Dealing With the Travel Blues
Living the life of a digital nomad seems like an ideal life to many, especially since social media is full of pictures of the glamorous facets of this lifestyle. As for myself, it is probably the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been, but it took hard work and dedication to get here and it is still a work in progress. What people don’t share on social media is that this life comes with its own challenges and difficulties. The better equipped we are to be aware of them and deal with them, the more joyful our lives can be. This week’s blog post is very timely for me, as recently I have been spending short periods of time in various places, moving around often and making fast but intense connections to people that I had to promptly leave behind. So today I will talk about my coping mechanisms and share how I find meaning in situations that bring up difficult emotions.
There are many reasons one can feel the travel blues and whoever you speak to probably has a different take on the matter. What affects me the most are usually physical and mental/emotional factors. These could be triggered by having to deal with changing climates and environments from one day to another, weather conditions that I may not be used to, disturbed sleep patterns, getting used to new surroundings, meeting new people and saying goodbye to old friends. Emotions can range from overwhelm, to sadness and seemingly unexplainable tiredness. It seems obvious, but for me it took a while to realize that I needed to pay special attention to myself in these times of change, even if in the moment I felt energized and excited by the new stimuli. More than trying to give a recipe to deal with the travel blues, I am just going to try to give a comprehensive summary of what I do to best care for myself and what has worked for me.
The first and most important thing for me is a good daily routine that I can practice anywhere. This can be helpful and nourishing even if you don’t move around a lot. But for me it is especially helpful to have some of the same routines no matter where I go to ground myself and connect with who I am deep inside in a constantly changing environment. For example, my yoga mat has become a really safe space for me. No matter where I go, that small piece of rubber sheet is like a home base and having built years of routine on it, it takes me back to my core every time. Besides yoga, I also journal every day as a way to release any unhelpful thought patters and clear my mind right at the start of the day. I also meditate regularly so that I can keep a calm, balanced mind. There are days when I don’t have time or the opportunity to practice, but as long as I intend to return to it regularly, I know I will be okay.
Another great tool for me might seem obvious, yet I often forget about it myself in the midst of a hectic schedule, which is to reach out to family or friends and share the heavy feelings. I usually immediately feel better after this. Recently I have also discovered some groups of digital nomads where people openly share and ask for advice in all kinds of facets of this life so I can wholeheartedly recommend joining one. There are some that are global and there are more local groups based on where you are staying. Sometimes the best help could be knowing that someone else is going through the same thing as you.
Taking care of my body is one of the most essential parts of keeping it all together during difficult times. Making sure that I eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and meals that have been prepared with care and consciousness. I find it extremely helpful to supplement with magnesium and vitamin b12 during stressful times and go to the doctor every so often for a checkup. Regular exercise also improves my overall mood and sense of well-being and I am always looking for activities that I really enjoy doing, so it doesn’t feel like work anymore and it can connect me to people practicing the same sport. And last but not least, the amount of time and quality of sleep I am getting will also have an enormous effect on my overall wellbeing. I am always stocked with good, comfortable earplugs, an eye mask and some melatonin to mediate the effects of jetlag or loud neighbors.
I also love reading, so for me some books have been essential on my journey. The one that is most relevant to the topic is The Emotionally Resilient Expat by Linda A. Janssen. It deals with many of the issues mentioned here and is based on thorough research, it is a great resource of information. My other favorite books dealing with mindfulness are A New Earth by Ekhart Tolle and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have countless more books that I keep on my Kindle and have helped me through the years, so if you want some more recommendations, feel free to reach out. Also, I would love to hear about your tools to manage a balanced life whether you are on the road or not, so please share in the comments.
And sometimes you can do it all and none of it will work. In situations like that what I found most useful is to just sit with the emotions without judgment and remember that “this too shall pass”. I hope you found some useful tips in this article and I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.
