5 Lessons From My Recent Trip 🏝

I went to Bali alone last week.

It’s the first time I travelled solo to a foreign country that I didn’t speak the language.

Here are a few things I learnt:

1/ Allow more space in your schedule. I always overestimated the amount of things/places I could do/go; iteneraries tended to delay/overrun; I got sick after I landed etc… so, take it easy. Also, I did not really have space/time to reflect on the past quarter/set goals for next 3-5 years since I crammed my schedule with activities. I enjoyed every moment during my trip, but I wished I took some time off to reset my mind too.

2/ How happy you are with the relationships you have in your life is related to the relationship you have with yourself. If you’re comfortable being alone, you raise the bar for people who stay in your life; if you cannot spend a day with yourself, you allow anyone into your life since having any company is better than being alone. Be your best friend – that might mean cultivating positive self-talk, practising self-care and supporting yourself in achieving your goals.

3/ Be selective regarding people around you, seriously. Before I headed to Bali, I was in Taiwan for 4 days meeting up with my best friends for an overdue reunion. I enjoyed hanging out with myself, which meant I could be selective who I wanted to meet/travel with. Comparing my accompanied Taiwan trip to my solo Bali trip, which were both very fun in their own ways, I noticed my standard rose – I’d rather be alone than to travel with hi-bye friends or hanging out with people who do not maintain stimulating conversation. You rise with people who give you energy. You go down with people who drain your energy. Gut feeling is a pretty good indicator. Who do you want to be in 6-12 months’ time? Who might support you in this journey? What kind of social circle do you want to maintain for that version of you?

4/ Most words are fluff. I found myself filtering my verbal sentences into keywords in order to just get to the point in Bali. Verbal communication is fascinating – we spend so much time learning grammar, sentence structure and fancy vocabulary when in fact we might just be using 20% of what we know most of the time. It’s an interesting reflection in my language learning journey – maybe I focused on the unnecessary or unimportant things all along.

5/ Maybe we will never create a life we don’t need a break from. I love my career and my life in general. But there are still moments when I wanna quit or take a break. The creator economy and digital nomad lifestyle still fascinates me, but that might not be the thing that will bring me the most happiness. Travelling is a reminder that I shall never think “(only) when I get X, I will be happy”. Honouring my core values and creating a fulfilling life is an ongoing journey.