Hi everyone! Happy New Year! I’m a bit late but is anyone really shocked? I just wanted to do a little post to update anyone who’s still reading about my travels. I’ve been home for about six months and despite missing backpacking, I’m enjoying being home where my family and friends are at a more reachable distance. With the start of the new year, I’ve been reflecting on 2019 and what it meant to me to finally be able to take this trip of a lifetime.
I started off 2019 in a pretty bad place; out of shape, in a toxic relationship, and feeling like I’d lost control of my goals. I was drifting, rudderless, through each day, and knew I had to make some huge changes. I’d been saving up for years to do some long-term traveling. It finally felt like the right time to cash out and commit to making my trip a priority. The change of scenery had immediate positive effects on my mentality. Travel teaches you so much about yourself and the fact that I was able to do it on my own gave me something to feel proud of for the first time in recent memory. That sense of confidence had been stifled as I was going through life on auto-pilot. The months had felt like days and the years were passing entirely too quickly, without any sense of personal accomplishment. I know that the years feeling like they were flying by is part of getting older but travel helped slow things down. Four months did pass more quickly than I’d have liked but the days all seemed longer, full of more unique experiences and moments. I had time to think about my day instead of just exhaustedly turning my brain off in hopes of sleeping.
I missed home but the great thing about home is you can almost always come back to it. Of course there were some small changes but mostly it felt the same as when I left it. Missing home can be agony but discovering new places and meeting new people everyday was ecstasy for me. I couldn’t have experienced the highs without suffering through the lows. I shudder to think of where I would be if I didn’t catch that flight. I would probably still be saddled with someone who spoke of supporting my dreams but secretly rooted for my failure. Now I know that I was right to yearn for more. My decision to leave, both my home and that situation, was validated in more ways than I can count. I can safely say I returned home stronger, happier, and healthier than I have ever been and I’m committed to keeping things that way.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a little bit about my personal relationship with travel in the hopes that it resonates with someone. If something is missing in your life, find it. You’ll be glad you did. I know I am.
I’ll be back to my regularly scheduled programming soon and share some photos and stories about my time in Portugal. Thanks for reading!
Bri Right Back 