do you travel to travel or travel to learn and grow? you'd think that it is one in the same but the truth is its not! we can vacation...experience something new then forget all about it when we come back to "regular life"
...so how do you bring in your experiences to make it worth while?
you reflect. you digest. you apply.
and some would say this is what integration is. you can decide if you want to use that word or not though.
these are the major themes i've decided are the biggest take aways i have from my life abroad the last 10 months:
1. BALI: dance + party + fun +joy + music + sex = let life be PLAYFUL. like for f*cks sake stop being so serious about making big and small decisions. think of ideas and decisions as cotton candy lol. bottom line, make life fun again
2. INDIA: structure + consistency + discipline + breath + prana + what the actual F*CK + cows are epic + ashram = keep your personal structure to maintain you energy flow. remember shit can go sideways & humor will save you. remember what people teach you doesn't have to be your truth.
3. NEPAL: follow the hunches + trust the intuition over the thinking brain + feelings + connection + stillness = for the love of god keep following your intuition, it will lead you to magical things. feeling deeply doesn't mean it's meant to be longterm. hiking mountains are good for the spirit & the body.
4. THAILAND: it is okay to release the old you + a new decade = permission to do it your way, to do it an alternative way, to remember we can live many lifetimes in this one lifetime. have a funeral for your old self.
5. VIETNAM: rest + warm food + nurture + recharge = listening to what your body & soul needs will go along way. learn about living with your cycle. rest when you need to rest. push when you feel you can push.
6. BALI TAKE TWO: muay thai + sunsets +sweat + family + coconuts + move body = being able to move your body is a privilege, remember it as such. having a relationship with family is a privilege, honor it as such. look at the sun early morning, throughout the day, and at night - you are a being that needs light.
7. AUSTRALIA: sunrise + salty swims +love + inner connection + feeling of home + red dirt + story telling + early mornings = when you believe in magic, more magic comes your way. it is okay to tell friends you love them. waking up early feels good. you have an important story to tell, you are living it, remember to share it.
these are lessons & take aways from my travels that i plan on applying to my life moving forward... which one resonates with you the most??
xx erica