How to: navigate a (healing) journey

I recently discovered something rather alarming about the way I travel. 

Flying is the easy part for me. 

But airports are my nemesis. 

This is a relatively new discovery, as traveling used to barely affect me. 

(Or, let's be honest, it did affect me -- but I was too busy to let it really bother me.)

This year, and last, I've been very fortunate to be able to do some international travel again. 

After Covid, admittedly, I didn't travel much. Or, at all.

I cut myself off from the world and focused inward, to figure out who I was at my core. 

This was a huge time of introspection and deep inner work. 

Which meant I was a HUGE introvert at home with my spiritual books and meditation mat. 

And slowly, with many tools and much guidance and patience, I started figuring out who I was, what I wanted from life, and what my truth is. 

Over this time I grew very content at home in my happy little "cave", sitting outside in my garden, by the fireplace or near my sacred space.

People came to see me... but I didn't leave the house much over 2-3 years. 

So when the opportunities came up to travel recently, especially internationally, I'll admit that I faced more than a bit of fear.

Why, you may ask? 

Travel is exciting! A gift! An opportunity! 

And I am honestly, truly grateful for the opportunity to travel again, especially after the pandemic. 

But. I'm a highly (highly) sensitive person. 

There's a book on this, The Highly Sensitive Person, and I admit that after reading it I've never felt so seen. 

(And if you resonate with being an HSP, please -- reach out! I have resources that can help!)

HSPs make up about 15-20% of the population, are deeply empathic and responsive to ALL energy and therefore can become overstimulated VERY quickly.

This is how this feels for me: 

Pro: All my life I've seen and felt links and patterns between things that others cannot see.

Con: I feel like my brain is always on, always evaluating every detail.

A million brain tabs open, all the time, constantly being linked to each other. 

I've had this skill since I was a child. 

And it is mostly a gift, and allows me to help people and understand them, their emotions and energy deeply. 

Because...we are are given gifts to GIVE the gift. 

I now use this gift to help others see the truth in themselves, in situations, in finding their own inner light and deep self-worth. 

But in complete truth -- this gift can also feel like a burden.

Why?

This is because -- I FEEL energy.

In. Everything. Constantly. ALL. The. Time. 

In the tiniest things you wouldn't even think of -- I feel it.

For example: I can't watch violence on TV because I literally feel the pain of the person being hurt. I will leave the room or seriously hide under a blanket if the violence is too intense. 

Truth.

I am VERY jumpy at sudden noises. 

I'm super sensitive to alcohol and caffeine and other substances. 

I have very little pain tolerance. (I literally just got my ears pieced last year because I had to work up the courage!). 

A chaotic environment can literally be my enemy, I can't concentrate at all. 

(I used to frequently work in a closet to escape my former cube-corporate environment).  

I work best in total silence. And sleep best in it, too!

An innocent clock ticking at night in another room is enough to keep me up all night. 

I feel another person's emotions as if they were mine every single day -- primarily their pain, their stress, but also their joy and love (especially if I am physically near them and/or consciously tap into their energy). 

I struggle with crowded places, and I used to throw up after going to the farmer's market because it was just too much energy, even though I was outside.

I just was too overwhelmed. 

I feel the unique energy in buildings. I can tell you who lived there and who died there. 

(True story: when I was a child I would start crying in historic places because I could feel who died there. My parents were VERY confused! haha)

People have often told me that it feels like I'm reading their mind. 

Or that I tell them things they've only ever thought to themselves, or felt internally. 

I often can sense (accurately) what will happen long before it does. 

In truth, it is not a secret power. 

Just a skill I've been practicing since I was a child. 

To me, reading someone's energy is as clear as reading a book. 

It hangs in their auric field and I can see, sense and feel it. 

Over time, and with several amazing mentors -- I learned to hone this energy carefully, how to manage it and only "tap in"when it's appropriate. 

(Aka: NOT at the farmer's market!!)

But airports. Man. Airports (and hospitals, too!) are places where EVERYONE is stressed. 

Everyone is in a rush, trying to get somewhere. 

The lights are super bright and florescent, there's smells of airplane fuel, various fried foods, sweat, perfume, cologne, etc.

People are shouting, music is blaring, announcements are happening, carts are beeping and you're trying to not get run over. 

Add to that gate changes, flight delays, lost baggage and the works -- and the whole experience makes me want to stay home permanently. 

But I won't, because I LOVE seeing new cultures and places and once I get to my destination, I can relax and enjoy!

But honestly -- getting through an airport requires me to ground constantly, shield my energy, repeat affirmations silently, listen to calming music on my headphones, sip lemon water and generally try not to vomit. 

