One of the Best Decisions You'll Ever Make

To Tilt the Balance of Life in Your Favor

Author

Matt Viera
June 23, 2023

Good morning and Happy Friday!

Welcome to another edition of The Matt Viera Newsletter.

The newsletter with the goal to inspire you to live the life you actually want to live.

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As I write this, it is the first official day of summer.

If you're anything like me, you look forward to summer like you did as a kid.

At least, I hope you do.

It's a great time of year to get outside and explore your neighborhood.

Better yet, explore a different neighborhood in a different state.

The best option: explore a neighborhood in a different part of the world.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about one of the best decisions you'll ever make.

I ended last week's newsletter by saying:

"[F]ind that one experience that will tilt the balance of life in your favor."

And, "your one experience is for you and you alone," and offered to provide 3 reasons why in this week’s newsletter.

Before I get to the 3 reasons, I'll admit that shared experiences are great.

One of my favorite travel experiences was last summer in Barcelona, where I was joined by my buddy Gene and his wife Chloe for 2 weeks.

We had a blast!

This summer they'll join us in Budapest.

We'll have as much fun this summer as last summer, if not more so.

Having said that, I'm all about solo travel, especially when it comes to cross-country road trips.

One of my non-negotiables is taking a cross-country road trip to Wyoming every year.

Why?

For the 3 reasons I'll dive into shortly.

Again, life is challenging enough as it is.

Especially here in New York City with its overstimulation and high cost of living.

It's one thing to decompress at home, doing whatever it is you do to decompress.

It's another thing to decompress by doing something you have yet to do in a place you've never been to.

Or to decompress by doing something that will help tilt the balance of life in your favor, the "one experience that will give you something to look forward to and helps you get out of bed in the morning when life gets a little too challenging."

Whatever that one experience is, here are 3 reasons it’s for you and for you alone:

#1 You are in complete control, and every decision you make is yours.

If your day-to-day existence is anything like mine, most of the decisions you make throughout the day are tied to your 9-5 job.

However, your solo experience is not tied to anything (except when you need to return).

You can do whatever you want when you want in the time afforded to you.

The only person you have to satisfy is yourself.

#2 Your one experience is an opportunity to escape your day-to-day world.

For me, NYC is completely overstimulating.

From the moment you walk out your apartment door, you are bombarded by the never-ending sights, sounds, and smells of the city that never sleeps.

The tranquility of the open road is my antidote.

Whether you live within or outside New York City, taking a break from what you do daily is absolutely liberating (and I'm not talking about weekends at home).

Go hiking, go camping, go to Vegas, take a day trip, stay in a cabin for a weekend, drive somewhere you've never been and treat yourself to a fantastic dinner.

But do it alone.

Last winter, I spent a weekend camping in the snow in the middle of nowhere in upstate New York.

All I had was my tent, food, a heater, my Kindle, and a few beers.

I spent one night in the woods and saw 3 people the entire weekend.

When I returned to work, people commented, more than once, how refreshed I appeared.

That one weekend camping in the snow was just enough that I looked more refreshed to other people.

#3 Not only is it an opportunity to experience something different and unique, it's an opportunity to discover yourself.

I can try to convince you until I'm blue in the face to try something, anything, out of the ordinary.

While I do advocate for international travel and cross-country road trips, your one experience doesn't have to be that ambitious.

As I mentioned:

  • Go hiking.

  • Go camping.

  • Go to Vegas.

  • Take a day trip.

  • Stay in a cabin for a weekend.

  • Drive somewhere you've never been and treat yourself to a fantastic dinner.

It doesn't matter what you try; just try something.

By yourself.

I once spent a weekend in Binghamton, New York, for no better reason than it was a place I could get to by bus, and a hotel was within walking distance from the bus stop once I arrived.

I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Binghamton, but I committed myself for 3 days.

I stayed for 3 days by myself, and it was a great experience.

So much so I still visit Binghamton to this day when I need to take a step back and decompress from my day-to-day.

Going to Binghamton is an easy escape for all the reasons mentioned earlier.

That time in Binghamton allowed me to have a moment to myself.

The same as when I went camping in the snow.

The same as when I drove cross-country to Montana (and discovered I enjoy Wyoming more).

The goal of the one experience is to, ultimately:

Have moments that allow you to think, reflect, and grow.

That will give you the time, space, and freedom to reflect on your life goals.

An opportunity to be still and simply breathe outside the confines of your day-to-day existence.

All I can encourage you to do is try.

I had no idea what to expect the first time I went to Binghamton, nor did I have any idea what to expect the first time I drove cross-country to Montana or when I spent a weekend camping in the snow.

I simply tried.

I encourage you: just try.

Something.

Anything.

As McMurphy says, in one of my top 25 favorite movies of all time, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:

"But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that."

Interesting reads:

Thanks for reading!

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