Wanderlust is the strong desire to travel and explore the world. I have to admit, I have been bitten by the bug and have spent the past 17 months on an epic adventure on the West Coast. The reasons for embarking on the journey were many as I noted in a previous article, “Why I Really Left…”
As this latest adventure comes to an end (I’m returning to the East Coast for some pretty cool opportunities), my mind is flooded with all the lessons learned.
I admit my journey was self-indulgent. It was designed by me, for me (although I got to share it with lots of cool and amazing people along the way). But that was the purpose. I wanted to stretch myself, I wanted to explore and I wanted to gain new perspectives that would have a real impact on both my personal and professional life.
Here’s how my soul was touched:
1. Connected To A Higher Power. Without a doubt, it has been a very spiritual journey for me. I feel the presence of a higher power when I’m “one” with nature. Whether it’s sitting under a giant redwood or standing on a cliff in Big Sur overlooking the vastness of the ocean, you realize very quickly how small you are.
When I was staying at a cabin near Lake Tahoe for six weeks, I would spend a few minutes each night gazing at the stars above the towering evergreen. The vastness and awesomeness of the universe and how we are all connected was ever-present.
2. Connected To Others. When you are out of your comfort zone, you make more of an effort (or at least I did) to connect to others. Away from friends and family, you realize that you are the one who needs to go the extra mile to smile, engage and start a conversation. That means, you default to a universal language…a language of kindness, a language of gratitude, a language curiosity and a language of smiles and laughter. I remember countless conversations that I initiated with no expectation but to share a moment. Moments I would have not had if I was “back home.”
3. Expanded Horizons (both literally and figuratively). When you’re in a new environment, it becomes critical to put yourself out there. You not only meet new people, but you are exposed to new ideas and perspectives. Lord knows that being in California is a bit different than being in Virginia. My job, as I saw it, was to be open to change, to embrace it…and learn what I could that didn’t always match my sensibilities or “the way I’ve always done it.”
For example, I felt like I was a good environmental steward, by Virginia standards. But I clearly had more work to do if I was going to live in the “greenest” city in America. In one three-month stint, I actually didn’t drive or take public transportation if I was going less than five miles to my destination. What a delightful experience to hoof it everywhere (and see cool sites and neighborhoods in the process).
4. Got My Creative Juices Flowing. There’s nothing like putting yourself in new environments and doing new things to stir your creative juices. When you don’t rely on the familiar, you’re more open to explore and discover new and different ways of doing things. I had conference calls on grassy knolls and did my best work in fun and interesting places. I worked less, played more, but somehow seemed to get all the important stuff done in less time.
Since I write a lot, I found that my creativity just flowed. Ideas were rampant and the words just poured out at will…the likely result of the ongoing stimulation and sense of discovery that I enjoyed every day.
5. Less Hurried & Harried. When you eliminate all the self-made responsibilities and structure from your day, you can enjoy a fresh start. It’s amazing how much free time you create. In any given day, I would focus on what work needed to be done, but I would also give equal priority to exploration, fun and adventure. I was relaxed and stress-free and enjoying the outdoors.
I remember one morning, I joined a group of runners for a 6 a.m. run. It was one of a handful of days in the past year when I actually set my alarm clock. We met and ran 10 miles of trails along the rugged Pacific coastline. As the sun rose above us, we took a few minutes to enjoy a quiet and meditative yoga moment. Who needs coffee when you can drink in a heaping pot of Mother Nature to start your day?
6. Learned More. Part of my experience over the past 17 months was to travel light. Even though I was renting furnished homes and apartments, I decided to eliminate watching television when it was available. Instead, time was spent reading and doing. I often consumed a book in a couple days and would quickly start another. I was often reading from the libraries of others, so my breadth of study (everything from Deepak Chopra to Louis L’Amour) widened and diversified.
I constantly fed my mind with new experiences and new ideas. I quickly found that I brought new perspectives and ideas to my coaching and consulting work, even programs that I have taught for years have taken on fresh and rewarding nuances for both myself and my clients.
7. Was More Present. Since I didn’t have a pre-set schedule and set of routines that drove my behavior, I was much more open with going with the flow. I was much more open to being in the moment.
A few weeks ago, I was headed down the hill to go to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner. On the way there, I noticed the sky was full of clouds and the sun was starting to lower in the sky. I had learned this was a perfect combination for beautiful sunsets. Dinner could wait. I went into sunset-chaser mode, and I made an impromptu detour and meandered through the city to a place where the San Francisco Bay opens up to the Pacific Ocean (one of my favorite spots). I was rewarded with a breathtaking sunset with bands of shimmering gold, orange and pink. I was mesmerized as I soaked in every moment until the sun slipped out of sight, dropping below the horizon.
Here’s how it will impact my income:
Obviously the above lessons are music for the soul, but how does the wallet come into play? Whether you are your own boss or you work for someone else, what do you think your value in your job would be if:
- You were more in touch with yourself and the world around you?
- You were open to change and actually embraced it?
- You had an amazing attitude and you looked forward to the day ahead?
- You were always looking for new challenges?
- You had creativity bursting forth on every project (by the way, in a recent survey of CEOs, creativity was the most sought-after skill for new hires)?
- You were more relaxed and less stressed?
- You were constantly growing and learning?
Time for a little wanderlust?
