Three Months In

Month Three is complete! I traveled faster than I have during my whole trip and moved on from Central to South America. Here is a recap: I arrived in Nicaragua and ping ponged around the country as I traveled to meet up with Rachel, then hang out in Leon with Sian and Anna one last time before I see them in the States in August (!!!), then back down to southern Nicaragua to travel with Rachel once again. After Nicaragua, she and I spent a few days in Costa Rica and then bused to Panama City to meet another friend by the end of the month. We spent a week in Panama City while arranging and waiting for the start of our sailboat trip from Panama to Colombia. We spent six days sailing through the jaw-dropping San Blas islands and the open sea to arrive in Cartagena, Colombia on the 11th, which is the official beginning of Month Four. Whew! Month Three was another transition month. In my day-to-day life, I struggled with being present in the moment. I have always been a daydreaming, life-planning, big-goal thinker. While it leads to incredible life events (this trip, for example), it makes it difficult to truly experience anything. Instead of focusing on what is occurring at the current time, my brain consistently concentrations on the future. Countless times, I have thought, “This is an important moment. This is special. Be present. Embrace this.” But to no avail. I was there and enjoying myself but it was almost as if the moment was just a bit out of my grasp.

In Month Three, that changed for me. I realized that being present comes from happiness. Not momentary, fleeting spurts of giddiness, but from a steadfast awareness and appreciation for the life that I am leading. More and more, it is becoming normal for me to pause at some point in my day and think, “I am so happy right now.” To be honest, I do not think I have ever been this tested or sad or lonely, but I have also never been this present and happy. Each day, I am realizing that happiness is truly a mindset. Even in my most difficult or frustrating times, I am making the effort to consciously change my perspective, remember all that I have to be grateful for, smile, and be content in the moment.

I understand that the life I am leading now is not my norm. Still, removing my typically stresses and distractions and pressures has given me the time to slow down and finally become present. To be content. And with that contentment, my trip finally became an adventure in which I fully enjoyed each experience. I did things this month that I had hoped I would have the guts to try – from traveling yia local chicken buses to zip lining through the rain forest to snorkeling coral reefs and voyaging by sailboat. It was amazing and scary and exhilarating!

With this improved mindset, I move on to Month Four! I have decided to spend the whole month traveling around Colombia and will fly to Lima, Peru at the beginning of June. Once in Lima, I will get to celebrate the end of Month Four with a super special treat – a quick visit with my parents! They will be traveling to Brazil for a few days and then doing a three-week tour of Peru. We organized our schedules so that they overlap and I am so excited to see them! Until next time…