That was a big sign in the lobby of the Facebook building in Dublin, Ireland. It got stuck in my mind ever since. But let’s start from the beginning.

I had my first formal job at 15, almost 16. I had been a corporate employee for over 29 years. I was 45, in my last semester of university — yes, I went back to school at 40, but that’s a story for another day — and I decided to take my mom to Europe. She has diabetes and is slowly losing her sight. I had been to Ireland before, and I wanted her to see the beauty of that amazing country. We ended up spending almost a whole month in Europe: two weeks in Ireland and two weeks in Italy. I remember I got two loans and sold my car to be able to fund the trip.

My friend, who lives in Dublin, worked for Facebook at the time. She invited us to lunch at the office. Turns out employees could bring guests for a very nice lunch for free. Although the food was excellent, that wasn’t the highlight for me. What really got my attention was the huge sign in the lobby: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” It was the push I needed to do something I had wanted to do for a very long time: leave Mexico.

A bit of background. My family and I were born in Mexico City. My dad used to take us on road trips to places near the city like Puebla, Querétaro, or Michoacán. Maybe other places too, but those are the ones I remember. I absolutely loved those trips. We would go just for the day, for a picnic, or sometimes for a weekend. Now that I think about it, it felt like recharging batteries — not just the body, but the soul. I clearly remember the enormous joy of being at a hotel, taking a shower after a day of fun, and going to bed in a big, clean bed with crisp sheets that were so hard to pull out. I don’t remember feeling sad when the trip was over. I felt happy because it had happened. I was too young to understand why I felt that way. I guess I still don’t fully understand it.

When I was 6 or 7, my dad, two of my brothers, and a friend were victims of a violent robbery while staying at a house my uncle used as a warehouse for business. The tremendous fear, helplessness, and powerlessness of that horrible experience made my father do something my mother never imagined possible: move the whole family out of Mexico City. We moved to Morelia, a beautiful colonial city in the state of Michoacán. We lived there for two years. Life was great. My younger sister and I used to walk to school alone — no fear, no worry. We walked by a zoo every morning. It was awesome! It was a great environment, a special place to raise a family. My two oldest brothers, who were already married, moved their families to Morelia too. The whole gang was living in the same city.

Anyway, I think that’s where my love for traveling started — with those road trips first, and then moving to a new place, restarting life in a totally different setting. Thanks, Dad!

I’ve always found it fascinating to see new places, meet new people, learn new ways of living, experience different cultures, different languages, different lives. I started traveling as soon as I could afford it. I would go almost anywhere — to visit a friend in Ohio, to a wedding in Colorado. Anywhere I could go, I would go! And that trip to Europe with my mom was one of those trips.

After that lunch with my friend, we went back to the hotel, and right after, I went downstairs to look for jobs in Dublin. Yes, I asked myself that question over and over on the way back: “What would I do if I weren’t afraid?” And the answer was, “I’d move to Ireland.” I found a position at Trinity College. There was an option to email the hiring manager before applying — so I did. I asked, “If I’m hired, would you sponsor a work visa for me?” The hiring manager replied the next day. She said yes, and asked me to send my resume. Long story short, she was kind enough to say my resume looked great, but I didn’t have enough experience for the job I wanted. That didn’t change my mind about moving to Ireland. On the contrary — I thought, this is actually possible. And that’s all I needed: the possibility.

After we returned home to Tijuana, where we lived, I kept browsing job sites every week, looking for positions in Ireland and other parts of Europe.

Four or five months later, I got a call from someone I had met years before. She worked at the U.S. headquarters of the company I worked for. She asked if I was interested in applying for a job in the U.S. office. And the adventure began.

I think the Universe heard me — because I had faith. I wasn’t even fully aware that it was faith. I was just sure it was possible. I truly believe that God, or the Universe, or whoever is up there, when we are ready, extends the red carpet when we have faith — even when we think we don’t. Our wishes and desires may come in a different form, not exactly what we expected. I just know my dream of leaving Mexico came true, just in an unexpected way. Yes, I got the job — at 45 and with a work visa — and moved to San Diego. I wasn’t afraid. Or maybe I was, but I did it anyway.

It was so beautifully exciting to look for an apartment, to ask the dumbest questions to the apartment complex manager, to learn about everything! We used to cross the border for shopping, to go to the beach, or for a nice dinner — we were great tourists. But living there? That was a different story. I feel like I learned very quickly. I asked so many questions — not just to the apartment manager, but to the cell phone company, the HR person at work, my future manager... it was crazy funny.

I had a coworker who used to work at the Mexico facility too. She had gotten a job at the San Diego office a few months before I did, but she hadn’t moved. She was commuting — driving 1 to 1.5 hours each way, crossing the border every single day. One day she asked me, “How did you do it? Weren’t you afraid to leave Mexico and live here full-time?” I thought about it for a millisecond and said, “Nope.”

That one question didn’t just inspire me to move countries; it keeps inspiring me every day.

Every time I face something that feels scary or uncertain, I go back to it: “What would I do if I weren’t afraid?”

That’s how I started cycling. It felt intimidating at first — the fitness (or lack of it), the gear, the roads, the hills — I was afraid, but I did as if I wasn't.

It’s also why I started my YouTube channel, @Lifeisabeautifulride. Putting myself out there, sharing my adventures, and showing up on camera? Terrifying. But also… exciting. And now, here I am, starting a blog. Again, I’m not sure where this will take me, but I do know one thing:

I’ll do it as if I weren't afraid, I won't let fear decide for me.