Following on from last week’s post, did you try stepping outside of your comfort zone?
How was that for you?
I hope you did and I hope that you enjoyed the experience that followed. But don’t stop now… the more you do it – the more you try new things, the easier it will become and the more expansive your experience of life will be too.
So why not commit to trying one new thing every day right through until the end of the year? Just think how different you will be if you do that. I’m committed. Hope you will join me.
Whilst in Ireland last week, I tried lots of new things. I tried hake (success), I tried asparagus (success) and I tried clams (not such a success). But still, I have no regrets about the experience.
The other thing that struck me during my travels is just how much I needed the break. And just how important freedom & adventure are in my life. Now that may seem a bit strange for those of you who know how my life looks now compared to my workaholic past. I used to work 60-70 hours per week and live on adrenalin – shifting swiftly from one challenge to the next. My life is nothing like that now. Much more sedate. And yet still, I needed the break.
To spend time with friends, to explore somewhere new, to connect with strangers, to feel the sun in my face. To be spontaneous and decide last-minute that we would find a hotel and stay over on our little tiki-tour of Ireland. To bask in the beauty of the landscape, to discover the secret hidden bay at the end of a very long, narrow and winding road. All of it beautiful. Experiences such as these make me feel ALIVE, VIBRANT, and fully REPLENISHED.
Then I got to thinking even more. About the importance of taking care of ourselves and what that even means. For us ladies, taking care of ourselves, generally means getting our hair done or our nails, eating well, staying hydrated, all of those kinds of things and whilst they are important, the key to feeling good for me at least, is to take care of my soul. And when I’m travelling – that is when my soul is nourished. That is when I feel most alive. Today I had my nails done and sure, they look nice – I feel good – but it’s not the same as when we parked up to experience the peace & tranquillity by the river, when we discovered the secret bay or climbed to the top of Sliabh liag.
For me, nothing compares to the experience of travel.
Personal growth is fundamental to both success and happiness. If you want to achieve more, you need to become more. And if you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must continuously meet your need for growth. If personal development isn’t on your list of priorities right now, it should be. And as far as I’m concerned, so should travelling.
Here are just a few reasons why:
You’ll be pushed out of your comfort zone
I’ve been talking about this already and whilst to some, these words may seem quite daunting, please trust me when I tell you – it is so worth any discomfort that you might experience initially. In fact, it’s totally liberating. Because you will realise that all your boundaries are completely self-imposed. And therefore, you can remove them anytime you choose. And when you remove the boundaries, you reconnect to YOU and then you get to really shine.
Stepping out of your comfort zone also has a positive impact on your CONFIDENCE. You get to see yourself do things you never considered before. You get to see more of what you are truly capable of. And in the process, you naturally become more confident.
Revival of the senses
When we’re living a life that isn’t fully aligned with our values, life can become boring, dull, predictable and routine. And with that, we become numb. Disconnected. We forget what we love. What moves us. What makes us laugh. What makes us tick.
Travel, if you do it right, can revive the senses. That’s my experience for sure. It can make you feel alive again. Alive, inspired and vibrant. When we experience these emotions, we begin to remember who we really are and what we love to do.
Travelling also provides CLARITY. It makes you appreciate what is right in your life and acknowledge what needs to change. The things you’ve been taking for granted. The things you have been putting up with for too long. The parts of your life that you have been denying. Where you negative behaviour may be impacting others. The ‘stories’ you have told yourself about who you are and what you want. And how all of that combined has created your current reality.
Travelling and meeting new people lights me up and inspires a level of creativity that I did not even know existed within me. I write when I travel, and I take my camera everywhere with me. As I view the world through the lens of my camera, I notice that I view it different – in a greater level of detail, and with a much greater curiosity. But travelling also provides the space to get creative about your own life. Generating exciting ideas, goals and dreams. Dreams for you. Your family. Your career. Your future. Your life.
Now, of course, I understand how busy you are already so if you are not in a position to arrange a trip right now – how about you combine work and personal travel? When is your next business trip? Anything planned? If yes, is there an opportunity to take even 1-2 days holiday afterwards in order to explore the city?
I would love to hear more about your experiences of travel.
x Until next week, sending you love x
I would love to get to know you more, connect with me here.
