Episode # 65 – Into the unknown in a land of strangers

Moving to Portugal was never my plan; it just happened. I was invited to speak at a retreat in Grandola in November 2021 when my wife called and told me we had to evacuate our house in Holland because the landlord, who I thought was also my friend, could make more money renting it out to someone else.
Lesson 1: Never underestimate a person’s greed.

I remember receiving the bad news, and at that time the housing crisis in Holland was at its peak, so I knew finding another house was going to be a big challenge. A voice inside me said, “Why not move to Portugal?” followed by another voice saying, “Well, let me tell you why not”, presenting me with a list of obstacles. Lesson 2: Try to capture the answer before the brain gets involved.

I took a few days to think about this divine proposal, and it wasn’t until I got another sign from The Universe that I could fully jump into the unknown. Embracing this decision led to a long chain of coincidences, and less than three months later, we moved into our house in Setubal.
Lesson 3: Keep your eyes open for the signs of The Universe.

Little did I know that this was only the beginning of my adventure into the unknown in a land of strangers. There is something magical about embracing the unknown. The brain is usually not a big fan of unknowns and strangers, but for the soul, it’s the birthplace of experiencing new things, learning, growing, and constantly expanding. Lesson 4: Words don’t teach; experience does.

I would be lying if I said there are no growing pains involved in the expansiveness of the soul. I get hurt, I get disappointed, I have doubts, and I make wrong choices (just ask my wife), but as I stumble forward through life, I remember the wise words of Mark Twain: “20 years from now, you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” (Lesson 5)

Stepping into the unknown in a land of strangers feels like I’m looking in a mirror that constantly reflects and reveals parts of me I haven’t seen before. The unknown is often referred to as a place of darkness, but only if we are brave enough to explore the darkness we will discover the infinite power of our light. (Lesson 6)

Maybe you are standing on a proverbial cliff, contemplating whether you should jump into the unknown. The good part of the unknown is that you don’t know and never will know what’s waiting for you on the other side unless you jump. All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it. (Lesson 7)