It’s Time to Take An Intentional Pause. The World is Telling Us to Slow Down.

Scientist and author Nicholas Christakis remarked in a recent podcast interview, that a large part of what it means to be human is to seek “opportunities for transcendence.” That is, “to move beyond the everyday desires, needs, very physical reality that we all face, of course, and see the fact that there are other things…” 

This is something that traveling to new places and switching up our routine environments often does so successfully and beautifully. When we are on the move, the doors to transcendence somehow appear more apparent and accessible. We become more attuned to our sensory experiences when we are surrounded by “newness”, we more easily find moments to be awed by our shared humanity, and we become better at living in the present moment as opposed to living for the future, which we tend to too often do.

But what happens when a very serious health epidemic throws a wrench in it all? Today Coronavirus is undoubtedly impacting international travel to many destinations as well as causing the frequent traveler to reschedule, reevaluate travel plans, and explore their personal health risks to ensure safety. These are trying and confusing times, and though airline travel is suspended to a variety of worldwide destinations, the world feels smaller than ever. Our human interconnectedness and shared risk, across oceans and cultural divides, cannot be argued. It is a stark reminder that no matter where we are, we are all vulnerable humans after all. 

At Unsettled, we can, and will, continue to travel, albeit more consciously while keeping our pulse on what health organizations and experts advise. It seems the world is telling us to slow down for a moment, and so that’s what we intend to do. 

We believe that when a downturn comes in life, whether it’s professional or personal, that’s exactly the time to turn up our momentum and make sure we are moving forward. That’s precisely how the Lifestyle Incubator works. It’s a 30-day virtual retreat designed for you to take an intentional pause to ask ourselves, “What’s next for me?”.

We are already counting down the days for our upcoming one-week adventures, at an off-grid permaculture farm in the rainforest of Costa Rica this May, and our annual Amazon journey in Peru’s Madre de Dios, or “Mother of God” region, this August. 

Today we ask, where can you seek out an opportunity for transcendence without getting on an airplane? Or if a grand adventure is what you are seeking, what is it that you need in a location at this moment?