What Travel Taught Me About Letting Go Savoring a sunny December day at the peak of a pyramid in Uxmal, Mexico, I mulled over the emotion I felt every time I found myself exploring a new place and was struck by how unaffected I was by being so “possession-less” in that very moment.
I admit I’m guilty of abusing my liberties while in my own environment. Such freedoms allow me to spoil myself and not focus on my resourcefulness. Whenever I’m in a situation where I’m left with one option- to go with the flow- I’m drawn by how intense my senses become.
My ability to enjoy every person, moment, sound, and the smell, isn’t disrupted. Everything about travel allows us to reassess what is relevant to us. It suggests contemplation, something that can be difficult to achieve in our everyday busy lives.
Being a light packer is important in visiting remote areas. It forces me to find peace in surviving with the essentials, leading me to be amazed at what those basics end up being. My expectations and mental pressure become lighter as well when I’m in a place where I can’t always have what I want. During my trips, mealtimes are a favorite relief because in many cases there will be no menu and if there is, I usually can’t read it. The absence and freedom of requiring more control is something I always strive to apply in my life when I go home.
The sense of acceptance is what I yearn while in my sanctuary, and is one of the things that gives me peace of mind when visiting other places. I’m certain I can live and survive with less mental chaos as well as fewer material possessions. It makes me realize that having access to small unnecessary things causes a mental clutter that I cannot escape.
I’m becoming more attentive of the significance embedded in each possession whether big or small. Letting go of things I know I’ll use in time is pretty tough. Once this happens, I begin to appreciate the space I made in my life and realize all the thoughts and energy have I wasted.
Engaging myself in a remote culture motivates me to appreciate my own favors while discovering what can be fulfilled with far less. In many instances, incessant choices can confuse our minds instead of supposedly refining our lives. I learned that the benefits of minimalism reach beyond exempting myself of material things. One of the most helpful (and proven) self-care strategies is decluttering my mental space.
I didn’t understand the weight of emotional labor I was immersed in before eliminating myself from my routine. Sometimes, all it takes is to get out of my comfort zone is to reset what my brain starves and attaches value to.
I’ve learned to focus on what leads me into myself- the warmth of the sun on my skin when I walk onto the patio to enjoy my morning matcha, breathing the fresh morning air and listening to the sounds of the birds and taking in the swaying of the trees. These are things nourishes my soul. Travel teaches me to embrace each day as a new day and savor its new and exciting experiences.