Overwhelmed and Understimulated

Is it possible to be overwhelmed with your career/job and to also be under-stimulated at the same time?

This is an interesting question because I think it's possible. I am currently feeling this way and let me tell you, it's weird.

I can tell you, I have felt overwhelmed with the day to day operations of running my salon and working behind the chair to take care of my clients. There are days where it feels never ending. But here's the weird thing, I have also felt under stimulated in my career. I feel as though I've lost my passion or spark in working behind the chair with my clients. I am finding that I no longer want to venture out and be as creative as I once was. I feel as though my mind and heart are no longer engaged in my career, but I feel stressed at the same time.

Why, and more importantly how, does this happen? I'll tell you why and how... it's called burnout. It's a very real thing. I think burnout happens when we don't set appropriate boundaries in our careers. I see this happen so often with those who are business owners. We give and give and give in order to satisfy our customers and in turn, give too much and teach our customers how to treat us. We aren't setting healthy boundaries. We are so worried about losing the sale or losing that client, we can't find it in us to say "no".

I wonder where we got this idea of "the customer is always right" or "customer is king". These ideas and mindsets are why small business owners are retiring early or why people are feeling so defeated in their careers. We are overworked, underpaid and understimulated. In a word, we are suffering burnout.

So, what are some things we can do to set boundaries to help keep that spark or passion alive?? Here are a few things I've personally tried and have had success with.

1. Ask for help. Maybe it's as simple as asking your spouse or significant other to watch the store for a couple hours while you go for a walk or take a break. Or maybe you need help with completing a task, two sets of hands are always better than one!

2. Reconnect to your why. Take a look inside yourself and remember why you started this business. Why are you working this business? By defining or redefining your 'why', you can get that motivation back to stay focused and achieve the goal.

3. Adjust your schedule. Maybe you need to dial back and give yourself an extra day to just be you. Maybe that means a lazy day with no one at home but you. Or perhaps it could be a day where you allow yourself creative freedom to create art of some kind. Allowing yourself that extra time might just be what your brain needs.

4. Make a list of your top 3 things to accomplish for the day. Once those are marked off, make another top 3 list. A list of three isnt nearly as overwhelming as a list of 10. Take the tasks in smaller bite sized chunks so when you accomplish the three items, you feel success.

5. Go for a walk, run or get some fresh air. Sometimes just simply walking away, closing the shop and getting outside is all it takes to reset your mind and get it focused again. I know, personally, there is nothing better than a nice walk to help me clear my mind and get things back in line. 

6. Journal your thoughts, ideas and frustrations. Sometimes simply writing these things down helps clear your mind allows you to see things for what they are. I have found that blogging helps me get things out and once I do that, I feel a release. 

I hope these tips will help you in the day to day in your careers. The key is to know that you aren't alone. So many others feel what you're feeling or have felt it in the past. Remember that you are only one person and boundaries are a necessity for a healthy work/life balance. Don't be afraid to take care of yourself first. After all, you can't take care of your customers or clients if you have nothing left to give.

So remember when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, under-stimulated and just plain blah...  take some time to step back, set healthy boundaries and take care of yourself. You'll be glad you did! 

Take care, keep traveling and much love! 

H

Fearless Females who Travel Solo and LOVE IT: Part 3

I have to say, this series has been so much fun!! I've been able to connect with some remarkable women that I admire SO MUCH!!  These ladies are fearless, passionate and so full of life, how could I not admire them???!!

The next feature is a personal friend who I wanted to showcase because of just how PROUD I am of her!!  She traveled solo this past summer for the very first time. She took on the road and headed out to the western United States. We are from the same small town in middle America, so this was a daunting trip to many. Not to Kelly!!

A little back story on Kelly, she is a K-5 fine arts teacher in a local small school. She has a working farm with cattle, donkeys, chickens and even a few fish!!  She is married and has 4 children. BUT.... those kids are ALL under the age of 7 AND its TWO sets of TWINS!!! You read that correctly. Kelly is the proud mommma of TWO sets of twins!! Whew, just typing that makes me exhausted! 

When I asked her why she chose to travel solo, I LOVED her response and I hope it resonates with other moms out there.

"As a mom to 2 sets of twins, I need to reconnect and do self care.  I also want to be an example for my children that the world isn't a bad place, there are good people everywhere and they can do brave things as well."

How perfect is that response?! As mothers, we all want to be an example for our kids and embarking solo on a trip is such an incredible way to show them!



I was also curious about whether she was afraid during her trip, since it was her very first trip...

"Amazingly enough, I never felt afraid while traveling solo. I was a little worried when I was car sick while riding the shuttle up to Pike's Peak and couldn't really overcome it because of the (thin) air. Other than that, just the initial nerves upon embarking on my journey. The best part is meeting new people and learning their story."

YES!! I can't agree more! Traveling alone helps me to slow down, talk to more people and listen to their stories. Everyone has a story and everyone wants to share their story. Traveling solo allows me to truly focus on the new, interesting people I meet along the way. 


I hope Kelly's story has inspired you to take that first step and go at it solo. She has so many things in her life that COULD be used as excuses why to NOT travel, but she uses them as her inspiration and her reasons! She is being a remarkable mom by refilling her cup and showing her kids bravery and courage!

Kelly doesn't have a blog yet, but she kept a journal and as soon as she does start a blog, I'll be sure to share with you all! 

This series has been such an uplifting and inspiring series for me. It reaffirms why I travel solo and it encourages me to see that more and more women are choosing bravery and choosing to fill their cup with travel!

Keep traveling and Much Love!

