I have saved myself thousands of dollars, protected the environment from one car's worth of daily damage, gained friendships and empowered myself more than I ever thought possible. How? Over one year ago I decided I was ready to give up on cars, for good, and you can too.

In the U.S. there seems to exist a series of unspoken steps one must take in order to be considered a respectable adult. Holding a job, owning a house, getting married and owning a car just to name a few. Based on these culturally adopted standards it is no surprise that many people have subconsciously written off the idea of bicycle commuting, or going car-free, before actively considering the foreign idea for themselves.

I began riding a bicycle between four and five years ago. The season, as well as how I spent the majority of my time, is what affected whether or not I rode my bicycle that day. Sometimes I put myself on a car-free Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and other times I was running behind on time and felt I had no choice but to drive.

During the winter of 2015 I found myself in a place deciding to either renew my bus pass, purchase a car or ride my bike full-time. While unsure of what to do, I realized I was really starting to enjoy riding my bike even in Utah's snowy winter. I began to see that I could get places a little faster by riding my bike, and I loved never having to pay for parking. Not only was I feeling healthier physically, but I was also saving a lot of money and feeling self sufficient. Salt Lake City, Utah has a relatively small bicycle community and within weeks of my new commitment to bike commuting only, I felt included in a group of inspiring women and men on bikes.

After spending a few months proving to myself that I was capable of getting from place to place in a car-free fashion, as well as learning some basic bicycle mechanics for safety and upkeep, my reliance on cars started to drift away.

I began wondering why I have always felt the constant need to own a car. Years of advertising and city planning have ingrained in our U.S. culture the "need" and the desire for a car. Since when did being an adult consist of being strapped to car payments, insurance bills and reliance on gasoline rather than the ability to make assertive choices for ourselves regardless of external influences?

Each time I have owned a car I have felt limited both financially and by the negative effects my lifestyle was having on the environment each day. For the first time my eyes were opened to the fact that I was not doing what was right for me. Rather I was limiting myself by doing what I thought I was supposed to do, by doing what was comfortable.

As a bike commuter I have found great freedom in exploring the world at my own will. I have discovered ways to not only survive, but to thrive during the snowy seasons in Utah and the rainy winters of Oregon. Lastly, it has been highly rewarding to witness how much power I actually possess in areas of my life where others try to tell me I have need.

Today, I wish to challenge you by asking you to step out of your perceived limited potential to realize you are capable of much more than you may be aware of, despite age and even physical limitations! I ask that you step out of your comfort zone, if only a little bit. Could you give up driving for good and find a new way to get around? Could you commit to driving one or two days less per week than you currently do?

If you are interested in pushing yourself out of your comfort zone but are unsure on where to start, feel free to reach out to me or make some friends at your local bicycle collective.

Need some extra incentive?

Watch this Ted Talk: What You Can Learn from a broken Bike , Read about how Convenience hides the true nature of cars, and find some wacky inspiration by applying to be a Tour de Fat Car Traitor!