Follow me as I travel with Jana Stanfield!

In less than a week I leave for Bali!  And, I am feeling all of these things:  excited, fear-am I going to make all of my connections for my flights?- anticipation, surreal, and guilt……yes, guilt-  Where did that come from?

It comes from my own self-imposed expectations, but more importantly, the expectations, or perceived expectations of others.  Who are these others?  Other moms, other wives, other women who may say or think, “how can you leave your kids for a 13 day trip to Bali?”  And then there is my own self-doubt.  Will they be okay?  Am I scarring them for life?

I put this question to my mom the other day- my wise, deep, wonderful mom- the answer I got:  “Oh for goodness sakes Chris, you’re going for 2 weeks!  You’re not moving there!  Besides, I get my grandma time.”

So I step back and ask myself, where does this voice, this sabotager come from?  And, yes, there will be others that do not approve; but, since when was I living my life for them?

In 10 minutes will this matter?  Well, yes.

How about 10 days?  Well, in 10 days I will be deeply immersed in the travel experience.  I most likely will be somewhere warm, a beach or the OmUnity Eco Village, where we will be truly experiencing sustainable and eco-friendly living.  I will be doing good for others while there as we Voluntour our way through Bali.  So, in 10 days, my heart will be overflowing with gratitude for life and love.  I will be reuniting with my fellow travelers from Vietnam last year, Jana may be leading us in songs of “have no fear”, “be brave”, and “live your true calling”.  I will be meeting my new soul friends of new travelers.  In 10 days, my children back home will have some longings for their mom.  But, they will also be living their lives, have grandma and grandpa time, filling themselves up with dad; and, the countdown to the holidays will be more important to them than the countdown to my return.  In 10 days after I come home, will this matter?  My leave will be forgotten as we wrap gifts, make cookies and enjoy one another. I will be appreciating the blessings of good, supportive husband, who lets me be me, as he has held down our fort of the life we have created.

In 10 years will this matter?  YES! In a positive way, as my daughter turns 18 and my son turns 25- I hope to have modeled to them how to fully immerse yourself in life.  How to appreciate the blessings of travel and how to let the world change you so that you may change the world. I will have modeled to each of them how to take abundant care of themselves so that they may more fully care for others. 

May each of you find the courage to battle self-imposed expecations and live your life in whatever way feels FULL to you!  Namaste’,  Christie

http://www.janastanfield.com/travel.asp