When I was in Thailand, seasons didn’t really seem to exist in the same way (as it was constantly hot and humid), so it is still a shock to me that it is nearly November! Fall is my favorite season, so it was nice to see a few hints here and there (hence the pumpkin muffins at 7-Eleven). But now I’m in Australia, and it is heading into summer, so I am a bit confused!
The last several weeks have been some of the most unique and incredible in my life so far. My last day of school in Thailand was October 4th, and I have spent the past month seeing parts of Thailand, Indonesia, and now Australia. I’m also lucky that I had my sister and two friends fly across the world to do parts of this with me.
However, all this traveling has also tested the limits of how adaptable I am and how I deal with change. With 2020 upon us so soon, I know I’m not the only one who is going through a transition, or thinking about what is next for this new decade.
Something I read on instagram posted by Source Messages really stuck with me. “Everything always has a way of balancing out for you. You enter a chapter. It feels good at first. Then it rattles you a bit. You grow from it. You level up. Then you safely make your way into the next chapter. You’re going through and growing through your conditioning. This week, it’s about acknowledging this whenever you begin to overthink or stress about anything. Remember that it all balances out, and somehow you always wind up better off. You are made out of strength and stability.”
Some of the many jewels and crystals that I was dying to buy in Bali
This rings true for me, because it so eloquently explains the process of change being uncomfortable, but things going back to “normal” with time. The idea of change being so important for growth is something I first encountered through yoga. As uncomfortable as it can be, I know that change is usually a positive thing. The other key part of that is trusting that any discomfort isn’t permanent, and that you are always capable of adjusting to change.
The toughest part of all this traveling for me has been the lack of anything grounding in my life. In the last month, I have moved out of my apartment, left my job, and my idea of home for the moment has transformed to a string of airbnbs, hostels, and the homes of generous friends. As much as I like adventure, I find myself craving more stability.
For the time being, I am finding stability in the things I can control right now. Even though my home is transient and I don’t have a traditional job right now, I can still establish some sense of routine. I can get up and make myself a coffee, work out, prepare for my online tutoring lessons, and make it a priority to see or do at least one thing each day. By adding a bit of structure, the travel seems less overwhelming to me.
Also, I have started to work on applying to grad school! I have had an above average number of jobs over the past 3 years, and I’d like to find something that I can stick with and make more of an impact in over the long-term. I think grad school is going to be the next step for me, which is exciting and also gives me something else to focus on! I will give an update on my progress in further blog posts. Thank you for reading 🙂
Around the World in Downward Dog 