You don’t need a plane ticket to feel alive 

How I felt didn’t change because of where I was – but, it grew my mind in ways sitting comfortably in my grey, velvet swivel chair in my home-office could not. 

Now, I am not telling you to quit your job or your lives to travel the world – this is not realistic in our economy. However, I encourage you to read on, because what I learned is that you can feel inspired from the comfort of your own home – and that all starts with our minds, not where we need to be. 

Little is more 

People sitting on small plastic stools down the alleys of Hanoi seemed basic, there were no signs saying that you needed a permit, no security guards on the doors of bars or pubs, no entrance fees, no need for a ticket in advance, no QR codes to order your food or drink. Just take a seat on any stall that you find, and that’s it. I didn’t feel stressed or underdressed, I didn’t feel intimidated by people around me. It all felt so basic – but the atmosphere was not basic at all. It was vibrant, it was easy, it was fun. 

Community amongst the locals and travellers alike was clear, there was no judgement. Just laughter and the slush of drinks as they cheersed each other, language was not needed, body language was enough. Travellers tear apart the nation’s popular Banh Mi, chatting away or enjoying their own company, without the need of knife and fork. There were no signs of worrying about fitting in, everyone looked so natural as they embraced this bustling city. 

Crossing the roads making way for the never-ending mopeds. Travellers hopped on the back, arms around their driver so willingly, so comfortably as they chatted away on route to their next destination. 

Nomads and expats joined in on the community everywhere we went. 

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia – bars and restaurants, quaint little cafes offering painting, yoga, meditation, cooking classes, walk or run clubs, and everything else you could ever imagine down every street. Co-working spaces for all nations. Comfortable nooks for reading or eating, laughing or crying. Whatever you needed seemed a short walk away at very little price. 

Chatting amongst people felt so easy – “where are you from?”, “have you tried this place yet?”, “do you mind helping me out?” – another normal occurrence, no worry, no judgement. 

Community seemed to lead to happiness in places with little money, barely anything noticeably extravagant, but it was all people seemed to need. 

Banh Mi 25 – Hanoi, Vietnam

Community and support

I realised how little this surrounded me at home – my grey swivel chair and the odd coffee in town, a quick gym session. Keeping to myself unless I passed someone I know. Afraid of judgement, afraid of doing something wrong. This was my norm at home. Everyone seemed so busy, our routines became so fixed. 

I felt inspired by my travels. I wanted to do all the cooking classes I could. Buy strawberries from the local sellers. I did exactly what I needed to do, without pressure, without judgement.  I wanted to speak to people. I wanted to know their stories, where they were from, why they were here. My mind had expanded beyond the fear that restricted me at home. 

“So, why did you leave your home to travel?” The people I met along the way gave me the same answer over and over again: I needed a break, I needed a change from home. 

That’s exactly why I flew across the world, too. It suddenly crossed my mind that almost everyone I spoke to left their lives seeking more, wanting to feel inspired, wanting to find purpose. Everyone I left at home felt the same – “if I could do that, I would.”

Why is it so normal to feel this way? People fly across the entire world, quit or take an extended break from their jobs, all for a change, all to get away from the comfortable routine of home. 

It makes so much sense. But in a way, it didn’t. The fact it makes so much sense to everyone I speak to, friends, family, people at home – we all longed for more, but, we don’t act on it? Instead, we normalise wanting more as a never-ending thought, unrealistic, unnatural even. 

Not everyone may feel this way, some people may feel inspired in what they’re doing. Happy with where they are. But, the majority of people I speak to, or work with, are seeking change. And why? Well let me tell you – because we’re human, and our environments have become too inhuman. 

The biggest learning of all

Billions of years ago, we formed communities that would travel miles together to experience purposeful change. Forging for food, growing what they needed. Expanding their families. 

Now, we mostly stay within 10km of our home for most of the year. We use modes of transport to visit our communities, we work from home, we sit longer than we need to, we use apps to speak to each other, we rely on entertainment through easy, costly items. We take breaks when we can, not when we need to. We go to the doctors or finally speak to someone when the final straw is pulled.

We wait for inspiration to find us. It is no wonder the nation is suffering. 

Inspiration doesn’t live in geography. Change doesn’t have to happen because of the final straw. It lives in how we engage with the world – whenever, or wherever we are.

Things that helped me (and might help you too):

Balance isn’t just about getting more done

Having a routine is good because it brings clarity, structure, and a sense of direction. But what many of us miss in the rush of life is a balanced routine. One that includes space not just for the “life things” (like laundry, emails, work), but your things… The ones that light you up, stretch you, and make you feel inspired. 

If you’ve been feeling off-balance, here are a few prompts to help you reflect:

• What do you think about that brings a little spark to your chest, a fizz in your stomach?
  
• What’s been getting in the way of that? Is it fear? Worry? Fear of being judged?
  
• Is that something you could be curious about, rather than avoid?
  
• Who in your life would support your growth or ideas – and if no one that you immediately trust comes to mind, what kind of support would help you move closer to them? A coach, therapist or mentor?

A balanced routine isn’t about doing more, it’s about creating space for what matters, so that you feel more like you in the process. 

Broaden your community 

Once you have figured out the first step in what a balanced routine might look like for you, and steps to overcome what it is that may be holding you back, the next part is to think about how to keep going. This is where that feeling of wanting more becomes “unrealistic” or “silly” or “too much right now” in your mind – but don’t listen to it. 

Particularly if you struggled to answer who may support your growth or ideas – community support can be just what you need. 

Building a bigger community outside of our comfort zone can feel scary, meeting new people at the same time as trying a new activity can feel daunting. But the benefits outweigh the discomfort the first few times of trying something new. 

Let’s say you love art – maybe it’s time to join a local painting class, check out a ‘paint your own pottery’ café, or even join an online group if you’re in a more remote area.

By following your own interests, you’re not only doing something that feels good – you’re also opening yourself up to people who are likely to align with your interests. People with similar passions, rhythms, or goals. It’s not about building a huge social circle overnight – it’s just about introducing a balanced routine into your life, and finding one or two people who help you grow along the way. 

That’s more than enough.