achievement , in many ways it gave me the chance to prove to others with limitations and challenges that outlandish goals are possible . There were many times in the past year that I told myself , " Stay the course . Do not give up ." Even when I was feeling defeated or struggling , I kept powering through . I know now that I can do anything I put my mind to , and with hard work and dedication , the rewards at the end of that often-difficult journey are more impactful than I could have ever imagined .
AfA : Your professional career began as an insurance executive . What encouraged you to leave your position for a year-long sabbatical to travel the world ? What was your goal ? What advice do you have for others thinking of doing this ?
Renee : I had always wanted to take a year off work to travel the world . I had been saving for a trip like this for many , many years . We were coming out of a pandemic , and I was feeling very burnt out . I knew my performance at work would start to suffer soon and I knew I needed a change . I talked with my loved ones at length , and we decided this was the year for me to travel and redefine my future . While they did not travel with me , my family and friends were incredibly supportive and would meet me for a week or two along the way . My goal for the sabbatical was , of course , to travel and experience the world . But more importantly , I wanted time to reevaluate what the rest of my life and my career would look like . I was also struggling with my own inner demons and
China , Great Wall , November 2017
North Macedonia , June 2022
the struggles that come with living as a disabled woman . I needed to see that there were people in this world who could look past my wheelchair .
Once I got out into the world , completely alone , I found
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