Nomad Manager

My Map To Self-Discovery (Might Be The Map To Yours Too?)

I am only beginning to taste independent solo travel, and already I feel that the universe is speaking to me in a million ways to help me get my ideal life on track.

Over the course of the past 3 days, I’ve been crafting my new life / business plan (while shooting and editing my video for Hariharalaya), and it felt so good to finally share a bit of it to others during creative arts meditation with super-shaolin-Mr.-Miyagi yogi Yaz and my Finnish “mother” Hanne last night.

I created a “Discovery Mind Map” of my scattered thoughts, and now, the image I have in my head giving a speech of sorts when I’ve done what I now set out to do is becoming clearer and clearer in my mind.

In my Discovery Mind Map, I asked myself the following questions:

• What’s my story? (Past & Present)
• What’s my WHY? (Purpose / Intention)
• What am I afraid of? (Fear / Excuses)
• What story do I want to create? (Goal-setting / Future)

My answers to the above questions are reserved only to those closest to me, suffice it to say that in answering “What’s My Story?”, I realized that that which I thought was my story was not MY story per se. I know now that what has happened to me in the past does not define who I am in the present, and who I am right now doesn’t limit who I can be in the future either. And that I shouldn’t be afraid to just let go.

People closest to me know that I am a very fearful and apprehensive person. SURPRISE! On the outside, I may look like a brave girl (or stupid girl, whichever works for you) for going on this solo 2.5-month journey, and the other “crazy” decisions I’ve made in my life. But really, I’m not. I’ve got so many inhibitions and issues, Reader’s Digest has got nothing on me. The difference is, the fear of this unknown adventure is a lot less than my gnawing fear of staying where I was.

I love my family, Karlo & Nica, so by no means am I escaping them. I just needed to get away and be far removed from my then current situation in order to be able to think for myself, without worrying about daily obligations.

More than my inclination towards Turtle Travel, this trip is really just about being elsewhere and giving myself the time to really look inwards and absorb all the synchronicities that have come my way [my summer in Baguio, yoga, vegetarianism, Passion Test with Lois, meeting other travel bloggers, TEDxKatipunan, an evil NuSkin presentation, solo travel, Hariharalaya, Chris Guillebeau’s $100 Startup, aaand…someone pissing me off – thank you for doing so! Without what you said, I don’t think I’d be quite as motivated now. You really struck a chord. Maybe not in the way you had hoped, but it was good for me. So thank you, you bitch.], that have all led me to exactly where I am right now, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

And while I look forward to that next chapter in my life, I am also more present and grateful of everything I am experiencing now. And now, I think I’m finally grounded by my intention.

Do you know yours?

Jen

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