lists | reasons to venture

A dreamer at heart, I'm constantly lost in a world of thoughts and ideas... the things I want to do this summer, the place I want to live next year, the career I want to have in five years. I want to be a longboard skateboarder, I want to be fluent in Spanish and Italian, I want to write in a professional capacity, I want to invest deeper into friendship, I want to use my time and money in a manner that benefits those in need. The list goes on and on.

The truth is that though our minds and hearts benefit from the simple act of dreaming, our stories do not. If we fail to take action and push our dreams into the realm of reality, they will never have an impact on our lives. We will never learn the lessons that will allow those beautiful things to be born inside of us.

Venturing out is a necessary factor in living our dreams. If, like me, you need some inspiration to do so, these reasons highlight the benefits in taking the leap and getting down to business.

first | it forces you to DO the things you dream of instead of merely dreaming about them.
second | it improves your character by uncovering those weaknesses your comfort zone tends to hide.
third | it bolsters your confidence by proving that you are capable of accomplishing your goals.
fourth | it guarantees you'll have exciting stories to tell when you're older.
fifth | as Donald Miller, one of my favorite writers, points out, it would simply be a crime not to.

Let's do it.

Allie

This image was created with photos from one of my tumblr obsessions, A Well Traveled Woman. Check it out for plenty of inspiration to venture.