Les choix de Sophie: The result of letting go

August two thousand and nine was the beginning of something and the end of something else. Decisions came and went. Some have a big impact on your life, some don't. That one was a big one. I quit. I left. All of a sudden, the idea of me, leaving behind me my choice of being a scientist, a geomaticienne, (I don't even know if there's a word for that in English), of getting my Master’s and starting a career, was the only idea I could think of as the right one. The only idea I could feel good about; feel free about.

I put everything I knew aside and put myself in front the unknown. What I've done proves to me one thing, you have to let go. You can't control everything. You have to let things happen. You have to trust yourself and give you a try.

I did. In one week, everything was settled: I adopted my dog Nala, bought a flight ticket to Vancouver, called my friend to let him know I was going on a road trip with him, quit my Master’s program and rented my apartment. In that order. A month later, I was on a plane with Nala. Relaxed. Leaving for a new adventure. What I've always dreamt of, a road trip. A climbing road trip.

Three months of simple life. Being outside everyday. Climbing. Hiking. Camping. Isn't it simple? You wake up with the sun, you fall asleep at sundown. Your only concern is where am I going to climb today? Or, do we have enough food for tonight? Should we take a shower today or wait another day? What's the forecast for tomorrow? Am I too tired to climb today? Should we take a rest day? Pretty simple needs, pretty simple questions, pretty simple life.

Although it was a tough decision to make - I had to think about it for a long long time and accept the idea of me quitting - it was a huge relief. Decisions are sometimes really hard to make. But it's often because you know the answer. You need to look deep inside you where the answer is. And let the rational externalities aside, they sometime fool you. You know what to do.

I recently had this urge to shuffle through my pictures of this trip... three times. This trip means a lot to me. It's a marking point in my life. It reminds me how important it is to prioritize what you believe in, who you really are. To trust yourself and really listen to your feeling and instincts. For me, it’s freedom. Freedom at work, freedom in my activities, freedom with my time.

So here’s a little clin d'oeil to my past 3-month-life of road-tripping.