Recovering Without Beating Yourself Up

Feb 10

I spent a good part of a day debating my next stop, Taiwan or Japan. I went back and forth, and then I opened Meetup and saw a Spanish conversation get-together in Vietnam.

I pictured myself speaking Spanish with others, and it felt like home. Tears sprang to my eyes, and my whole body went, oh that’s it. That’s where I need to be. I felt calm and clear and booked my ticket immediately.

I was so proud of myself for being spontaneous that I skipped the usual checks I normally do. Turns out Vietnam doesn’t have visa on arrival like the other countries I’ve visited. I submitted my application, but it takes 3–5 days, so I wasn’t allowed to board the next day.

Recovering Faster

What surprised me most was how quickly I recovered from that little setback. I figured it out, found a way to expedite the visa, and ended up with an unexpected night of actual relaxation. A comfortable bed, an empty pool, and an insanely hot sauna.

That’s what mental fitness looks like for me these days: recovering faster, without the extra layer of self-judgment.

Trusting the Next Step

And then the trip did what it keeps doing: putting good people in my path. I met Derek and Kathy at a digital nomads event on Friday and we clicked right away (they’re world travelers with a YouTube channel), so we made a plan to watch the Super Bowl together at 6:30 AM. I arrived first, grabbed the only table with enough seats, and asked the couple already sitting there if we could share. The bar was quiet and everyone was locked into the game, but Derek struck up a conversation with them. By the end, it really did feel like talking with long-time friends, and Derek, Kathy and I were still there chatting 6 hours later.

I still don’t know the full shape of this trip, but I don’t need to. I can take the next step and handle what comes.

💛

Reflection Question: Where in your life would it help to measure progress by how quickly you recover?

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