Life Lessons

We have completed an adventure of a lifetime in the past 12 months and for that I am truly grateful for. Despite the current pandemic which albeit managed to successfully destroy the last few weeks of our trip, setting us back a few thousand dollars – overall, we managed essentially complete trip without and major hiccups.
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Along the way I kept this blog. It was a way to express my thoughts and feelings and to be gifted some mentally clarity keeping me grounded while life through curve balls along the way. I wrote every day, in fact nearly 120,000 words over the past 12 months which has been a major moment for me personally. Writing has never been a great passion of mine as my grammar and spelling have historically let me down, so giving myself this challenge was necessary. Sometimes I didn’t want to write, I had days when I wanted to get home in the evening and crawl straight into bed, but I pushed myself to jot down even little bits of how I was feeling at that time and advice I had learnt that day.

Throughout my scribbles and rambles I have compiled the best lessons I have learned and lucky for you guys, I have compiled them below:

Pain is pain but suffering is optional – It is so important to stop worrying about being great and just be great. I have learned this from years of being an anxious mess.

Nothing is forever, take every day and enjoy it. We look back now and pre-pandemic we literally had nothing to worry about at all. I urge you when life is good – enjoy every moment.

I am a planner. In fact, I planned effectively this entire trip to a T and man, things sometimes do not go to plan. Get on with it and don’t dwell on the things that don’t go right – focus on the many amazing things that happen daily while enjoying the moment.

Love like there is no tomorrow – This is true to my heart and the best advice I can give you.

Following the above, the world could be over tomorrow and no one wants to be the richest man in the grave so save hard and do what you love. Too many people we have met have saved and saved hoping that one day they will leave their shitty jobs and get out and explore the world. Do not wait for that moment, grasp it as soon as you can.
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Traveling is not glamorous, - at all. My social media is the highlight reel of my life. Minus all the sad & depressing struggles that happened all the time while traveling in a world full of unpredictability. What is glamorous about sitting on a 12 hour bus journey with no A/C to arrive in a budget hostel and be greeted with cockroaches in our bed? YES- that happened. NOT.GLAMOROUS.AT.ALL.

Happiness is very personal, and each individual is different. Our last year of our lives is certainly not for everyone and we respect that. Many have told us they admire what we have done but would never do it. They enjoy ‘stuff’ and home comforts too much which is 100% understandable.

The idea of perfection is incredibly subjective to the individual. In the past 12 months I have had some of the greatest and worst moments. I have been so incredibly frustrated to the point of breaking, and on the flip side I have had moments where I have been the truest happiest version of myself which has been a trans-formative experience. I have had mini panic attacks, been overwhelmed with anxiety and dread but through it all I would never change a single thing.

Overall, it's been an adventure. I have gained such an insight into life around the world. I have learnt so many amazing skills and can confidently say my time management skills are through the roof! If anyone wants to hire me as their P.A - do it. I swear I will do a fucking kick ass job.

1 year, 30 countries with the best, most supportive company I could ever have asked for, and a lifetime worth of memories complete. Until the next adventure!