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| "Hike my Backyard" Photo by me, February 2018 |
Hi! I’m finally back. It's been a while.
Frankly, 2017 was my most difficult year to date and as I made my way through 2018 I was still stunted in expressing myself through my writing. So let me take us back.
January 2018
The first year of my life where I was living alone, and through all those complex and lonely emotions
I was trying not to feel, I did feel this freedom to follow my heart without any inhibition.
So I asked myself, What do I want to do?
I was trying not to feel, I did feel this freedom to follow my heart without any inhibition.
So I asked myself, What do I want to do?
Without hesitation, my heart answered: Travel. I wanted to see the world. Specifically Bali. Yes, for all those wondering,
I’m an Eat, Pray, Lover if ya didn’t know. I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book back in 2008ish.
I called it my bible, perhaps a bit strong of evaluation but as I walked into 2018, faced with
this new chapter in my life, I knew I wanted to do those things that I’d been wanting to do
for over a decade. And if I learned one thing from my sister in law’s death
it’s that time is the most unforgiving.
I’m an Eat, Pray, Lover if ya didn’t know. I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book back in 2008ish.
I called it my bible, perhaps a bit strong of evaluation but as I walked into 2018, faced with
this new chapter in my life, I knew I wanted to do those things that I’d been wanting to do
for over a decade. And if I learned one thing from my sister in law’s death
it’s that time is the most unforgiving.
So, Bali. Got it. I knew intuitively I’d do it, but damn Asia. That’s a world away.
And as a solo female traveler, it gave me some travel anxiety.
For whatever the reason, mostly the courage to build up to such a big trip, the month
of November came to me as the opportune time to take this journey.
Still, though, solo travel to another country where the language is VASTLY different is a feat,
and it felt like there was a piece missing...a link that would make it all come together and
make me feel more at ease. So I sat with it, much like I do with anything that I am working
out and at some point, I stepped away from social media to process.
And as a solo female traveler, it gave me some travel anxiety.
For whatever the reason, mostly the courage to build up to such a big trip, the month
of November came to me as the opportune time to take this journey.
Still, though, solo travel to another country where the language is VASTLY different is a feat,
and it felt like there was a piece missing...a link that would make it all come together and
make me feel more at ease. So I sat with it, much like I do with anything that I am working
out and at some point, I stepped away from social media to process.
February-March 2018
What came to me during that time? A few things.
doable. Kick start the trip with a retreat with some other humans and then go off on a solo adventure.
I could handle that with my eyes closed.
2. A more narrow view of #1... Not just any retreat but ideally one led by a San Diegan with the
subgoal to build my local community.
<If you’re new here, I moved to San Diego in 2011 with my boyfriend and have always worked
remotely for a company in the bay area. When not on the road, I work from home and being an
empath and homebody I need a lot of my own space to unwind and recharge. All that said,
because as I read it back it sounds kinda lonely, let me just say I have incredible fam & friends
back east and around the world who mean everything to me. But they don’t live near and as a
back east and around the world who mean everything to me. But they don’t live near and as a
lifelong connector who wants to live in San Diego for the foreseeable future, my goal
was/is to build a deeper community here.>
3. The opportunity to facilitate both a customer advisory board meeting (CAB) in NYC come April
and then a roadshow of CABS in Europe at the end of June. I hadn’t been back to Europe since
studying abroad and knew this would be the perfect experience to get my international travel gears
going (at a minimal out-of-pocket cost to me too, which is a big factor).
4. And I kid you not, I logged onto Instagram for the first time after my hiatus and the opening post
I saw was from a woman who owned a local dance studio in Solana Beach (where I had lived the
past year and passed many times on my walks with Grizzly) marketing a retreat to Bali in late
November. This makes me teary-eyed just typing.
::takes a minute to compose myself::
Ask and you shall receive. By now, since I’ve been more vocal about it, you may know that I am a
deeply spiritual person who believes in manifestation. I always have, but what I’ve realized over the
past couple years is that I don't really share this side of me as much as I do in my own head. Maybe
I was nervous y'all would think I was crazy. (Spoiler alert: We all are) So think what you will, my dears.
What I will say is these manifestations have helped me follow my dreams. They have led me to live
in Florence for a semester in college. They have led me to move to San Diego (8 years ago this
month!). And ultimately they led me to my 2018 year of travel which brought me to my bucket-list
destination of Bali. And now that I have my voice back, it is my intention to share with you tidbits from the 7 countries I explored.
Can’t wait to revisit them with you!
deeply spiritual person who believes in manifestation. I always have, but what I’ve realized over the
past couple years is that I don't really share this side of me as much as I do in my own head. Maybe
I was nervous y'all would think I was crazy. (Spoiler alert: We all are) So think what you will, my dears.
What I will say is these manifestations have helped me follow my dreams. They have led me to live
in Florence for a semester in college. They have led me to move to San Diego (8 years ago this
month!). And ultimately they led me to my 2018 year of travel which brought me to my bucket-list
destination of Bali. And now that I have my voice back, it is my intention to share with you tidbits from the 7 countries I explored.
Can’t wait to revisit them with you!
Frankfurt, Germany
Milan, Italy
Paris, France
Bali, Indonesia
Hanoi | Ha Long Bay | Hoi An, Vietnam
Singapore
you are extraordinary!!!!!!!!!!
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