At 27, I bought a one-way ticket to India. I had no idea what I'd do when I landed, but in the past my most rewarding experiences came when I let intuition be my guide. So I traveled without an itinerary and found myself studying meditation, teaching Tibetan monks to sing "You Are My Sunshine," and holding the hand of a dying man at the Mother Theresa Hoes for the Destitute and Dying. Throughout, I followed an inner sense of joy, which taught me to live in the moment and be open to life's possibilities. One experience led to the next, and by facing the challenges that presented themselves, I confronted my fears and grew into the man who could achieve his dreams.

Jason Kurtz is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist in Manhattan. He is the former Director of Training at the Training Institute for Mental Health. Follow The Joy is his first book.