I had everything I needed.

I was ready to go.

I had my backpack, camera, and notebook.

I had a clear plan of what I wanted to do.

Upon arrival, the reality hit me—I didn’t speak the local language. I had known about this challenge before leaving on the trip, but the experience forced me to fend for myself, attempting to communicate in broken Spanish in Italy. The languages are similar.

This experience showed me that I was going to be okay.

It set the tone for the rest of my career: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

This attitude has made it much easier to adapt to new clients, customers, and cultures.