Life post travelling is pretty sweet. Idk. I hoped I wouldn't come back having found myself, a head full of dreadlocks and ready to get rid of all my possessions, and I didn't. Ish. I have a new found appreciation for things but it's so hard to keep that in mind in every day life. We all know we're privileged and fortunate. It's not a secret that a lot of people around the world live in poverty, and seeing it first hand did make it way more real but im still detached from it. It's like seeing a homeless person in the street; as sad and sympathetic as you might feel you don't go home and start kissing the walls of your home with a new found appreciation.
I do find myself caring less about money. Okay, so last night I had a massive shopping spree on asos but I'll whack out my card for a charity donation, tip my waiter even if they were kinda shit and buy a round of shots on a night out (and subsequently lose my card lol). It is definitely easier to live in the moment when you've seen people who dont know how long they have left.
My problems also seem smaller. Obviously I see stuff through a sort of first world filter and my 50 hour working weeks, however horrific, are nowhere near as bad as faced by so many workers in Asia, and while I still complain I do so less. And I smile more. And I say yes to more plans, I let things go. I run, I eat, I sleep. But not too much. Spontaneity and flexibility make life more enjoyable. Who cares if something might make you tired? You might not wake up tomorrow morning. Fuckin take the risk.
I don't know what I hoped to achieve with this post but basically everything is okay. The world is still pretty great even in rainy England, there are still great people to meet just down the road. Toxic habits and people aren't worth your time or energy, and perhaps travelling was a wake up call for me. I still have problems, things aren't perfect, but they won't ever be. This is life, someone once said "Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational"
Laura x
I do find myself caring less about money. Okay, so last night I had a massive shopping spree on asos but I'll whack out my card for a charity donation, tip my waiter even if they were kinda shit and buy a round of shots on a night out (and subsequently lose my card lol). It is definitely easier to live in the moment when you've seen people who dont know how long they have left.
My problems also seem smaller. Obviously I see stuff through a sort of first world filter and my 50 hour working weeks, however horrific, are nowhere near as bad as faced by so many workers in Asia, and while I still complain I do so less. And I smile more. And I say yes to more plans, I let things go. I run, I eat, I sleep. But not too much. Spontaneity and flexibility make life more enjoyable. Who cares if something might make you tired? You might not wake up tomorrow morning. Fuckin take the risk.
I don't know what I hoped to achieve with this post but basically everything is okay. The world is still pretty great even in rainy England, there are still great people to meet just down the road. Toxic habits and people aren't worth your time or energy, and perhaps travelling was a wake up call for me. I still have problems, things aren't perfect, but they won't ever be. This is life, someone once said "Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational"
Laura x
This post is so wonderful and inspiring, Laura. And now saved in my browser's reading-list. Thank you for writing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it :) thank you for your comment!x
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