When I look back on my childhood, I think that I was always aware of a restlessness and a desire to travel. Growing up in a blue-collar, middle-class family on the Southeast side of Chicago meant that the wildest adventures happened once a year when we would take a family vacation. We would pull out our pop-up camper, load in all the food, pull out all the cushions and place them in the bed of the pick-up truck that had a topper on it where myself and my four older brothers would ride. This was before the day and age of seatbelt laws. My mom and dad were brilliant because we would have everything all packed and ready to go so that when my dad got home, we would load up and then drive all night to our destination. The adventure was on!

Those family vacations were the seed that cultivated the wanderlust that lives in me today. That strong desire to travel was catapulted to new heights when I was finishing up elementary school and my brother Tim, who was in the U.S. Army at the time, had his second child and my mom, brother Dave and I boarded a Piedmont Airlines flight from Chicago to Baltimore to go visit them. I had only dreamed of flying in an airplane, and now I was going to get to see that dream realized. The pack of peanuts and can of Coca-Cola they gave me might as well have been the finest meal from the most extravagant restaurant because I was in heaven.

Right around this same time, I wrote down a list of items that I wanted to do in my life. Pretty far down on this list was a dream that one day I would visit every continent. This might as well have been “Go to the moon” because it was so far beyond the ability for my brain to believe that it might one day be reality. And yet here I am; I just turned 50 years old and the only continent that I have left to check out that bucket list is Antarctica. And believe me, I have my sights set on trying to accomplish this last continent within the next five years. I am beginning the process of saving up miles to get me to the tip of South Africa. I will accomplish Antarctica and I will travel hack every ounce of the trip I can…

You may not have the same degree of wanderlust that I have, but if you are reading this post, I have to believe that there is at least one place that you dream of traveling to. My advice to you? Keep the dream alive by starting the process of planning! If you make the faulty assumption that it just won’t happen, then I can 100% guarantee you that it will not happen. But what is the harm of believing that it can happen? You live in what may be the most amazing time in human history in that the world is so much more accessible. The myth that travel is just too expensive is just that: A myth. You can sit back and give up on your travel dreams, or you can take the plunge and start taking steps towards that dream today.

The world is waiting. You have an open invitation to take your travel dreams and make them a reality!

Where do you dream of going? Take a moment on let me know what is wanderlust destination tops your list!