I woke up today and I felt out of sorts.
It took me a little while to figure out why. Then it occurred to me as I sat in my makeshift office (Starbucks) and watched the traffic go by. I am outside of my normal reality. This disconnect and jolt happens every time, usually about 7-10 days after I step outside the norm.
It doesn’t matter whether I simply return to Taiwan to see my family or if I am traveling through foreign lands, this feeling of out of sorts appears on cue, always. You’ve finally caught up on your sleep, adjusted to the new time zone, have figured out how to navigate basic matters of living (bus schedules, where to sleep and how to eat). Shock to the system is not coming as fast and furious as it did when you first arrived.
Now without work, friends, spin and yoga classes and everything else to anchor you to your reality, survival is not the first and foremost thing, you feel disconnected.
A few of my avid traveling friends share the same desire when we talk about our next destination–we are all looking for the next “hard” place to travel through, to experience. We are all looking for that next something that is a shock to the system, a punch in the face, the challenge that makes us grown.
It occurred to me that the sense of disconnect is as important as that initial shock to the system, much like a “one-two punch,” you need both. The shock to the system triggers the sense of disconnect and when you get quiet and ask yourself why you are feeling out of sorts, magic happens. The discomfort becomes a giant road map and report card rolled up into one. It shows you where you’ve been, how well you did, the choices that you’ve made that got you to where you are and allows you to have a moment and think about the choices you would like to make next and where you want to go.
The good news here is to get your own copy of road map + report card on “This is your life,” you do not have to run away to foreign lands. You just need to remove yourself from your norm for a little while (7-10 days seems to be a good time frame) and breathe through the discomfort that is guaranteed to come. And after you’ve had a good hard look at the road map and how well you’ve done, lick the blood off your bloody lip and smile pretty. The real fun is about to begin!
Please share or retweet this if you too know the sense of discomfort and disconnect well. If you too have a bloody lip but are smiling pretty! 🙂
Charlie, it would happen every a couple of years, a move from one place to another, what with the relative transient nature of short-term research positions. Often, this is a trade of cities, or countries, or time zones. Next year, I am trading this “relative security” for a year of non-stop travel. 😉
Bravo on the courage to trade it in for a year of travel. Please let me know where you are thinking of going and if I’ve been I will be happy to share any and all travel advice. To find that “home” within is not an easy task is it?
No, it’s not – I think it’s a fine line between searching for “home” or running away for the idea of “settling”. 🙂 Travel involves mostly visiting friends and family, though for the most part I’ll be on my own. I’ll be in the Bahamas, Hong Kong, New Zealand (both islands), Australia, and South Africa. It all ends with a 3-month stint in Europe in time for the Christmas markets next year, and I’m thinking of setting up base in Berlin. Thanks for your reply, and I would love to hear your advice!
“running away from the idea of settling” — that makes me laugh for some reason.
A friend once said to me, “the minute the soul hesitates to travel is when it starts to settle.” maybe traveling is the ultimate fountain of youth!?
Unfortunately I have never been to any of the places you are planning on visiting, short of Europe and Hong Kong of course. But travel in Europe is easy so I am sure you will be just fine. If there is any general travel advice I can help you with, please let me know. Sorry I don’t have specifics on any of the countries you are wanting to see. What made you choose these particular countries?
You described the feelings of traveling (for personal growth) eloquently. It’s difficult to convey the desire to pass up traveling for short-term pleasure (i.e. all-inclusive vacation) for a sometimes arduous adventure to a destination that makes you uncomfortable, but its support is in the (hopefully positive) shift in perspective we experience, which inevitably permeates our lives back home.
I always opt for the harder trips as I’ve set one of my life goals to be constantly expanding and challenging my own boundaries. Which is not to say that there are days when room service and chocolate on the pillows are not longed for. But as you also pointed out, these hard won lessons stays with you in our lives back home and that is a reward sweeter than any chocolate the hotel maid could ever leave! 🙂