If you want to see every post I’ve written, starting with the most recent, this is the place to start!
I’ve been traveling the globe solo, and many of my posts share thoughts and resources specifically for other solo travelers. If you’re a fellow solo traveler, or you’re thinking about solo travel, this is a collection you will find of interest.
If you’re looking to read blog posts about specific destinations, click the country of your interest below to go to it’s blog page and get country-specific reviews and thoughts.
Sometimes I write posts where I give insider information on certain cities I’ve visited, which may be more along the lines of places to go, how to save money, etc. If that’s your main interest, check out this compilation of posts.
In 2020, I was traveling in New Zealand as the coronavirus pandemic brewed, and, got stuck there. If you want to read about what this time was like and traveling during this time, check out this page.
At the heart of international travel is learning about the many different cultures and ways of being around the world. The posts compiled on this page speak, specifically, about the cultural observations I’ve had.
Many of my blog posts are about things I’ve discovered about myself or about being, while I’ve traveled. If you’d like to focus on posts that only have self-discovery themes, click the button below.
It was the weight of the silver and blue stone ring on my finger that caused me to jolt out of my people-pleasing tendency. I could say that women are more conditioned to please so it’s ok. But when I think about how many decisions I’ve made to please others even when I didn’t want to, and how badly those decisions turned out, I realize I am ready to release this tendency of mine.
And so it happened that I was in a store in Bocas del Toro, Panama browsing and began to break my habit. I was looking for a T-shirt, but some jewelry caught my eye. The store owner was a lovely elderly woman. She could not be more kind and welcoming and just wanted me to enjoy browsing whether or not I bought anything. I found myself unexpectedly trying on rings and one of them looked great. The store owner and I compared a couple and agreed on the turquoise colored ring. It was $24. In the back of my mind was the thought that this was expensive for something I don’t need right now and that would get forgotten at some point, but I walked to the cash register and handed over my credit card.
Main street in Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro, Panama
As the lovely shop owner keyed in the purchase, I suddenly noticed how heavy the ring felt on my finger. It seemed to be speaking to me to take it off and put it back. (Ironically, my engagement ring once felt like a weight on my finger and I didn’t listen to that sign, so now it felt like one I couldn’t ignore.) I told the store owner to cancel my purchase. I felt guilty because she was so lovely, but then, it’s my money and I don’t need to spend it to make others happy if it ‘s for a purchase does not also make me happy.
This was the biggest change for me. Up until this moment I was more concerned about pleasing others than I was about pleasing myself. That got me in all sorts of life situations I regretted. I realized the missing part which will help me make more aligned choices:
I love pleasing others if it also pleases me. And, I don’t need to try so hard to please people if doing so does not also please me.
That same week, I turned down a lovely tour guide for an island tour. He spent 10 minutes telling me about the town and helping me get a taxi, but I ended up feeling better booking with another tour company and was very happy with my decision.
And so I begin releasing bad habits!
![Could taking time away from work be one of the smartest decisions you make for your career and your life?
In this episode of How to Travel Full-Time, I explore why intentional time away, including a career break, sabbatical, or travel reset, may become an important part of the future of work.
Inspired by the Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work episode, "Why Time Away May Be the Future of Work," this conversation looks at how longer careers, workplace burnout, artificial intelligence, and rapid professional change are challenging the traditional idea that we should work continuously until retirement.
But taking time away is not only about recovering from burnout.
A well-planned travel reset can give you the space to reconnect with yourself, reconsider what you want from your career, and decide what your next chapter should look like.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the traditional 40-year career model is beginning to crack • How burnout can be information, not personal failure • Why vacations often do not solve deeper dissatisfaction • How travel creates distance, perspective, and clarity • Why taking time away does not have to damage your career • How a travel reset differs from a vacation or permanent full-time travel • What keeps accomplished professionals from taking extended time off • Why time away could become part of a long-term career strategy
If your life looks successful from the outside but no longer feels aligned with the person you have become, this episode is for you.
🎧 Subscribe to this podcast for more conversations about travel resets, extended travel, burnout recovery, career reinvention, midlife transformation, and using travel as a catalyst for personal change.
🌍 Sign up for my upcoming free webinar (https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/) , How To Use Travel To Transform Your Life, Even With A Busy Career [https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/]
Link to HBR podcast: Click here (https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/podcast/why-time-away-may-be-the-future-of-work)
💬 Question for you: Have you ever considered taking one to six months away from work? What's the biggest thing stopping you?
#TravelReset #CareerBreak #FutureOfWork](https://heatherbegins.com/wp-content/plugins/feeds-for-youtube/img/placeholder.png)