A Soul's Mission: My Grand Adventure

Hello there! My name is Becca and I am inviting you to come along on the biggest journey of my life.

For the past two years, I felt out of focus, desperately looking for direction of what was next.

I walked into 2022, as many did: confused and waking up as if asleep the past 2 years, though uncomfortably awake. Flashing back to all the hopes and dreams I had left in 2019, I was so eager and committed to hitting hard in 2020. Recalling dreams and goals that I hadn’t thought about it since. For someone that is so ambitious and goal-oriented, I felt like I was waking up from some sort of amnesia.

As I turned 38 on Jan 6th, I found myself in a very foreign place. Hopeless. Feeling unaccomplished. Asking myself “What do I even have to show for being 38??? What have I done in my life that truly matters?” The logical side of me knew that question was complete bs. Though in disbelief that I was here, I decided to sit in this question. “What the hell is this? THIS is not me. What is going on here?? Why Am I feeling this way?” After weeks of sitting in the trenches, it hit me. I know my potential and I don’t feel like I am living up to it. Plain and Simple. Yes, some would justify getting off track the past two years but what now? Life must go on and I must continue to pursue all that I can. Not just to DO, to be busy doing all the THANGS, but to be in my purpose, to do what God created me to BE, and to give back to this world.

With all this in hand, I walked into Spring which I was SURE with the blooming and sprouting of new life, I was in a season to find the THING. I prayed harder than I’ve ever prayed before. I could feel it in my core. I could feel in EVERY CELL OF MY BODY what was to come next, was HUGE! This was the start of not only my next chapter but the beginning of my legacy. I was ready to receive my BIG THING, the answer to all my prayers.

But I was not. God said, “Not yet.” Instead, spring became a season of surrender and healing. March- an invasive vascular surgery, April- the ending of a relationship, May -another vascular surgery and c*vid. THANKFULLY, I heard the assignment and leaned in. I looked at every place I could create more space in my life, the areas that needed more healing, and learned to surrender. And right when I thought “YESSSSS I figured it out! I surrendered”, more opportunities hit me like a ton of bricks. Surrender is funny that way, right when you think you’ve surrendered as much as possible……………..go ahead and surrender a l i t t l e bit more. I finally gave in resigning from my current work (and steady income), as I knew the time & energy I was exerting was holding me back from progressing to the next. ALL OF A SUDDEN something happened! That unlocked it. I felt the shift. It was the final surrender to God like he was waiting for me to really show I trusted him. The signs of confirmation began to roll in. The first, a week later, when I was “randomly” offered a job at the local brewery that even though an “entry-level position” would become my favorite job and more than replace my previous income.

As June arrived, I stepped out of my healing cocoon and felt like a whole new me. I had experienced yet another transformation. I was equally grateful AND perplexed, wondering how many one goes through in a single lifetime. I felt better than I had in months, my skin was glowing, and my body was recovering with each passing day from the surgeries. “I AM the most ME thus far!” I would say to myself. Every day, praying harder than the last “okayyyyyy now I’m ready and gonna receive my THING.” Nope , no thing. But, I did receive an answer. FINALLY. Such a simple simple answer I passed it over time and time again.

[SIDE BAR] For the past 2 years, I had this dream to go on a month-long road trip to explore the Southern United States to look for a new home city. I had been a west coast kid my whole life and something was calling me to the south, it all began with Georgia. It was this strong gravitational pull I couldn’t explain. Never been. No ties there. No family history (that I knew of). Yet anytime I would see or hear something connected to it, I could feel it in the depths of my soul. I knew I had to go see for myself what this was about. This was a soul’s calling. Throughout the 2 years, I compiled a list of southern states and cities (see below) to consider. I was never sure when I was going to do this, I just knew I really really wanted to. I had to.

{Continuing on} The Answer. I finally received an answer so subtle if one wasn’t really hearing, they would miss it. But it was clear as day. I don’t typically receive divine guidance audibly, but this one sure was! I hear “Get on the road. All you are seeking is on the road. JUST GET ON THE ROAD!” After 2 years of feeling like everything in my life was at an impasse, asking questions, seeking answers, and desperately pleating through my prayers, I had it. Not at all what I wanted, but just what I needed. I took it wholeheartedly and moved with it. LITERALLY. I just needed to GET ON THE ROAD.

July, I was on FIRE! I finally had a focus and was freaking pumped. I took on this endeavor more seriously than any others. Day in and day out I worked on this plan. I quickly learned this was truly a faith walk and I wouldn’t be able to plan it out like past goals. Instead of knowing steps 1-10 prior to acting, I knew 1-3 and that had to be enough. As I moved with 1, 2 came, and then 3, and so on. Old habits would kick in trying to plan every detail yet this new me, knew better. Whatever this journey was, I had to do it differently. Old ways wouldn’t work here.

In an effort to lean in more, I would ask myself daily: “How Can I Commit More to this? How Can I Trust More?”

{PRO TIP- be careful when asking that question }

Well, rather than just going on a road trip, I could act like I am moving. But wait, if I am really committing, I won't act. I’ll JUMP and cannonball into the deep end! I’ll move. Destination unknown. And I’ll do it at the end of September. I can do this in 3 months!

This was the final piece. As if I wasn’t already motivated, this ignited me even more. In August, I was all fire on wheels. All believing and no doubt, I purged most of my items. Keeping only my essentials to live and what could fit into my Subaru wagon.

It was a season full of aligned action! I took every opportunity to make money picking up extra shifts, taking on special projects, selling furniture, and honestly anything else I could think of. I was getting ALL my affairs in order and I was at my best! Mind, Body, & Spirit! I tapped into an energy and stamina I had never known I had. All anxiety and worry were non-existent, and my health issues (Fibromyalgia) were nowhere to be found. I was a well-oiled machine and I liked it!!! I started having these surreal moments of “This is really happening! Holy Crap!”

