Was it all a dream? Now that I’m back in snowy Wisconsin, those 10 weeks in Mexico feel so far away. But the challenge with any amazing experience is always carrying the lessons you learned into the next chapter, after the experience is over.
Travel is my greatest love and definitely my main spiritual teacher. When I’m immersed in a new place, I’m able to see a different perspective and feel more connected to source energy and all of humanity. And the ability to work + live in a place for a while is a much different (and more enriching) experience than visiting as a tourist. We spend so much of our lives isolated in our homes, and of course 2020 was an extreme version of that, but getting out into the world is a reminder of how connected we are.
Mexico is a beautiful, expansive, rich country that I have so much love for. We mostly stayed in Playa del Carmen, but also took a trip to the much larger city of Merida, and several other towns up and down the Rivera Maya coast. Merida was particularly hard-hit by COVID. . . from what I’m told, it’s usually a very vibrant arts & culture city, with a plethora of shops, restaurants, museums and street performers/ vendors. We got to experience some of that, but many, many businesses appeared to be closed for good, and on every block there were several buildings that were empty & abandoned. Playa was more open, though this is the slowest tourist seasons they’ve had in a long time. The people who were there were mostly long-time visitors like us.
Throughout the part of Mexico we were in, the spiritual energy was strong. I’ve read about, and heard people talk about the “shifting global consciousness” and I really felt it there. . . I think people curious about spirituality are drawn to this area because of the Mayan history and culture. Traditional spiritual practices and healing arts are still very much alive and accessible to anyone who is curious- including energy healing with magnets & massage, temezcal sweat lodges, plant medicine ceremonies deep in the jungle, and so much more. We were adventurous enough to try some of these that were more COVID-safe. Out of these practices, and conversations with inspiring locals & nomads, here are some things I learned/ experienced:
1. Our lives are a blank slate. Nothing in the world has meaning except what we attach to it. You create your reality. (mind-blown emoji!)
2. Follow the curiosity. I don’t know about you, but I often get overwhelmed with all the options (especially thinking about the ‘blank slate’ idea above!). . . But signs and synchronicities are all around us. That thing you’re interested in? It’s leading you towards something. That interesting person you met? There’s a reason. Say ‘yes’ to those things and a rich life will unfold.
3. We are all connected. There’s no point in hurting/ judging/ coveting because we are all the same.
4. The mind-body connection is incredible. I recently read that stress is the purported cause of 90% of illness. That’s crazy, right?! But when you think about it, it makes total sense. The good news is, we have control over our thoughts and emotions, so we have the power to redirect or eliminate stress.
So even though I might not go totally-nomadic in the near future, I am actively seeking ways to incorporate travel more in my life, spirituality more in my work, and a global perspective more in my community.
Read “Part 1” of this post here and check out my Resources for Aspiring Digital Nomads!
I feel so blessed to be able to have this kind of freedom + flexibility in my job, and I LOVE helping others achieve the same by starting online businesses! If you want to schedule a session to figure out how to get more freedom + flexibility in your life, send me a message!
