You’re not as trapped as you might think.

“I just need to get out of this town.” It’s a cliché movie line typically said by a protagonist about to embark on a grand adventure, but it’s also something I’ve been saying to myself a lot lately.

There’s quite a bit of change in my life and it’s unsettling. I’ve been sick and busy. Worst of all- I’ve been letting my friends and family down while I try to grab ahold of my health, job applications, and my job with Carolina For The Kids.

My therapist tells me “you’re overcommitted,” I say “it’s fine, I’ve always been this way.” To which she responds, “haven’t you always been anxious too?”

It’s time for a change.

My boyfriend and I kept telling each other how much we needed to get out of our town. We were stuck in a routine of wake up, work, work more, work together, realize we haven’t eaten, eat something easy to make or get, work more, leave and sleep.

So one morning, at 2:30 a.m. we realized nothing was really holding us back from leaving town. At 3 a.m. we left and at 7 a.m., this was our view:

We only stayed on the beach for 30 minutes, but taking a moment to live our lives and do something a little stupid really helped.

We weren’t trapped- we never really were. As humans, particularly those in Western culture, we have a tendency to get stuck in routine. I’m not saying to get some relief that you need to drive 6-hours round trip to the beach and stay up all night, but you can still break routine.

In the next few days, do something small and unexpected. It can be as ridiculous as a spontaneous trip or as small as taking a different way to work. Step back and see the magic in a little change and a little autonomy in this busy world.