The beginning

When I did start to tell people about my plans I already had a good idea about why I wanted to travel, what I wanted to experience, and how I was going to do that. I am not saying that you shouldn’t tell anybody, but share this kind of plan only with those closest to you, who will support you and perhaps even enhance your joy (For example: this works for smaller plans or business ideas also).

I finished the last things at my job, turned over my apartment to the renting organization, stored a few personal items and my books, had a good party, and then finally boarded the plane to Sri Lanka for my new journey. Traveling with (for now) no end and only my bag pack to live out of. A lot of people asked me how I came to this decision and, to be honest, I didn’t give anybody a full answer, so maybe it is time for some elaboration. In March 2023 I decided to quit my job and see what was next for me after this period. After some conversations with the owners of the company, I would stay till the end of the year to create a smooth transition with my replacement and afterward, I would be able to travel for a couple of months rather than work.

I decided to go travel in a split second, it came to my mind and it sounded like the right and maybe only thing to do. While I started to work out how my travels would look, my feelings confirmed this decision every step of the way. I didn’t tell almost anybody about my decision (except for 1 person) so that I could work it out in my mind first. This was a very important step in my process because it ensured that I would do what I wanted to do. When we share ideas that we have that are not complete yet or very positive plans that other people would like to follow, others can have an (unconscious) impact by giving suggestions on what they like, or what they would like. Usually out of enthusiasm or remembering their joy and a will to help, but if you are not careful you can unconsciously end up doing what others would like to do rather than what you would like to do. In the worst case there can even be somebody who would tell you that they don’t like your plans or make jokes about them, and in the process take away from your happiness.

So what do I want to get out of this new step and journey? I like to work on my personal development as well as help others with it. In the Netherlands, I felt (for the moment) stuck in a safe structured environment. There is a society, there are career paths, there is safety and there is a standard rhythm in which we do things. Let me first say that there is nothing wrong with this. In the Netherlands, we created a society where we can safely raise our children, and enjoy our freedom, and people from every race, gender, religion, and sexual preference are welcome and can feel safe. I know that this is not 100% of the time but in general, I love that we created a society where this is possible.

However, from my situation and a personal development perspective, I needed a break from this. Work went on a routine basis with not a lot of interesting challenges, and while I love to be with my friends and family the rest of the time I was looking for something new. For most of my adult life, I have operated from “work and must-do” first, and happiness and enjoyment second. So this journey had to be in reverse. Everything I do will be because I like to do it, instead of having to do it. Of course, I don’t mean breathing or eating or basic hygiene and body maintenance routines but the general activities of the day should be in line with this guideline (not the rule) I created for myself. Traveling alone would also ensure that I can always go for this guideline, rather than taking others' wishes into account. And yes, in a way this creates a breaking point in my routines which can help me forward to drop all the behaviors I have learned myself over the years that are maybe no longer helpful going forward. Should it be so radical or should it be so impactful? Well, if you have the chance to do it, why not?

So there I was the 1st of January with all my ideas ready and I woke up with my left foot not working properly. After 2 weeks I found out that the nerve to the upper side of my left foot was blocked and that it could probably take up to 3 months to recover. My foot was (and still is) unstable and a survival expedition didn’t sound like the right thing to do anymore. Deciding to push through with my plans in a different way I turned my travel plans around. Instead of going to Peru, I would take a 2-week vacation to Sri Lanka before going to Singapore to follow a yoga program and afterward travel on through Asia. In all coincidence, I met the family who is responsible for this program last November in India, and this all of a sudden lined up. I think the lesson here is that opportunities to do what we want come around more often than we realize and if we get lost in self-pity we would not see them anymore.

Secondly, I wanted to challenge myself out of my comfort zone a little bit again. The status quo that I have built in my mind needs to be challenged and new experiences which can be a little out of the box can be attributed to this. The first thing I therefore planned was a survival expedition to the Amazon Rainforest (and yes to me this sounds like fun:-P).

Thirdly, I wanted to keep developing myself as a guide and trainer on the human interaction and personal development level. How I was going to do this or fill in the rest of my journey I left open to be able to live more in the here and now than to plan everything like a good Dutch person :). And finally, traveling is just awesome!

I am a little more than a week in, which already feels like a new lifetime. I am sitting at 1200 meters elevation in a beautiful spot in the Knuckles Mountain range in Sri Lanka to finish this article. It’s been a beautiful journey so far and I have met incredibly interesting people. The Sri Lankan people are kind, and helpful and try to arrange everything for you the way you like it. My fellow travelers, a mix of vacationers and long-term travelers like myself and amazing individuals in their own right, made a lot of situations extra special.

So far breaking free from the day-to-day has already given me more insight into my enjoyments, desires, and of course also the opposite dislikes. Unconscious thoughts have become more conscious and I can see myself more clearly with every activity, so for me it has been a success so far :). If you want to learn more about these kinds of reflections and insights, which can of course also be done on a normal day-to-day basis, please start with reading the first 2 articles on the start of personal development and see if it can help you to move forward with your plans and ideas about life.