Sometimes the world can seem really, really small. Especially in LA. While Los Angeles is amazing, it often feels like a bubble. Getting out of your bubble, wherever it is, is so healthy for our minds, bodies, and souls.
That’s why I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to recently travel to Italy. While there, I hiked more in one week than I did the entire year, swam for hours upon hours, and somehow simultaneously found so much comfort outside of my comfort zone.
When I travel, I’m reminded that we’re essentially on a big floating rock in the middle of space. We are hurtling through the universe at the speed of light in a world where we have beautiful oceans and mountains and a wide open sky to get lost in. My soul feels at peace when I step away from my daily life. I prioritize the things that make life worth living: spending time with people I love, trying new things, and reminding myself to breathe.
While in Italy I kept finding myself thinking about the kindness of strangers. Although social media is a wonderful, powerful tool, I feel like it has a lot of us out of touch with reality. Whether you’re online comparing yourself to others, or online being mean to others (which like, if that’s u, please find a hobby), being online can really convince you that it’s a big, nasty world waiting for you outside your bedroom door, or that you’re not good enough to exist in the world the way people online do. When I was in Italy, I met people who knew me from online, who were incredibly kind and lovely. I also met people like the man at the fruit stand (watch him in my IGTV video here) who had no idea who I was, but shared his love and joy for life with everyone he met. It was an entirely different energy, like I opened up a new frequency where I felt more free, more inspired, and more in touch with myself than ever.
I think that’s exactly what traveling does: connects us to our humanity and the goodness of the world in real life, not just behind a screen. While I know that going to a different country is a huge privilege (that I do not take for granted!), I don’t think you have to travel far to shift your perspective. Even going one town over to a new restaurant, or to a park, or to a local farmer’s market can show you new things and teach you about yourself and the world in really unexpected ways. For me, setting goals to take bigger trips motivates me to work hard, gives me something to look forward to, and makes me feel accomplished when I am able to finally go. Maybe you feel the same way?
So if you’re feeling stuck, or like the world is against you, try changing your scenery. Take a drive down the road to someplace you’ve never been before. Set your sights on a place or experience and let it help you get out of bed everyday. Wherever you are, believe in the goodness of the world and the people in it. It’s a lot better than we give it credit for sometimes <3
