of following my heart”

One of the things I was most nervous about was getting around through the airports and to my hotels alone. As soon as I stepped off the plane in Tokyo I was filled with an overwhelming sense of knowing and a belief that I was going to be okay. I could literally feel it in my soul. In that moment for the first time in months I became excited about what would be the most amazing year of my life.

[Tweet “Gonna master the art of following my heart””]

Despite the jetlag from the 21+ hours of travel and the 13 hour time difference there are no words to describe what it feels like to be living out your wildest dreams. When I arrived at our co-working space Monday morning it hit me: I’ve been working since I was 4 years old and for the first time I am my own boss. Earlier this week I woke up at 4am and worked 12+ hours without even thinking about it because I am doing what I’ve always wanted to do: travel the world + train women to run for office.

I am meeting some of the most interesting people who also suffer from wanderlust and who were crazy enough to believe that there’s more out there. These are my people and for the first time in a long time I don’t feel crazy for wanting a life filled with freedom, independence and joy. Everyday. And not just on vacation.
I am so excited about what this year holds. Even though I don’t have a roadmap I know for sure that my heart will never steer me wrong.