Fostering resilience, gratitude and independence during travels with Rowena Mabbott.

Rowena stepped out of her comfort zone and begun to form her independence. She now helps others through difficult transitions.

About Rowena

Rowena is a Life Coach and writer and was bitten by the travel bug early with her first round-the-world trip at age eleven. Since then she has travelled to attend school in the US, lived and worked in the UK, travelled through Europe and Africa. Rowena loves planning family travel and is now committed to ensuring her two boys are also bitten by the travel bug.

As a 16-year-old, Rowena attended school in the midwest of the US over Thanksgiving & Christmas. Then, as an 18-year old she worked as a housemistress in an English boarding school for 12 months on a GAP year, travelling through the UK and Europe on weekends and during the school holidays.

Both experiences tested Rowena's resilience and broadened her view of the world putting her out of her comfort zone and living with people she either barely knew or who were complete strangers. That alone was an adjustment. Rowena also became much more aware of how fortunate and grateful she was to live where she does

“Travelling is really different and it’s amazing but its also quite a good reminder about how fortunate we are that we don’t have to have that experience of living in one space and not know anything about anywhere else.”

— Rowena Mabbott

When coming home...

• Emotions Rowena faced - She felt lonely and alone with no friends. She felt like she didn't fit in anywhere. She felt uncomfortable and a sense of longing to head back to the UK.

• What changed for Rowena - Willing to meet other people (and her how people) and put your self out there. Being friendly and opening conversations.

• Biggest stress - No money and being a complete dependant with no job to return to. Fostering new and old friendships back home.

• How Rowena used her mindset - Used mantras like "you can do this." and "it's not so bad." Knowing that she was stronger than she thought she was because of her travelling experiences. Feeling grateful for her family and living in Australia.

• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. You never know someone else's story and not to judge people based on your own assumptions.

2. Change is a constant but we can choose how we approach it.

3. Travelling is the best way to learn about yourself.

• Advise to herself for returning home - Don't stress out, it will all work out. Give yourself time, find your people and it will all fall into place.

“Everybody has got a story and unless you take the time to say hello and greet them, you might not know it.”

— Rowena Mabbott

Links

• Website: joyhopelove.com

• Rowena Instagram: @rowenamabbott

• Travel Light Kids Instagram @travellightkids

The one thing to do if you feel in a funk.

What do you do if you're feeling stuck, lost or feeling in a funk after your travels.

“Change the way you look at things and the way you look at things change”

— Wayne Dyer

What do you do?

There are many things you can do if your struggling with the transitions, that in itself can be overwhelming. But undeniably the most important area of focus is your mindset. You must go to work on levelling up your mindset To create a conscious awareness around your thoughts and start to take control and own what you are thinking about so, if need be you can start to change it.

How do you level up your mindset, Change your state and create new beliefs for yourself?

If you are constantly feeling sad, upset, confused, lost or frustrated with certain areas of your life, it is worth looking at what your thoughts are creating around those areas and begin making changes. There are many ways you can start to tap into your mind and create new behaviours and patterns. Ultimately you need to get yourself into alignment.

4 practices to get into alignment

• Meditation / Mind awareness

• Visualisation

• Conscious creation and showing up as you want to be (taking inspired action)

• Movement

Final Thoughts

If you are feeling in a funk after returning home from travel or any other challenging situation, start by looking at your mindset. Ask yourself these questions...

1. What thoughts am I thinking that are making me feel this way?

2. How do I want to feel?

3. How can I change my state, at this very moment, to make me feel the way I want to, what can I do that will make me feel joy?

Consciously start to take control and reprogram your mind to a place that serves you better so you can start feeling in alignment.

Links

• Related blog post: The best thing you can do when you're struggling with reverse culture shock.

• Past episode: Episode 23 - Mindset - why its important for travellers.

• Lively show: The Lively Show

• Connect with me on Instagram @abbylewtas

Live on Facebook - The Wanderlusters Mind

Finding adventure and adrenaline in the extreme with Kirsten Alexis.

Fuelled by travel, adventure and adrenaline, Kirsten now lives 'This Adventure Life' and inspires others to do the same.

