How does a shy kid from Chicago, uncomfortable in his own skin and consumed by fear end up taking a giant leap towards the unknown at 32?

I never imagined I’d leave behind the comforts of my city, neighborhood, family, friends, accounting job and material possessions. But here I am, writing this at a café in Chiang Mai, Thailand with almost two months’ worth of travel and nothing but serenity in my soul. Might be this delicious cup of coffee that’s making me get all deep but I’m truly grateful I’m on this journey.

It took courage, determination and above all else an open mind to push myself through some difficult times and take the action needed to fulfill this goal. A goal that never would’ve been possible without the help of my best friend and wife, Laura. Together, we’ve worked towards being the best versions of ourselves by keeping an open mind when it comes to personal growth. We enjoy learning about mental health, fitness, food, culture and of course travel via podcasts, books, blogs, vlogs and social media.

Everything we’ve consumed in the past several years has inspired and prepared us for this journey. Including our close friends, Chris & Elizabeth, who proved to us that anything is possible by traveling the world for 2 years. Seeing a couple with a similar background to ours and joining them along on some of their adventures in China and Peru planted the seed for Travel Metas.

Thank you to family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances for helping us on our own personal journeys and enabling us this amazing opportunity. Laura and I are realizing our goal, our meta. This is a documentation of our journey – Travel Metas.