is that perfect life you would be living if all your dreams came true.

The backstory…

It was the summer of 2008 and I had just escaped a monumental disaster wwoofing in Sicily.

Should I Stop Dreaming?

After I escaped (literally), I found myself adrift on the island and took refuge at this rather sad little café in Catania (that’s the table where I sat). I reflected on what had just transpired and sadly began to think that maybe I should dream more cautiously in future.

Take the Risk

But then my mind wandered back through the memories of my other experiences around the world that had not ended in such disaster.

Go. That is simply what we must do. We must go. It may work out well. And it may not.

But if we never try, if we never go where we want to go, do what we want to do, we’ll never know. We will live a life of routine and safety, but we may never truly live!

Italian Inspiration

In Italian, ‘andare‘ means TO GO. My mind silently blended ‘andare‘ with ‘world‘ – to go around the world – and a word popped into my head that made me smile:

My Motto

That became my motto – to go around the world seeking to live the life I want – wherever and whatever it may be – whether the experience works out or not.

If it is my dream, I will pursue it around the world and hope for the best.  I will chase my wodara.  I will pursue that dream life I would be living if everything in the universe aligned just as I would wish.

But I must always remember that not everything will turn out as I hope. But at least I will have tried.  I will have taken the risk, broken through the fear barrier, and gone after that elusive wodara.

At least I will have pursued my dream. At least I will have lived without the regret of wondering what could have been, if only I’d gone…

The Feeling of Wodara

As I followed this motto in the years to come, I began to associate the word not with the action of going, but with the feeling I would get as a new dream was becoming reality.

It’s that feeling of wonder and aliveness that happens when you are finally doing what you’ve dreamed of for so long. It was once only a possibility, but now it’s a reality! You are living your dream! The feeling is wodara!

The beauty of this wodara feeling is that it kicks in the moment you make the decision that a dream will come true. It may take years of planning and saving. But that’s fine. For during that time, the feeling of wodara will be with you and it will keep you smiling through the tough days.

Share your Story

Perhaps you’ve experienced this before? Maybe you know very well what I mean? If you have, I hope you’ll consider sharing information related to your own personal story. If you’re curious or considering it, here’s more information to help you decide.

Hope to hear from you,
Krista