Always have a dream

January 1956 marked a significant moment for two remarkable women—born on separate continents but both showing that with belief, passion, and a dream, anything is possible!

Joy Fox and Marie Colvin—two remarkable women. Joy was born in Wivenhoe, England in 1935 but in January 1956 her life changed irreversibly and Marie born in New York on 12th January 1956. They chose not to accept an ordinary existence but instead followed their passionate hearts and unwavering faith which lead to lives filled with extraordinary purpose.

Joy, JourneyWoman Evelyn Hannon Award for Solo Travel for travelling solo to many countries around the world, a writer and has published two books and is working on a third one now, sings in a band and has recorded 5 CDs, created her own line of greeting cards. Joy has always followed her passions.

Joy first travelled solo in 1956 from England to Italy, a story she shared in an article she penned called Healing After Heartbreak in June 2020. While that trip didn’t turn out as expected, it instilled in her the confidence to travel solo — she’s never looked back since. “I’m never lonely when I travel solo,” she says. “I talk, smile and ask questions. I think there is great freedom in being a solo traveller and I plan to keep going and see everything.”

Joy was 90 this year and she hopes that other women will learn from her experience and has some tips for solo travellers:

Solo Travel Wisdom with Joy Fox

Q1. What truth did you learn about yourself as a solo traveller?

A. I am braver than I ever thought I was. I can conquer the fear.

Q2. If you knew then what I know now, you would….

A. Have found a way to the things I dreamed about sooner. Took me a while to get the message.

Q3. How do you travel differently now than you did when you were younger?

A. I need more time now, longer connections, help across airports, my holiday, so my plan.

Q4. What advice would you give your younger self?

A. Learn about the world around you, study a language – no goofing off, stick with it. Travel whenever you can.

Q5. What place shifted your perspective and why?

A. Italy – because it was the first place I went to, and I got myself there and alone. I knew I had guts then.

Thanks to JourneyWoman

For more tips and tricks on solo travel head to our Solo Travel Section

Marie Colvin

Marie Colvin was born on 12 January 1956 in New York and raised in Oyster Bay, Long Island. After completing high school, she enrolled at Yale University, beginning her journalism career writing for the Yale Daily News. Upon graduating from Yale in 1978, Marie’s first position was as a reporter for the Teamsters Union magazine. In 1982, she joined United Press International (UPI) in New Jersey as a local news reporter. She later progressed to become the UPI Foreign Desk Editor and subsequently the Paris Bureau Chief. Eventually, she accepted a role with The Sunday Times in the UK, where she would spend the remainder of her career.

Marie engaged with heads of state and military leaders across numerous nations, yet her pen frequently focused on the harrowing effects of war on everyday people. Recognized for her heroism, she played a crucial role in safeguarding the lives of 1,500 women and children confined within a United Nations compound by Indonesian-backed forces. Unlike others who departed when UN personnel and journalists evacuated, Marie stood her ground, persistently transmitting updates from inside the compound. Her poignant coverage brought global attention to the refugees' dire circumstances. Ashamed by Marie's compelling reports, the UN ultimately reversed its decision and ensured the safe evacuation of these innocent souls.

In 2001, while reporting in Sri Lanka, Marie was blinded in one eye after being hit by a grenade launched by a government soldier, resulting in a severe injury. Following a difficult recovery, she resumed her journalism career, now distinguished by her signature eye-patch. 12 years later, she was killed in a deliberate artillery strike by Syrian government forces on February 22, 2012.

Reflecting on her career, Marie expressed, “I did not set out to be a war correspondent.  It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars ” Throughout her life, Marie dedicated herself to unveiling the harsh realities of conflict and giving a voice to its overlooked victims.

The Marie Colvin Memorial Foundation was created to preserve Marie’s legacy by championing her values – the impactful role of journalism in driving positive change and confronting the injustice faced by innocent victims of war.

The impact that Marie had in the lives of the 1,500 women and children confined within a United Nations compound by Indonesian-backed forces, changed their fates irrefutably. What a legacy?

Should you wish to donate or read more about the Marie Colvin Memorial Foundation, created to preserve Marie’s legacy by championing her values, click here

Following your dream

Don’t settle for ordinary…

Have you ever thought to yourself “there must be more to life than this” - haven’t we all - well you are right, there is. We just have to have the self-awareness to figure out what it is that you, as a unique individual, with a unique perspective and set of skills, are really passionate about and how to integrate that into your life, before the inevitable lights go out!

Sounds grim, but it’s that in a nutshell. We are not practicing here, this life we are in is the real deal and if we are not ready to step into a connected and purposeful life, then when will we be. One day - if it ever comes - when we have figured out what’s missing, when the kids are older, when we have more money, when we’re not so stressed, when we get more support and help from my partner/family/friends … the list goes on.

The time is now! To at the very least, figure out what you have got that can enhance the world, what makes you unique, what makes you happy, what you would love there to be more of in your life. When you know this, then like a magnet, you can start to draw things slowly but surely into your realm. Gradually eliminate things that serve no greater purpose to you, that do not bring you joy and sap your energy and your spark. Realistically, we can’t get rid of all of the mundane, but what we can do is squeeze 30 minutes in a day to step away and dream.

Figure out what the life you want looks like, how it feels, what needs to be done to slowly start to create a new reality, then take baby steps towards that. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it doesn’t need to be, but the hardest part is figuring out what YOU really want. Then make a commitment to spend some time each day or week, on working on some small actions to start the ball rolling.

See the dream in your minds eye, see how happy you are, watch what is around you, see who you are with and even use a mood board if you like. Put it somewhere you look regularly so it becomes so natural to think of yourself living that life that you start to believe you are in it. If you can allow yourself to feel the emotions that you believe you would feel in this life, you will start to experience joy creating a positive environment to foster the dream - the brain doesn’t know the difference - effectively “fake it until you make it”!

Everyone deserves to be living their best life and you are the one that can transform the ordinary, into the extraordinary, you go girl!

Get some inspiration here