My Biggest Fear Is….

So today I want to tell you a little bit about my BIGGEST FEAR.

Ahhhhhhhh

When people ask me why I moved abroad right after college, I’d always tell them that my biggest fear was waking up at 80 years old, realizing that my life was almost over and I had never really done anything I wanted to do.

Why do I travel and live abroad? Because my biggest fear is that I'll wake up at 80 years old and never gone after my dreams. #travel #expat #digitalnomad #moveabroad

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I was afraid of going through the motions of life in a sleep-walking state, checking all the boxes of everything everyone expected me to do, without ever really going after my own goals, dreams, and desires.

To be honest, I was actually AFRAID of getting an awesome job right out of college in Washington DC, because I knew how easy it would be to get sucked in…

  1. Rent a nice apartment
  2. Make lots of friends
  3. Have a good job I actually like
  4. Buy furniture
  5. Get a cat
  6. Fall in love and get married
  7. Have kids
  8. Buy a house
  9. Retire
  10. Then travel….?

While these are all things I do want with my life, I was afraid that I would start down that path and it would be really hard for me to break off it and travel or live abroad.

Bellingen wedding

Chris and I getting married in Australia

I Can Do Both!

Now I’ve realized that I CAN have all (or at least most) of these things while still making time for traveling the world, living abroad, starting my own business, or helping other people do it too.

No, I don’t own a home (yet) or have kids, but I have a husband, friends all over the world, two fluffy kitties, and a job I actually enjoy, helping people make their dreams of moving abroad come true.

Sure, sometimes I look at my friends buying homes and get a little jealous of how their Pinterest-worthy decor, or bookshelves stacked with books. But I wouldn’t change my path for the world, because I chased my dreams that were scary, and lived a life centered on experiences.

Free Guide: 7 Steps to Finally Move Abroad!

Huge Nerd

I Never Want to Look Back and Think “What If”?

When I’m old and grey, I never want to look back on my life and wonder, “what if I just went for it?”

So that’s how I live my life. If there’s something that scares me (in a good way), I go for it, even if it’s risky. If I know I’ll look back in 40 years and kick myself for not giving it a try, that’s when I know I have to do it.

Sure, not everything I try works out (I still haven’t been cast on Survivor… yet), but even if I fail I never have to wonder what would happen if I just gave it a try.

This is why I moved to China after graduation, quit my job to work online, and started my own business. It’s why I dropped everything for a hike in rural Japan for two weeks and filmed an episode of House Hunters International.

Sure, I always have some sort of a backup plan (I’m not totally reckless!), but if I know I’ll regret not going for something, that’s when I know I have to do it.

The Most Common Life Regret

I’m sure you’ve seen those articles featuring interviews with people in their 90’s asking about their biggest life regrets. The things people regret are almost always things they DIDN’T do. No one ever says “I wish I worked more”, or “I wish I bought a house younger.”

No, it’s always people saying they wish they’d gone after their dreams, taking advantage of the limited time we have. It’s “I wish I went on that sailing trip”, “I wish I’d told her I love her”, or “I wish I’d spent more time on the things that matter.”

So I’d say my biggest fear is looking back on my life, feeling regret for all those things I didn’t do.

Expat Life in Africa

Celebrating my birthday at Africa Amini Maasai Lodge

​Do You Feel Like You’ve Been Living Life For Someone Else?

So my question for you today is… Are you living life on autopilot? Does every day feel the same? Are you sick and tired of the 9-5, commute, and status quo routine?

Did you wake up this morning and realize that your whole life revolves around what you’re “supposed to do” and not what you want or love?

As many of you know, I have a program called The Freedom Life that helps people move abroad, and one of the most common things I hear from my members is that they’re sick and tired of the routine.

“I wake up and every day is the same. I commute for 45-minutes to a job that I don’t even like, and make just enough money to afford to live in my city. Every day I come home and binge Netflix on the couch, and throw together a meal from Trader Joe’s.

I know I want an adventure. I want more time in my day. I want a life full of experiences and a job that fulfills me.”

travel hacking

I Want You To Go After Your Dreams

If this is you. If you’re reading this right now and you’re nodding your head YES, I’d love to help you make this adventure happen.

I want to help you change your life so that when you wake up at 90 years-old you have incredible memories and stories to last a lifetime, not a long list of regrets of the things you wish you did because you were too busy doing all the things you “should” do.

If you’re ready to finally make a change and go after the things you want, be sure to grab my free guide: 7 Steps to Finally Move Abroad.

This guide will teach you where you can move and what types of jobs are available (even in 2021!), and walk you through the steps you need to take to make your dream of living abroad a reality!

What are you waiting for? Grab it here!

Grab it Now: 7 Steps to Finally Move Abroad!

Signagi city wall

Exploring in Georgia (the country!)

Overall, I hope this is just a reminder to do the things that truly make you happy, whether it’s moving abroad, writing that book, or starting your own business. You don’t want to wake up at 80 years old and wonder what happened with all the time you were supposed to have.

Pick one thing you want to do in the next year and go for it!

Trust me, even if it doesn’t work out the way you hoped, you won’t regret giving it a shot.

