For the next week I’ll be on a trip to Kolkata, India. In the past year my acoustic panels company started buying textiles directly from India. Now I’m going to India to meet the people who own and work in those factories. I’m going there to strengthen long-distance business relationships, and to learn about things completely outside my experience up to now.

For me, going to such a faraway place knowing so little of what I will experience comes with a dose of fear. My cautious brain tells me I don’t know what I’m getting into, and I don’t have the competencies to skillfully navigate the culture and circumstances I’ll encounter. For me, fear is always a part of horizon-expanding experiences, and that gives way to increased confidence on the other side.

So I’m going, not with bravado but with determination to live bravely. I struggle in the conflict, but bottom line I want to grow more than I want to feel comfortable.

Stay tuned. I’ll post stories, pictures, and thoughts from Kolkata as I’m able.