Taking the Leap: Trusting Faith and Finding My Path
I’m sitting here in my Airbnb in Chiang Mai, working on my website, when the thought to start writing just came to me. Solo travel brings a lot of downtime, a lot of alone time. Funny enough, my dad asked me earlier this morning, “Do you ever get lonely?” and I really had to stop and think about it. My response was, "No, not really." And here’s why:
I’ve had this experience in Bali during my meditation and yoga practice, where I got to connect with the God within me—the entity from which I come. Once you feel this, once you understand that we are connected to everything, you realize that you’re never really alone. Sure, I sometimes feel anxious to be somewhere else or doing other things, but I believe that God has me here in this moment for a reason.
But let’s rewind a bit… I didn’t feel this connection to my faith or understand the depth of it when I left NYC with no plan. When I boarded that plane to Bangkok, I knew nothing. I was scared. All I had were whispers—nudges urging me to go here, go there. And that’s what I want to share in this blog: what it’s like to take that leap of faith, trust in the unseen, and uncover what’s really meant for you. I’m still figuring it out, but I know it’s worth it. Even though I haven’t fully “made it,” I wouldn’t trade a thing.
When I attended the Black in Chiang Mai dinner last week, a comment was made that stuck with me: “At what point do you take the leap of faith?” It made me laugh because, for years, I had been wanting to do this. Three years, to be exact—when conditions were “better” and things would’ve made more “sense” (like having more money in the bank). But the answer that resonated with the group was: You won’t take the leap until you have no other choice but to go. And I thought, wow, that’s me right now. And it hit me: Wow, that’s so true because I felt like I had no other option...
I want to be clear. I didn’t know what else to do when I decided to fly to Bangkok. And I mean nothing else. Yes, I could’ve gone back to corporate—believe me, I tried—but it felt like every other option had been exhausted. The last thing I knew to do was to say, “Fuck it. I’m going to do what feels right.” And “what feels right” will look different for everyone. For me, it was flying across the world to experience a new culture, language, food, and yoga. For others, it might be starting a business, writing a song, or going back to school. Whatever it is, it will feel like a jump.
The best way I can describe it is as if you are jumping into a dark abyss, and the path that you are walking on illuminates with quiet whispers that just feel right. As you keep going, that path starts to illuminate more and more. And when you start walking by faith, you’ll know what to do and not to do. I’ve gotten to a point now where I can’t even force myself to do something that feels out of alignment because I trust that my faith is taking me exactly where I need to be.
The best part about this path is that, in my experience, God doesn’t require you to compromise who you are. This is what I’m talking about. I’m forging a path that is meant for me—a path that feels right, where I have fulfillment, peace, and joy, not one where I have to switch myself on and off just to make a paycheck or fit in with others.
There will be moments of doubt and fear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt paralyzed in bed, surrendering my fears and doubts to God. And that’s all I can do—just give it up. But after each moment, I’m reminded that God is still here, and He doesn’t need me to carry those burdens. He really does have it.
So, taking the leap of faith—going after what you want, even when the path isn’t paved—requires you to believe in something more than what you see. You’ll need to let go of who you’ve been, but I promise you, I’d rather take this leap and find out what’s meant for me than live a life that didn’t feel right. This is a leap I’m willing to take.
I hope this helps you along your own journey.
— Aaron