Why do I travel and live abroad? Because my biggest fear is that I'll wake up at 80 years old and never gone after my dreams. #travel #expat #digitalnomad #moveabroad

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My Biggest Fear Is....

Comments

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About Richelle

Expat, traveler, and spicy food lover, I've spent the last few years living in China and traveling around Asia. In my spare time I enjoy salsa dancing, exploring night markets and stuffing my face with street food.

51 comments on “My Biggest Fear Is….

  1. I love this Richelle, so very alive and so ENFP! (I’m an ENFP). The thing is, there are too many options!

    I’m currently working in a full-time job, studying UX design on the side and wondering whether to:
    a) restart my travel blog and eventually life the entrepreneurial life
    b) write my novel(s).

    Oh, the choices!

    Great you’re living your best life.

  2. Hi Richelle, I hope you are doing well. I was a long time reader of your blog and really loved your content. I saw that your social media accounts are not yours anymore (they keep updating, but clearly not by you), so if by chance you see this comment, I wanted to wish you good luck in whatever it is that you are doing now (which I’m sure is going great!) and hope that you are well and happy :)

  3. This is a question, rather than a comment. Recently, I’ve come across a photo of a toddler dressed as a cabbage–with real cabbage leaves. Searching to see what in the world the photo was about, I came across a video of MANY toddlers and babies (all Chinese) dressed as cabbages. Are you aware of a festival or tradition involving dressing very young children as cabbages in China?

  4. You are an exceptional person! Very few people in the world have the audacity and focus to
    overcome their fear at their early stage of life and live a life they dream of. Moving abroad right
    after college is extraordinary feat.

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  6. Really resonated with me. It’s incredibly inspiring to see someone embrace life’s uncertainties with such courage. Your journey from fearing a life unexplored to seizing every moment abroad reflects a profound shift many of us aspire to. It’s a powerful reminder not to wait for “someday” to pursue our dreams. Thanks for sharing your story and encouraging others to live boldly! It’s just what I needed to read today.

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  8. Thank you for sharing such a raw and honest reflection on fear. It’s incredibly relatable and serves as a reminder that vulnerability is a strength. At Mrs. India International Queen, we encourage women to embrace their fears and transform them into stepping stones for personal growth. Your journey is inspiring and a testament to the power of self-awareness and resilience. Thank you for opening up—it’s a story that will resonate with many!
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  9. Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story, Richelle. Your perspective on living life boldly and chasing dreams, even when it’s scary, really resonates. It’s a powerful reminder that time is precious, and we should pursue what truly makes us happy. Your journey shows that it’s possible to have both adventure and stability, and your dedication to helping others move abroad is incredibly motivating. I truly appreciate you opening up about your journey and offering guidance to others on how to live a life full of experiences.

  10. Thank you so much for sharing this powerful and inspiring story! Your message really resonates with me, and I admire how you’ve pursued your dreams fearlessly, despite the uncertainties. It’s a reminder to not settle into a life of “what ifs” and to prioritize the things that truly matter. Your perspective on not wanting to live with regrets is something I’ll carry with me as I continue to chase my own dreams. Keep doing what you love, and thank you for encouraging others to do the same!

  11. Hey Richelle! I just finished reading your post about your biggest fear and wow, it really struck a chord with me. The way you described being afraid of sleepwalking through life, checking all the conventional boxes without ever pursuing your own dreams – that’s something I think so many of us can relate to. It takes incredible courage to recognize that fear early on and actually do something about it, especially right after college when there’s so much pressure to follow the “normal” path. Your decision to move to China instead of settling into that comfortable DC job shows real wisdom beyond your years. I love how you acknowledged that all those traditional milestones aren’t bad things – they’re just not everything, and timing matters.

    What I find most inspiring about your story is how you’ve managed to create this beautiful balance between adventure and stability. You’ve got your husband Chris, your cats, meaningful work helping others achieve their dreams, and you’re still collecting those incredible experiences that will make for amazing stories when you’re 90. The fact that you’re now helping other people break free from their autopilot lives through The Freedom Life program is such a natural extension of your own journey. Your message about not wanting to look back with regret really resonates – it’s that perfect reminder that we often regret the chances we didn’t take more than the ones we did. Thanks for sharing such an honest and motivating perspective on living intentionally!

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  13. Nice blog, adventuresaroundasia, Your travel stories and cultural insights are both inspiring and informative. Keep sharing your amazing adventures.

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  15. This really hit home for me. The fear of looking back and realizing you never truly lived is something I think about a lot. I love how you turned that fear into motivation to create the life you wanted it’s inspiring! It’s easy to get caught up in what’s ‘safe’ or expected, but your story is a great reminder that taking risks can lead to incredible experiences. Thanks for sharing this perspective it honestly makes me want to rethink some of my own choices.

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  26. It’s great that you decided to break from the mold and travel the world, or to parts often unexplored by Americans. Still, relationships and a traditional lifestyle – working, getting married, and having kids – can also be done abroad, though it requires creativity and drive to make it happen in a country you were not born into. It sounds like you have made it work.

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