The writer experienced crippling anxiety that intensified after listening to true-crime podcasts in their mid-20s. Anxiety caused fear of leaving home, staying overnight at family homes without security, and avoidance when loved ones were away. After being laid off and approaching 30, internal battles and a milestone birthday motivated the decision to take a solo trip to Iceland because it was regarded as safe. During a solitary drive in June while listening to Bon Iver's "Holocene," the writer cried from awe and pride. Facing the fear head-on produced an emotional, blissful moment and renewed confidence to continue solo traveling.
"As I drove through Iceland's dramatic landscape alone this past June, listening to Bon Iver's "Holocene," I started to cry. I was crying in sheer awe at my surroundings and the lyrics of a favorite song, one about a man pondering his significance. Most of all, though, I was crying because I was proud of myself. I had faced a fear of mine head-on, and it brought me to an emotional, yet blissful moment that I'll never forget."
"To rewind a bit, I've always been an anxious person, but it really manifested in my mid-20s when I started listening to true-crime podcasts. Huge mistake. I know too much now about what horrific acts people are capable of. My mind would conjure scenarios in which something I'd just listened to could happen to me or a loved one. This started to impact my life in different ways - if my boyfriend was on a work trip, I was scared to leave our apartment."
Read at Business Insider
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