Is Balance Possible in Our Lives and What Does it Even Mean?
One question I get asked a lot is "How do you have energy for all this? All your travels?"
Many go on to assume, "You must not work, right?" and then add how they may feel “tired after 1-2 weeks of travel”…. You may have even heard the phrase, "I need a vacation after my vacation", spoken by friends or colleagues.
These types of questions and statements filter in on the regular for me through social media, emails, and in person when I chat with people about my lifestyle and their travel experiences.
Choosing a nomadic life, consistently carrying my home on my back, traveling from place to place, I felt compelled to offer an open forum blog on the subject, as well as its basic answer- which is found in our own mental health and this idea of balance.
To the question, how do I have energy for all this?
I interpret that in a number of ways.
The first that comes to mind is an oldie but goodie- Newtons first law of physics (yup good ol’ physics comin’ at ya). It says, in short, that an object in motion stays in motion, whereas an object at rest stays at rest.
In other words, this smart guy Mr. Newton, founded an unbreakable law out of the idea that the more active we are, the easier it is stay active. Whereas, the less active we are, the more likely we will remain less active.
Seems simple enough.
Ever get a stiff back as a result of laying around too much?
Too much computer time tighten those hamstrings or cramp your wrists?
Or have you ever been sick and then find that your muscles are a tad less available to you when you go to use them after weeks off at the gym?
That's what he's talking about.
My gym buddy words it this way: “motion is lotion”.
The more we move the more our body rewards us- mentally and physically.
That said it’s impossible to always be moving (despite my best efforts to prove otherwise at times). The fact remains we need sleep, we need rest, and we need downtime, also for our mental and physical health.
So what's the answer?
The truth is we all need some element of balance.
Balance, however, is likely to look different for us all based on who we are, what we’re passionate about, and other factors like being introverted versus extroverted, just to name a few examples.
It’s important to remember what’s balanced for me may not look like or feel balanced to you, and vice versa. When traveling with others, with a significant other in relationship, or even just hanging with your friends at home, we are all different. We are all unique.
Tip your own scales so that they're even for you. Don't worry about anyone else's.
Personally, this is where I feel my triathlon and marathon training has helped me so much in understanding my own "scales" and what balance means for me.
The idea of active recovery is a real thing, and quite often can be more healthy than going from active to stationary.
For example. In races, athletes often engage in short sprinting bursts and moments of acceleration periodically, and then return to a more level and sustainable pace. This pace can, and should, be maintained throughout the race as a “base pace”.
While little moments of slowing down are acceptable and expected, same as the sprinting moments too, at the end of the day it really is about each racer pacing themselves, or else they risk exhaustion before the race is over.
Surely there are those out there that can see and do things faster than me.
Great!
That’s their pace.
And for some who feel that others are way too fast for them?
Awesome!
Then find your pace.
We all have had our own little life lessons along the way that teach us our own unique balance.
Can you think of or recall yours?
Seriously take a moment....
I promise you life has offered it to you along your journey. School, poor relationship boundaries, sports, somewhere along the way life pushed you past what you were comfortable with and you wanted to pull back.
That's a clue worth examining.
I'm not necessarily talking about a gym workout when weights just feel heavy.
They're weights. They are heavy. That's literally their only purpose.
But seriously, I invite you to look at your clues because that is where you can identify real world examples you have experienced and hopefully discover your true inner balance.
At the end of the day only you know your true balance point.
For some it may be the idea of “cheat meals” after hitting the gym hard all week and those tasty rewards, for others it could be binge watching a Netflix series after wrapping up a big work project, or their finals for school. For each of us, balance will be different.
How Does this Apply to Travel?
For some people, travel is exhausting.
I hear people talk about it all the time.
They hate packing, they don’t like planning, they don’t like spending the extra money, and they miss the comforts of home when they’re gone.
To that I say cool… then why travel?
You don't have to if you don't want to...truly.
Give yourself permission to be you and do what you enjoy. Never mind anyone else or what Instagram shows (myself included).
You are wonderful. You are amazing. You are uniquely you and there is no one else like you in this world.
So who cares what anyone else is doing?
"To thine own self be true" (William Shakespeare) is forever one of my favorite quotes.
There’s plenty of travel documentaries you can watch from your couch if it’s truly burdensome to go on a trip- you don’t have to go.
Maybe local venues or quick day trips are more your thing.
I assure you, you’re not alone.
Others can and do feel the same and will join you in that space.
And the cool thing is, the more you are in your true and authentic self, the more joy you will have, the more peace you will feel, and the more you will attract like minded people to share those similar passions that you have.
For me, I find travel to be a source of life, freedom and joy. So naturally I promote it and talk actively about it.
In a lot of ways, it has saved my life and so I share about it with that level of passion and intensity.
Of course lost luggage, cancelled flights, and occasional traveler’s belly are less than ideal, but the pros always outweigh the cons for me, and thus I feel energized to continue and those long travel journeys don't typically exhaust me.
Often times, they actually energize me- yes, even airports and 10+ hour plane rides.
Crazy, I know!
The point is let’s listen to Shakespeare and be true to ourselves and our own individual needs.
That’s the beauty in all this. It’s your race! And you already have and know the answers within yourself.
I’m just here to offer little tips and tricks and feedback along the way to the best of my ability and my experience.
As I said before, it’s my passion and that’s what fuels me, and, keeps ME in balance.
Your life and your explorations and journeys are yours to live- however, and whenever YOU desire.
What's the Take Home?
So in short, how do I manage so much travel (and yes while working a full time digital nomad job outside of Nomadic Addictt)?
I listen to my body, I go where I want to go, when I want to go there, and go at my own pace.
Sometimes that means I spend months in one location to slow things down a bit.
Whereas other times I’ve done a full 5am-10pm style work/activity day.
Or perhaps there is a balance in the middle- a few hours work, a few hours laying at the beach, and maybe a short 1 mile jog.
In that case I have worked a bit, rested a bit, and moved a bit, without overdoing any of it.
Balance? Hmmm... we're all trying aren't we?
I always plan ahead for different timezones and meetings accordingly and I do my best to not over promise or over commit. (Timezone apps like "Time Buddy" are free for up to 4 locations simultaneously, and make life super easy to look at and schedule meetings quickly).
If I can’t make a 2am meeting, then I can’t make a 2am meeting, and I’m clear about it to all who requested it from their timezone. But if I say I’ll be there for a 5am, then I make sure I’m there, while getting enough sleep the night before.
And don’t forget, there’s always that kindergarten trick- taking a nap later in the day to brighten the mind and lift the spirits!
The Latin cultures have “siestas” (naps) for a reason, and you’d be amazed at how normalized they are here in Bali. It's basically a household practice.
The trick is to find your pace and win YOUR race.
At the end of the day it’s you vs you 😊 It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing or how they’re doing it.
Do what makes YOU happy in the way it makes YOU happy.
As always, much love, many blessings, and safe travels.
The world is open my friends, hope to see you out there!
*Be sure to check back for more uplifting mental wellness and self-care blogs with the next one- "You vs. You- To compare is to despair" and read more travel tips and encouraging messages here.