About Kirsten

Kirsten Alexis is an outdoor adventure and travel enthusiast who strives to explore the world and document her travels through content creation and media. She is the Founder of This Adventure Life, an online adventure community that strives to inspire people to get out and live their dreams. She is an avid traveler, high-altitude hiker, skydiver, paddleboarder and photographer.

Kirsten has been travelling extensively since she graduated from UCLA back in 2010. She spent months travelling to different locations and then returned back for a moment to regroup before stepping out onto her next journey. Some of her travels have been months, some weeks, but she has been travelling the world for the past eight years.

“You get to the summit and you see how far you came, from your starting point. Its such a metaphor for life.”

— Kirsten Alexis

When coming home...

• Emotions and changes Kirsten faced - Changes for herself in that she is more confident and will challenge herself, even more, she feels accomplished. Life is too short to not follow your passions and dreams. Say yes.
• Biggest stress - Her finances and how to can I make more money so that I can have these experiences. Not knowing what to do outside of travel and adventure. Changes that she was faced with when coming home such as rising rent, increasing traffic and different quality of life.
• How Kirsten used her mindset - Stay focused on your goals at the moment, if you don't you will stray from them. Keep putting on foot in front of the other. Stay positive and learn from your experiences.
• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. I am able to do whatever I set my mind to. Confidence and level up my mindset.
2. The world is a better place than we all think. Its full of opportunities and amazing people.
3. There is a lot more to life than just to pay bills and exist. The more people travel and adventure the more they realise this. You might not have as much (in material things) but you will have the experiences and the memories.

• Advise to her 16-year-old self to - Follow your dream life, its ok to be you, its ok to have different dreams and goals to other people, its ok to live your athentic life even if others don't agree with yourself. Trust yourself and follow your heart. Happiness does take some work, beleie in yourself, beleive in your adventure and beleive in your purpose.

“I’m capable of making a quick decision and that things happen but as long as you are prepared you really don’t have to worry about them.”

— Kirsten Alexis

Links

• Website: thisadventurelife.com
• This Adventure Life Instagram: @thisadventurelifeblog
• Kirsten's Instagram: @kirstenalexisadventures
• This Adventure Life Facebook: @ThisAdventureLife

“Just keep going, we are where were supposed to be right now.”

— Kirsten Alexis

Travelling the US in their RV with Sarah and Zach Varnell

Instead of buying house Sarah and Zach bought an RV and moved in full time to travel the US

About Sarah and Zach

Sarah and Zach work from anywhere (remote information security consultants) with their 2-year-old Yorkie. They love all things travel. Their podcast Thinking Liberty seeks ways to encourage others to get out there and explore.

Sarah and Zach lived in an RV travelling the US for 2 years. They spent two months in South America, with their dog, working remotely and then vacationing in Patagonia. Exploring new cities and state parks was a highlight. They believe there is something so freeing about knowing that you could just pick up and move somewhere new at any time. 

“Think through your processes and thoughts and dont let them overwhelm you.”

— Sarah Varnell

When coming home...

• Emotions and differences Sarah and Zach faced - Realisations of all the family and friend 'life' events that they had missed whilst they were away. Peoples lives had gone on and they had missed part of it.
• Biggest stress Sarah and Zach encountered - Fear of missing out on things happening at home but also when returning home what they were missing when not travelling.
• How Sarah and Zach supported themselves - They had each other and felt blessed that they will be able to lean on each other during this transition. 
• How Sarah and Zach's mindset changed after their travels - More mindful of whats really important (physically), what adds value and what will matter to them in years from now.
• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. Experience over material things - the more you experience the more you value.
2. Make the most of your time.
3. Open to learning new skills such as languages and fixing and maintaining the RV.

• Advise to themselves when returning home - Be more open, make the most of your experiances and dont fear missing out.

“Whats really important, what is really going to add value to my life and what is really going to matter to me a couple of years from now.”

— Sarah Varnell

Links

• Thinking Liberty podcast website: thinkingliberty.com
• Facebook: Thinking Liberty
• My interview on the Thinking Liberty podcast (Ep 027 Creating a life of travel with Abby Lewtas)

Stop pursuing happiness and start living it now.

Life is about the journey, not the destination. Cure destination addiction and the PURSUIT of happiness.

“Beware of destination addiction, a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job or with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.”

— Robert Holden

Are you PURSUING happiness or are you actually LIVING it?

