Life Keeps Giving
From the beginning.
Back in March, I embarked on a little adventure to the South Pacific, a part of the world I had never been to before. It has also been a very long time since I travelled internationally (if I am being honest since I came to Canada in 2014, and the U.S.A. does not count in this scenario).
Anxiety, who are you?
I would be completely dishonest if I were to say that my experience of anxiety days prior to the trip above was not off the charts. It was a test for me to see if I had been taking note of all those helpful skills I had learnt in therapy and my education to be a therapist.
Leaving comfort.
For the 30 days that I was physically away from my home (aka my apartment, because home means different things for me depending on the context), which is my comfort space, I challenged myself to write a lesson (s) I learnt or thought that came to mind that anchored my experience of the days I spent away travelling.
Some days, I have more than one learned lesson or thought, of course, but sharing/spilling the ones I am thinking as I write this resonates more broadly. I also thought grouping them according to timelines sprinkles creativity, which I hope you appreciate as you read through.
Start of trip…
If the experience of anxiety can be lessened by opting for comfort, choose COMFORT! (E.g., paying for a particular seat on a long flight because you need more legroom)
Time can disappear (if you have crossed international datelines and time zones, you know!), and you never get that time back.
Slowing down is hard! Especially when you are constantly in a state of moving fast.
Slowing down brings clarity (Picture still vs boiling water).
Kindness does not cost anything, and it is everything to someone else or others at a given moment. Remember that next time you find/catch yourself being unkind (even if the situation warrants it).
1 week in…
Actions speak volumes.
Allow others the pleasure of taking care of you. It is one of the greatest ways of showing yourself love, too.
Coconut rice is 👌🏾!
The sun and the moon will continue to do their thing no matter where in the world you are. This is your sign to do your thing, no matter what or where.
2-3 weeks in…
Tuluk is 👌🏾!
It is amazing how foreign places can feel like home.
Never underestimate how helpful open conversations can be.
Have a burning question? ASK IT!
Have a thought you can’t stop thinking about? SHARE IT!
4 weeks in…
Nothing is that urgent unless it has to do with saving a life.
Know how you function best as a person. This requires some self-awareness, and self-awareness is hard work. It is never too late to start that work.
When you stop being curious, you stop growing.
The present…
There is beauty all around us. Stop and appreciate as much beauty as possible once in a while before it’s too late.
(Blog entry photo credit: a friend I have come to know more)
