I am thrilled to inform you that this blog comes to you from Annecy, a beautiful alpine town in southeastern France.
Last month, whilst staying with my friend in Geneva, I took a day-trip to Annecy and as soon as I arrived, knew that I had to return for a longer stay.
And so here I am.
I booked an apartment through Air BnB and will be staying for the whole of the month.
How awesome is that?
When I left the security of my corporate job and started my own business, I had a vision. My vision was (and is) to create a life in which I can live and work from anywhere in the world. And for the month of March 2020, I choose Annecy.
And even though I have only been here a few days, what has struck me is just how much I NEED nature, and how much I thrive on adventure and freedom.
It feels so good.
I feel ALIVE. Energised. Radiant. Vibrant. Inspired.
I take a big deep breath of the fresh alpine air and I can quite literally FEEL it filling up my heart & soul.
But enough about me. What do YOU need? What is it that lights up your heart & soul?
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut. I understand that. I am not immune to the experience.
The thing is, when you fall into a routine of doing the same every day – toast for breakfast, leave for work at 8am, usual route, usual lunch, usual chit-chat, usual route back home – things can start to become a bit ‘bland’ – a bit ‘vanilla’.
And when you are continually repeating the same things over and over, you don’t even have to think about them. You get through each day on ‘automatic pilot’.
But that is not LIVING, that’s EXISTING and you, my friend are worthy of so much more.
Personal growth is fundamental to both success and happiness.
Let’s face it – if you are NOT growing, you are dying.
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 understand that to some of you, these words alone may seem overwhelming, but 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 your 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 see things differently – 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 time, sending you love x
I would love to get to know you more, connect with me here.