So many people lead themselves to believe that happiness (success, joy, love) is in the future and they become addicted to chasing that feeling. How would you know if you're pursuing happiness instead of living it? Think about these questions...

• Is there always a 'pinnacle event' on your calendar that you are looking forward too more so than anything else?
• Do you always feel busy?
• After a big exciting event in your life, do you fall into a mild sense of depression that you can't shake?
• Do you have so many plans, forecasts, projections about what you want for your future, but you're not enjoying the process of bringing them to life?

Falling into these ways of thinking and living can be so easy especially if we are not aware that we are doing so. You must learn to stop placing everything that makes you happy in your future and outside of your control.

How can you cure destination addiction and the PURSUIT of happiness?

I'll be the first person to tell you that I still fall into the destination addiction trap from time to time. As with any addiction, I believe it all begins with regaining control of your mindset. So Here are some actions that I have applied to my life to help me feel happy NOW!

• Apply personal daily practices to help get present. E.g. Active stretching routine, meditation, exercise, get into nature.
• Think and FEEL about what in your life excites you right NOW?
• Tune in to what is actually going on for you in your life right now.
• Create awareness around your thoughts and actively choose a positive mindset for yourself. Choose to feel happy for no reason.
• Stop placing your happiness in things external to yourself...your relationship, your job or your next exciting holiday. Just create it now - it is a choice.
• Consciously set your day up for happiness and success.

Remember you always have a choice on how you show up. Your situation in life may not be picture perfect or your ideal. Let go of that mindset and start focusing in on your life and how you can be and feel happy now.

Drop the idea that happiness and success is something that will come to you at the end of the road, the top of the mountain, when the championship rolls around when you reach that goal, that next holiday or you finally nail that job you wanted.

Links

• Related blog post: The destination addiction.
• Connect with me on Instagram @abbylewtas

Live on Facebook - The Wanderlusters Mind

Trust, focus, an adventure to London and owning her unique magic with Ellie Swift.

Ellie followed her career and merged it with travel on an extended trip to London. She returned home blindly following her intution to the next steps of her life.

About Ellie

Ellie Swift is a Mindset & Marketing Coach, Social Media Strategist, writer and speaker for ambitious women who are ready to share their unique blend of magic with the world and TRULY be seen so that they can connect authentically with their customers online, and grow their heart-centred businesses!

Ellie spent the last decade working in marketing in London, Sydney and Perth, achieving her goal of Head of Marketing Strategy for a private agency in Perth, Western Australia by the age of 28, before making the transition into the coaching world to support service-based business owners in the online space.

Ellie has been described by her clients as “empowering, inspiring and a wealth of marketing knowledge”, and is passionate about encouraging women to cultivate a success mindset and thrive as solopreneurs.

“It’s those worldly experiences and seeing and doing more that really enable us to open our eyes and our hearts and our views and so they are the things that travel has enabled me to do and learn and become.”

— Ellie Swift

When coming home...

• Emotions and differences Ellie faced - Immense appreciation for Australia but also a challenge to move back so decided to move to a different city. Lit up with gratitude and joy.

• What had changed for Ellie - Saw that 'Australia sparkled.' Ellie started a relationship with her now partner which was 'not part of her plan' but describes it as the best thing that happened to her. Knew life would never look as it did before she went away.

• Biggest stress - You are never going to go back to what you have had before so you morn that. Her relationships shifted because she was an evolved version of herself so she had to find her role within her family and friends.

• How Ellie supported herself - Not needing to rely on external situations to make decisions. Trusted herself and her choices. Focused on what she wanted and stayed organised. Ellie set goals and went for them.

• How Ellie used her mindset - Trust and focus and a mentality that anything is possible. Setting goals and truely believing in her unique magic.

• 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock

1. Trust yourself and believe in what is true for you - Your environment really shapes who you are.

2. The power and value of travel of new experiences, adventure and travel.

3. I am my conscious mind - I can be who I want to be and I can choose again, I can make changes in my life and I dont have to stagnate and be stuck.

• Advise to herself for returning home - allow it to be what its going to be, dont fight it, allow it to unfold as its meant to.

“When you stop and really listen to your intuition, you already know the answer.”

— Ellie Swift

Links

• Website: www.ellieswift.com

• Instagram: @elliehswift

• Facebook: Ellie Swift