I’M OUT! Travel is My Therapy

“Where you going now???” As of late, that may be my most frequently asked question. 2017 was the year that jump started my Wander Life – I embarked on an Eat, Pray, Love, Travel Journey as a result of my grief induced trauma. Don’t get me wrong, travel has always been a passion of mine. Nonetheless, it tremendously increased as a result of losing my grandfather, boyfriend, and one of my best friends. I desperately needed an escape from my current circumstances, and I wanted to determine what this “new normal” (as people often time refer to life after loss) looked like. Thankfully, I have a great support system that instructed me that by no means could travel replace psychological therapy (and thankfully they found a licensed professional therapist for me 2 weeks post trauma). My therapist and I, however, did decide that travel is a great therapy tool. Let me tell you why:

1. Self-discovery – Spending time in new environments forced me to self-reflect & learn more about myself, such as resilience, personal boundaries, and what sets my soul on fire.

2. Escape the stress of life – It helped me rejuvenate my energy, both mentally & emotionally.

3. Separation from the scene of trauma – Removing myself from triggers was really helpful. It did not in any way change the situation, but an “out of sight, out of mind” approach helped to lessen the pain and allowed me to function in a better environment & somewhat cleared my mind.

4. Find the new normal – It helped to make sense of the direction in which my life was heading. I truly believe God is in control, and I have received so many signs from both Him and my angels along the journey. From seeing angel numbers (I always see the #37 – my sister friend Tomara’s line number in my sorority – which lets me know she is with me along the way) to encountering more people named Gabriel (also the name of my deceased boyfriend) than I ever had before, I knew that their spirits were still with me and giving me the strength to live on.

5. Opportunity to meet amazing people – “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” Not my words but none other than those of the musical genius Prince. He was absolutely right. We are created to coexist & learn how to get though together. I am so thankful for the dope people I’ve met while wandering! Some who may have just made a quick cameo while others still have a front row view of my life.

And the best part of it all – travel sparks joy & creates lasting memories. It is good for your heart and provides peace to your soul. Save your soul & LIVE WANDERFULLY.