How Following My Gut Led to the Experience of a Lifetime

Years ago, I was in Paris and really wanted to do a tour of Versailles with the Fat Tire Bike Company at the last minute.

I had used this company before, and remembered they initially met with tourists in front of the Eiffel Tower because it was difficult to find their office.

I went on their website and discovered I still had time to make the tour that day, but I had missed the meeting time at the Eiffel Tower. 

All I remembered about their office was that it was located on some tiny, obscure street, like many streets in Paris. I had no idea how to find my way back to the Fat Tire Bike Tours office, and I wasn’t able to get the directions online.

Initially, I was really excited to go, but that excitement quickly turned into a story about what could go wrong.

I don’t speak French, so I worried about being able to find someone who spoke English and could help me locate the Fat Tire Bike office. I was also preoccupied with getting lost while walking down one of those obscure streets and not being able to find my way back to the hotel.

In the midst of the self-imposed confusion playing out in my mind, I had a hunch: Start walking towards the Eiffel Tower now, and I would find someone who would help me get to the tour on time.

I decided to listen to my gut.

I left my hotel and headed towards the Eiffel Tower, alone. When I arrived, I wandered around the grounds and approached people to ask for help. It didn’t go well, at first. Some of the people I approached didn’t speak English, and others had never heard of Fat Tire Bike Tour Company. 

As time went on, I started to panic because time was running out. 

I decided I would ask for help one last time before I officially gave up.

I reluctantly approached two men to ask for help, and one of them spoke English. He knew about the tour company and how to get to their office. 
He also knew I wouldn’t be able to figure out how to get there on my own if he just gave me the directions. He agreed to walk with me to the Fat Tire Bike office, and I did make it to the office in time to join the tour. 

I ended up having one of the most memorable experiences of my life, because I had the courage to follow my hunch and step into the unknown, alone.

It was very uncomfortable to trust that help would arrive if I was willing to show up, but it made all of the difference.

Courage requires listening to and trusting our own inner knowing above all else.

What new experiences, opportunities, or possibilities have been calling to you?

What do you need to believe about yourself to have the courage to trust your gut and say yes to the unknown?

P.S. Wanna increase your confidence to say yes to the unknown? Check out my free guide:

4 Powerful Practices to Amplify Your Intuition.