Reflections From Paris
As some of you may know, I just returned from a quick trip to Paris. I feel like I could write pages reflecting on this trip and the lessons and reflections it has brought me. A topic most pressing on my mind is that of bringing the wonder of travel into the fabric of everyday life.
It was really interesting to watch my mind during the trip. I told myself I wanted to feel free, expansive and let go of rules. And I did. I had moments when I felt so free. But this also allowed me to really see the line between when I felt free and when my anxiety started to creep in. I am usually one to love a schedule, a routine, a to do list to check off. But I was able to see how clinging to these rules and attempts to control are what can take away so much of my freedom. So I had to continually commit to choosing freedom over control and choosing myself over my rules.
And I would be really good at that… for a moment, and then realise moments later I had fallen back into old behaviours and ways of being.
We can walk a fine line between who we are and who we have been. Sometimes I fall back into past versions of myself without realising - past ways of thinking, responding, acting… Then I catch myself and remember - I am different now.
Sometimes all versions of ourselves get intermingled. We have the power to choose again.
Travel can give you the space to embody, create and choose a new version of yourself. When you are in such a new environment with new circumstances, experiences and opportunities, it can feel like a free pass to be a new you. It can give you a sense of freedom around integrating parts of yourself you have been working on growing into and letting go of. Back at home it can be hard to become someone new because your old life is all around you.
The sense of adventure can bring out your confident adventurous spirit. This is one reason why traveling can be so powerful and impactful and why I think it is important for everyone to have these kinds of experiences.
However, I want to be able to bring this sense of freedom into my everyday life. I want to have a sense of adventure and wonder even as I go through the mundane tasks of everyday life. I don’t want my “normal” surroundings to grow stale and unnoticed by me. There is so much magic around us, wherever we are, however long we have been there. I think the trend of romanticising your life can be a really powerful one. Finding magic in the mundane, seeing your life with wonder and fresh eyes.
I don’t want to stay stuck and afraid of making changes simply because it feels hard to break out of habits and expectations. We don’t need to escape to somewhere new or have a big adventure to continue growing into ourselves. There is so much room for us to grow exactly where we are planted.
As I settle back at home and into my daily routine, I am moving forward with the intention of finding the adventure, freedom and wonder in the everyday. I want to see, and make, the magic in the mundane. I want to never forget that no matter where I am, I am free.