THENNNNN fear had its nasty way with me. It started to creep in spare moments and sounded like “WTF are you doing?!” I kindly ignored it, but it got stronger. Going into September, I was tired and losing steam.

September 14th was the day that could have ended it all. To reap me of all my desire, drive, and hope. This one was going to be the REAL TEST challenging my top triggers: Health, Car, & Finances. In less than 4 hours, I received two seemingly devasting calls. The 1st delivered daunting news that my beloved vehicle for this grand adventure of mine suddenly needed $3k of work. The 2nd from my doctor advising the “fatigue” I was experiencing was actually a serious health challenge that needed to be explored. I FREAKED OUT but it was different than in the past. I was in the observer seat witnessing my hysteria while holding steadfast faith that THERE HAS TO BE A WAY. I implored all mental fortitude and kept moving forward.

The next week, I was admitted to the ER. Though facing the health challenges head-on, they were becoming more severe. Despite all this, as I’m waiting for care in my room, hooked up to all the machines, my mom and I are planning my driving route to the south. I knew THERE STILL HAD TO BE A WAY. With no answers, I was released the same day. Days would pass waiting for additional medical care and it was clear leaving at the end of Sept was not going to happen. I continued to experience an array of odd symptoms that were often debilitating such as very low blood pressure, severe physical fatigue, severe brain fog, loss of motor skills, and impaired vision & speech. I would go thru several medical tests, only to reveal a “normal” result yet still feeling terrible. At this time, I was reminded of the utter fright of not having a diagnosis while feeling awful.

October came. My Grand Adventure savings were now dwindling, for car repairs and medical bills. The only thing helping me was holistic care (all out of pocket) as I waited to get into a Neurologist. I felt this urgency to hit the road. I just wanted to go. I knew I needed to go. And I refused to let a doctor’s diagnosis (or lack thereof) determine the start of my next chapter. Yet I still had so much to do and no end in sight. A friend offered “Well maybe God is redirecting you and you’re not supposed to go?” UMMMM HELL TO THE NO I passionately replied. Now in the past, I would have read such circumstances as signs to stop my quest and turn back around. But not this time. That is not THIS. I recognized in past endeavors that I gave up. I could not make that same mistake. Even among the struggle, I knew THERE HAS TO BE A WAY.

This ushered in the season of life called “Asking for Help.” LOL In order to make this happen, I could not overextend my body and needed to ask others for help. I was no good at it. But a funny thing happens when you are so determined to achieve something AND are forced to acknowledge and honor your physical limits. You learn to ask and learn to receive. So I did. And BOYYYYYYYY let me tell you! As I asked for help, I received it and then some. People poured into me in so many ways, even to the point I was no longer having to ask. Others saw the assignment and goodness did they deliver! My car was fixed for less than quoted. My big to-do of getting rid of ¾ of my closet was now turning into an online sale to generate funds orchestrated by 4 of my favorite women. Quite a few of the items were swooped up by women in my professional network. A stranger in the bathroom at a nonprofit fundraiser overheard my conversation in which I was expressing my desperate need to get into a Neurologist; she answered by using her connections to finally get me into one after 5 weeks of waiting.

By the end of October, after playing it day by day, I could finally see the end in sight. I put my final notices in, trusting my departure date was coming. I followed the intuitive nudges and set my final departure for Nov 6th. This one I was confident; I was not going to have to delay. I tied up my loose ends, leaving no stone unturned. For the first time in my life, I was consciously closing a chapter, with so much love and gratitude for all that it gave me, and walking into the next. IT was finally here and I wholeheartedly, full on, all out was ready to pursue it.

Exactly two months until my next birthday, on November 6th at 2 pm, AFTER 2 years of dreaming, 6 months of soul searching, 5 months of executing, and an incredible amount of support; I BECCA JOHNSON was pulling out of my driveway for the final time and hitting the road!!!! I was no longer running away from my destiny; I was now driving into it.

It was now the time to get to the south. The next two weeks of my journey I was driving from Washington state to Arkansas. It consisted of 3,500 miles, 7 states, 7 host families, numerous lessons, way too many voice memos documenting said lessons, countless scenic pictures, a million pee breaks, and the most incredible solo road trip I only once dreamt of. Every day with each passing mile, I was Changing. Evolving. Growing.

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I am proud to say, I have made it to the south and now the REAL journey begins. It’s time to visit each of my prospective cities and find the one I want to call Home. And also define what Home means for me. I am consciously seeking the place where I not only survive but where I will THRIVE!

*I just got to my 1st city- Atlanta! Georgia, the inspiration that started it all!!! With the most unknowns ever! (Talk about UNCOMFORTABLE)

I am seeking my next career path, new communities to get involved in, causes to contribute my time to, and of course, eventually a home.

My list of cities are:

In each city, I am committed to:

THERE HAS GOT TO BE A WAY.

The Ask & Invite:

I am asking for your support as I embark on this journey I’ve fiercely worked to get to. Your contributions will help with my budget-friendly explorations going towards expenses such as:

Any and all of your contributions are MUCH APPRECIATED!!! I am incredibly grateful for you!

Non-monetary ways to support:

If you are familiar with any of the cities, I would LOVE your:

Soooooo if you’re reading this, THANK YOU for making it to the end! I know that was LONG! But I just had to share it all. I am still looking for my THING. A hopin’, and a wishin’, and a prayin’. Ya know Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”? Yep, I AM that song right now! LOL This is my current season.

I invite you to come along with me on this Grand Adventure! Weekly Newsletters will go out, to give a front seat, a window into this crazy endeavor of mine. Come with me!!!