5 Lessons I Learned From Traveling Solo – Lesson 1: Patience

Flights get delayed, itinerary details can be miscommunicated or lost in translation, check-in times are often hours later than your arrival time. You can either let these things stress you out and put a damper on your trip or you can relax, be patient and go with the flow.

I used to be a person who needed to always be in control and have things go a certain way. I allowed the things outside of my control to stress me out. Stressing out over things you cannot control is a waste of your time and energy. We’re always rushing through life. Find peace in the fact that everything unfolds exactly how it’s supposed to and be OK with standing still for a moment.

When we (me & bae) were in Portugal we noticed that the waiters never brought you the bill for your food until you specifically requested it. We learned it was because they truly valued mealtime and don’t believe in rushing the moment. People sit and talk and laugh and eat and drink until their heart is content. How many meals have you eaten standing, or in the car, or you ate it so fast that you don’t remember the taste? We asked ourselves, why are we so pressed to rush the moment of sharing a meal? Our culture has conditioned us to rush through life, but we don’t have to keep moving through the world like this. Practicing patience allows us to appreciate life as it happens without causing ourselves unnecessary stress. (I’m presently experiencing a flight delay as I write this…lol I see you testing me universe!😆)

Over the course of this upcoming week (and forever), try being intentional about the present moment and slow down. Savor each experience big or small. Practice patience and ask yourself if there’s actually a reason to be rushing? When you’re rushing you’re automatically putting yourself in a state of stress. If you’re always running late and then rushing to your destination, leave a little earlier so you can enjoy the experience of getting there. ❤️