(I am...mostly successful! haha)

It's a process. A journey.

And I've learned that sometimes in the places where I'm MOST triggered (airports!!) is where the most growth happens. 

I realize my strength, and that while the situation is overwhelming, it is not insurmountable. 

I can take a deep breath, and keep going forward. 

I dig deep to find the strength in myself, even if I'm feeling overwhelmed. 

I also learn to look outside of myself, at the other people that are struggling around me. 

And if I can help, I will! (Or if not, I can always send love.)

Everyone is traveling with you, handling stresses of varying degrees as well -- it's always a reminder for me to be compassionate and patient (with myself, and others).  

A spiritual or healing journey offers similar lessons...and blessings. 

With both, a physical and spiritual journey -- you're looking for more growth and deep meaning from life. 

So how do you navigate a spiritual journey the way you would, say, a trip to Ireland?

Here are my tips!

Step 1: Seek Guidance 

Just as you'd search for hotels by reading reviews from fellow travelers on TripAdvisor, so too do you seek guidance on a spiritual journey. 

Guidance can come in many forms:

- supportive reading materials

- journaling

- guided meditations

- spiritual mentors

- supportive communities

- plant medicine or supplements

- breathwork/bodywork

- reiki/energy healing etc.

All of these help GREATLY when you're doing deep inner work. 

But go EASY on yourself. Take it a day at a time. 

Just as an over-planned itinerary can lead to trip exhaustion -- you don't need to take 40 healing courses or classes at the same time! 

Pick one, try it, and see if it works for you. If not, there's always something else to try. 

Be gentle with yourself. You're doing great work!

Step 2: Challenges and Obstacles

As the airport itself provides a huge challenge for me, for others it could be flight delays or lost bags. 

Doesn't it seem like when you travel, the Universe always seems to be teasing you with a bit of, "is this going to make you lose your cool? No? Maybe THIS will! Muhahaha!"

But through the challenges -- you grow. 

You see just how strong you are, and you can look back and see just how FAR you've really come. 

Healing is not linear. 

Travel comes with a set of inherent risks and trials. 

So too does the spiritual journey... where the challenges are internal. 

Every single day you face old patterns, self-doubt, fear -- and are faced with a new choice, an option to choose differently. 

Will you let the challenge get the best of you, or will find ways to overcome it?

You often have moments where you think to yourself...do I go back to where I came from?

My old life?

My old way of being?

Retreating to the past feels safer than going forward.

But the spiritual journey offers us a new choice, a new way to thinking about ourselves. 

A new way of being that's much more conscious than our former selves. 

Don't look back, look forward. 

But if you do look back...do it to see how FAR you've come. 

You are not where you were a month ago. 

A year ago. 

You made it past those challenges, and you will overcome this one, too. 

And you can live out of your backpack for a few days if your luggage is lost, right?!

So keep GOING! 

Trust yourself. 

Step 3: Persistence and Transformation

Travel days can be long and draining. 

Sometimes you want to give up and hide in a corner behind your suitcase with a granola bar and headphones with your sunglasses on (this has been me). 

And sometimes you feel that had been coming along SO far on your spiritual journey -- maybe you started a gratitude or meditation practice...

but...you stopped when you got busy. 

Don't beat yourself up!

You haven't failed! 

This is TOTALLY fine. 

Take a break! But come back to it.

The transformation is worth it, but requires both patience and persistence. 

Take it a day at a time, and start small again. 

Maybe it's 5 minutes of meditation.

Maybe it's thinking of 3 things you're grateful for when you're feeling challenged. 

Maybe it's taking a deep breath and reminding yourself that you ARE loved when you're feeling sad.

Don't ever give up on you or your dreams!

Your transformation IS happening. 

When you reach that travel destination -- all your stress melts away and you get to enjoy a new place, maybe a new culture, new food, new natural surroundings. 

Going on a trip is always an adventure that's worth it.

You step into a NEW energy, and come back to your work feeling refreshed. 

With both spiritual and physical journeys, you WILL return changed. 

And often, you find that the journey itself was more interesting than the endpoint.

Want to know a little secret?

There's no real END to a spiritual journey. 

You are always seeking to learn more.

About yourself, about the world, about what is personally true for YOU.

Keep exploring, my friends.

Keep seeking the truth and allow yourself to be guided by your own inner compass.

You know what's personally true for you.

Once you start listening to your soul, you'll never take a wrong step on the journey.

Thank you all for being my companions on this journey.

I'm grateful for you.

I'm so proud of you.

And I'm here to help however I can. 

If you need someone to listen, I'm here. 

Keep going.

You Got This!!