The life of a permanent traveller involves plenty of highs and lows. I’m fortunate I have the attitude that not all days will be great. There will be good days and not so good days. If you don’t have some lows, how will you know to appreciate the highs? For me it’s just a case of riding them out and waiting for them to pass.
In the drive to always be improving, self awareness is important. I try to spend some time thinking about why I’m having a low day. Is it the location, bad food, an argument with a friend or any other number of things. Slow down and work on the causes. make positive changes with the aim of avoiding the the same issues in the future. Burying yourself in one task is not a solution. Don’t fall for just keeping busy fallacy. Focus on the activities you know will help you progress. Things you should be focusing on already. Even better if you can find that flow state. You will finish the day with a sense of achievement and be in a better position that at the start of the day.
If you aren’t happy with a situation then change it to something better.
I’m fine with my own company. Sometimes though, it gets a bit lonely. Most people in a similar position as me will agree you will lose touch some friends once you start living out of a bag. Of course you have opportunities to make new ones. Social media for all its criticisms is also wonderful and keeping in touch with people or at least seeing what they have been doing. Remember two things though. Firstly, don’t get caught comparing your life to others. Secondly, don’t let it suck the time away from other important activities. That can make the low days even worse.
Other times you will miss out on things because you aren’t at home or in the right location at the right time. I’ve changed a flight from the US to Australia by a day so I could go to a Foo Fighters concert with a friend. The next trip home I arrived on the same day their latest tour hit Melbourne. Wasn’t in a position to change it that time. Concerts are fine to miss. Family things can be a bit tougher as people don’t understand why you can’t be home. Sometimes it’s just not possible, regardless of time and budget constraints. My family has been great and very understanding. My mother knows better than to tell me directly so the words, “perhaps don’t leave it three years until the next visit” were said as I was leaving after one visit. It worked and I try to get home more often these days.
Travel doesn’t necessarily change you. It does make you more aware of what you like and don’t like. Otherwise, it is like normal life. If you aren’t happy with a situation then change it to something better. If you are the type to sit at home and complain about the world, then you will probably do the same as a permanent traveller. You will just be doing it in more locations. Definitely plenty of things to complain about if you have to pass through US airports on a regular basis.
- How do you treat your low days?
- Are their familiar causes for your low days?