As 2010 winds down we have found ourselves humbled by all the support, from friends new and old, that we have received the last 12 months. This has been an exciting year for us and the opportunity to share it with so many of you has both Betsy and I a little misty eyed. We know that without your encouraging words on the blog and your willingness to share your own stories we could not be where we are today. As we hiked through the local countryside today trying to avoid falling to our death, we took a minute to record some of our thoughts as we look back on the year.
If you cannot see the video below, please click here.
Now we are off to enjoy the Ecuadorian traditions around New Year’s and ready to usher in an exciting 2011. Happy New Year’s and a sincere and heartfelt thank you to you all.
About Warren
Betsy, I’ll be thinking of you talking about being afraid when I get on the ferry for Tangiers in a few months! Its only for a day during our trip to Spain but I definitely have negative ideas running through my head about what it will be like. I’ve found that no place is ever as bad as the movie in my head makes it out to be. I hope 2011 is as great as 2010 was!
Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anway, Michelle (I know, easier said than done, right?). We can’t wait to hear about your upcoming trip and wish you all the best in 2011.
You two look fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing your journey, your fears and your experiences. You’re my inspiration! I can’t wait to start my own journey and am looking forward to following yours in the meantime. Happy new year to you both!
Thanks, Peggy. Our favorite part of telling our story is getting to hear yours in return…
Warren and Betsy… Thank you for continuing to share. It is a pleasure to follow your travels. Best Wishes for a safe New Year of Adventures. …Howard
Thanks, Howard. Happy new year to you!
I love the concept of burning the “old man (or woman)” in effigy! For me 2011 is The Year of Re-Inventing Myself. (Maybe I’ll change my name to a symbol al la Prince)
lol!!
As you both alluded to in the video, some of us remain iron-clad “victims” of our past — and most of us — especially us Big Goal Setters — tend to live far too much in the future unable to let go and live in the Present. Both the Ghosts of the Past and the Big Dreams of our Future are pure illusions-figments of our imaginations. I’m guessin’ that as you found yourself creeping along balancing on your toes with your heels suspended in mid-air as your fingers probed for something that felt like a solid hand-hold that you weren’t contemplating humiliations of the past and the hopes of the future — you were likely completely Present in that moment — Now That’s Living!!
Isn’t the balancing act we all face is to learn from our pasts (and letting go of the emotional baggage) while planning intelligently for the future (realizing that the best laid plans will likely go awry), but living entirely in This Moment Now because it ultimately is all that is real. Imagine, if things HAD gone nasty on that cliff-face and you had gone to join Elvis in the Big Shindig in the Sky ….. what a shame it would have been to have wasted any of your precious “Now’s” worrying about how things are going to work out in the Future!
And Betsy, I think we’re all impressed that you’re Feeling the Fear and Doing It Anyway! Frankly, if the fears go away, then you’ve probably stopped pushing yourself and you’re languishing in your dreaded Comfort Zone! We should all be scaring ourselves daily, no? Thanks again for setting the example.
Reinventing Tranque? Hmm, I’m not sure we could handle another level of fabulousness from you! Seriously, though, we’re interested in your motivation behind this and how you plan to go about doing it. If you care to share, publicly or privately, we are all ears.
Two other things, Tranque. One, I love that you compare the over-planning of the future and the obsessing over the past as the same type of mistake in different directions. That’s a pretty profound discovery for me, and I’ll be thinking on it for a while.
Second, “join Elvis in the Big Shinding in the Sky” is just about the best description of the afterlife I’ve ever heard! It’s got me All Shook Up. When I Make the World Go Away, I hope I get to wear sequined jumpsuits every day. (OMG, I could go on and on with this one…)
Hi Warren and Betsy! Loved your new year’s video - it’s amazing you’re able to record yourselves so clearly in such a remote place. You continue to be an inspiration to me, and I am excited to see where “we” will go next…you are opening the world up to me, and I’m happy to live vicariously through you, and eventually, to follow in some of your footsteps. Best of luck, have fun, and keep on sharing….I’m looking forward to continuing to be along for the ride. Alisa
Hey, Alisa. You can thank our $150 Flip HD camera and the $30 Gorilla Pod tripod that will wrap around just about any surface for the clear videos. I’m always amazed at the good quality we get in such a tiny and cheap piece of equipment.
We are just as excited for your adventure as we are our own - every new thing you choose to do in life, whether it is in your own backyard or halfway around the world - is an experience to be relished. If our trip encourages people to do more, then we are happy (because the opposite is true for us - the more you guys do, the more it encourages us to do - we’re all in this together!).
Happy New Year my friends!
I have to say I got a little misty-eyed watching your video. I’m continue to be so thrilled for you and all that is happening for you/to you on your journey and at the same time missing you here. Getting to see you live makes me feel like I’m there with you!
In terms of leaving things behind I certain get the limitation thing Betsy. For me, I’m leaving behind my tendency to color within the lines. My hope is that by adding more color to my palette and getting a little more messy with my paint brush more of what I want will come into my life.
A big squeeze for both of you is coming your way from Seattle (Suki too!).
Jules
Hey, Jules! Your “just say yes” rule has served us well on this trip. We have learned so much from you! We can’t wait to see what coloring outside the lines does for you and your upcoming book. Miss you and Suki girl very much!
Can I just ask, what is wrong with the “comfort zone”? I suppose if it is making you unhappy then that is what is wrong with it?
I wonder sometimes whether we are all a bit too obsessed up with living an extrodinary life
Sue, there’s nothing wrong with the comfort zone unless it feels too small. If it does, then you just push the boundaries a bit until it is the size you want. Everyone gets to determine their own size and how to get there.
I do have to disagree with you on the extraordinary life bit, though. If you only have one shot at living on this earth, why wouldn’t you want it to be extraordinary? I want that for me and everyone I know and love, whatever their version of extraordinary happens to be.
It’s been a pleasure following your journey and adventures! Happy New Year to you two!
Btw, we’ll be following your footsteps in April to South America. First stop: Colombia! then Ecuador!
You are going to have the best time! Email us as you get closer to your trip and we’ll put you in touch with some of the amazing people we’ve met here. It will be fun to get your perspective on these amazing countries.
Hey guys……Happy New Year! I think the best vacation I’ve been on so far is following you on yours! Betsy, getting rid of your fear is good to a point, but make sure to hang on to a little of it(no pun intended on “hanging on”). Some fear is a great way to make the right decision on should I or not do this. Be safe and “Happy Trails” to you both.
P.S. Maui is on!
Jim, I think you like our vacation best because it is the cheapest for you (til we return broke and tired and move in with you guys, that is).
You are right that we need to have a healthy respect for fear - it is the original warning system. You should see some of the things I have to talk Warren out of.
We can’t wait to hear about your Maui trip - you are gonna love it!