Being a free-lancer in the “gig-business” as we call it,  I rarely took time off to have a proper holiday. Most of my travels abroad were linked to my work or participation in workshops and performances. For holidays I just would find a couple of days here and there to enjoy a little break but always ready to say yes to the next “gig”. 

In 2018 there was a change. A good friend of mine had a big birthday coming up in 2019. She was planning to make her dream come true and book a hiking trip, doing the Inca Trail in Peru, for two weeks, visiting Machu Picchu, which already was on my bucket list. She told me there were still tickets available and I decided in a blink of an eye to go with her. I booked  the ticket and felt amazing and weird at the same time. I had never planned a trip with such a long advance. It was more than a year until we would go. This was a completely new experience for me and started to open new possibilities. 

On top of the world in Machu Picchu with my friends.

Soon after this happened I saw an ad about a biking trip, cycling the Way of St.James or El Camino de Santiago. Cycling the pilgrimage from Seville to Santiago De Compostela. Wow! I always wanted to hike the Way! Now I could bike it in only two weeks. What an opportunity! But oh… no! This was planned in September. I would not be able to leave because at this time I was always busy teaching courses in different schools. The disappointment washed over me. Then when I was just about to give into that feeling I realised, but I am free-lance. I will just say I am not available for these two weeks! And plan around that. If that wouldn’t work,so be it. This is my time and it suddenly came back to me why I prefer the choice of being a free-lancer, working independently, or being my own boss. It was so I can choose the way I live my life. Wow the feeling that now washed over me was pure freedom. So I booked the trip and when the time came to schedule my teachings I had blocked out time for my trip. Guess what? This didn’t become a problem at all, I just planned around my trip and I felt so empowered by taking this decision. A decision that should be so obviously in my hands but being a free-lancer it is so  easy to  fall into the scarcity mode. You often don’t dare to say no to any work or projects since it might be the last one you will be offered.

Cycling the pilgrimage from Seville to Santiago De Compostela.

So I have become brave about planning my vacations, being proactive and taking action. Having in mind these good words of Mehmet Murat İldan; “Neglecting vacation is neglecting success because every success needs an accumulated positive energy!” – 

This year I had planned this wonderful trip to Italy. Hiking in Cinque Terre, enjoying a few days in Florence and of course at the end of the trip participating in a theatre festival, Cosmonauti, in Tuscania. Finally seeing the possibility after all traveling away from Iceland had been out of the picture because of the pandemic. But then the CoronaVirus struck again and it became a risk leaving the country, rules and regulations changing all the time. I had to surrender and cancel all my plans about Italy. But of course there is always a silver lining in every situation. I could still visit many beautiful places in Iceland. 

Me and my partner decided to follow the sun to the north of Iceland and for the first time we took the bikes with us. I can’t understand why I hadn’t tried that before. Camping, yes I still love camping, and then taking long  good cycling  tours exploring the area was this great fun. Mixture of hiking and biking, slow traveling, physical action, revisiting places and discovering the landscape in a completely new way. 

Biking towards Asbyrgi in Iceland in the midnight sun.

I have to say that I will never go back to the times I would neglect my vacations to be able to take whatever job that came along. The soul and body need to be allowed to go places, be inspired and breathe fresh oxygen to be able to fly and experience the real success of wellbeing. That will eventually feed into your projects when you are back in the room working on your professional success!

Ok well I have to admit, I actually started blogging from the first camping site. Inspired I guess from the fresh air in the north to finally start writing. But after that I put all my work aside for a bit. 

What I want to leave with you from this story is this. It is you that you have the power in your life. Whatever choices you are making; deciding on your vacation, what to have for dinner, deciding to speak up. Putting out your boundaries. Modeling life as you want it to be. It is all in your own power and remember not to give it a way. Claim your time, claim your voice, claim your power! 

Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day

Love,
Thorey

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