H

Fearless Females who travel Solo and LOVE IT: Part 2

Thank you for joining me on my second week of featuring a fellow solo traveler.  I am loving this blog series!! The stories and pictures show just how incredible these women are and how they are truly living life to the fullest!  Let's be honest, that is what life is for, right?!? 

This week, I had the pleasure of connecting with Raksha Nagaraj, more often known as @solopassport on Instagram. She is a remarkable woman who travels, loves life and lives it to the fullest. She is an Indian woman who lives in Sydney Australia and works full time as a Business Analyst with an IT Firm.  Her posts and content always makes me smile! I asked her the same questions as our last feature and it's always great to see the varying viewpoints. 

I asked Raksha what her most memorable place traveled and why?

"I have travelled extensively, and I have many places in my list that are memorable. But New Zealand as a country definitely stands out. I have been to New Zealand about 5 times now and I go there every year. For an adventure soul like me, New Zealand is a perfect destination. It is a mecca for adventurous activities including bunjee jumping, sky diving and hiking. Lastly, I cannot stop talking about New Zealand without the mention of its spectacular landscapes."

I love this photo she shared! She is living life and all the random experiences that come with travel.

As a solo female who travels, we are always on a heightened alert where safety is concerned, so I asked her about a time she has ever been afraid. I feel like sharing these types of stories can give another woman the courage to share and the tips to possibly avoid a similar situation.

"Just to share a story from my solo traveling in Norway. I had booked a tour to chase Northern lights in Tromso and was expecting the tour guide to pick me up at around 9 at night. A van arrived and stopped in front of me and without thinking much I got into the van. Even though, I noticed that there were only two guys (including the driver) in the front row, I ignored. 

The panic started after a short drive from my hostel, when one of them turned to me and asked if I give my passport to him. I freaked out. After few questioning and discussions (as we had the language barrier), it turned out that because it was raining in Tromso, the tour agency was taking me to Finland to see the Northern lights."

This type of situation can be very scary and I'm so thankful for Raksha it was all good in the end. But, I wanted to include this particular story to remind ALL travelers to be aware and always ask plenty of questions before getting in an unknown vehicle in a foreign country. 

I want to end on a high note and I can't complete this blog without a final word from Raksha on why she travels. Her words and reasons mirror so many of my own and this photo captures her joy and peace. I love it!!

"For me, solo traveling is like meditation. I solo travel when I am upset about something, when I am happy about something or when I want to be myself. It provides me a platform to introspect myself and to get away from all the dramas of life. It is liberating, and I can do what I want without any judgements. And… it is a great way to meet other likeminded travellers from around the world." 

You can connect and follow Raksha through the following social outlets:

• Blog address: www.solopassport.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/solopassport
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/solopassport
• Email address: solopassport@gmail.com 

Thank you again for Raksha for sharing your story and I hope her story has inspired you to travel and brave the wide world solo! Just because you travel solo doesn't mean that you are alone. Next week, we will feature another fearless female who travels solo and LOVES IT, so be sure to check it out!

Keep Traveling and Much Love,

H

Fearless Females who Travel Solo and LOVE IT

As a female who thoroughly enjoys solo travel, I'm bombarded with questions such as...

"Aren't you afraid?!"... "What does your husband think?!"...

"Don't you get lonely?!".."Don't you feel unsafe?!".."Isn't it weird to do things alone?!"...

And the list goes on and on... 

I've been so fortunate to connect with some incredible women who choose to travel solo! In the next few blog entries, I'll be sharing their stories. Who they are, why they travel solo and why they LOVE it!!  I'm excited to share their stories and give them voices and to show that women traveling solo isn't so abnormal!

My first featured traveler is Ana Rijo who was born in Portugal but moved to London at the age of 25.

She found a new world opening up before her when she moved to London! Here are some of her words about why she travels and if she is ever afraid.

"I started travelling solo because I had a friend who bailed on me for a girl’s trip and I ended up going by myself (to Santorini, no less). I had a lot of fun exploring the island by myself at my own pace, doing my own thing, not having to worry about other people. And it started from there. I was open to having people travelling with, but I didn’t have anyone who wanted to, so I just decided to do it myself, and now I don’t even think about inviting other people to my trips, I just book them and enjoy them by myself. And I always end up meeting people along the way.  I know the world we live in is diverse, with different customs and traditions. I know that being a female can attract unwanted attention (unfortunately), but I’m not afraid of going to a new country. I think I’m more afraid to lose a flight or having my accommodation cancelled, etc."

I also asked if she had some advice for first timers and I loved her advice and I can definitely relate to her sound wisdom! Because she faced her fears, she has amazing memories to last a lifetime. This is why we travel!!

"I think my best advice would be “do not overthink. Just go and enjoy. The first solo trip might be daunting, but you will learn how strong you are”. I’m an overthinker by nature, but when it comes to travelling, I dive head in."

"the most memorable place I’ve travelled was definitely Budapest, Hungary. Besides being the first time I vlogged in front of a camera for an audience and having my videos on my YouTube channel, the city made me realise how much I love travelling and I wanted to do that as much as I could. It was the beginning of everything really."

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmA-8C0t4Rji8G0s_xi_ghA

Check out Ana's YouTube channel where she documents her travels, you are going to love it! Give her a follow on Instagram as well, she always has amazing travel photos, she is @red_girl_travels.  I hope it inspires you to take that first step and venture out on your very own solo adventure!!

Thank you to Ana for being so gracious and collaborating with me on this first post! Stay tuned for more stories from other fearless female travelers. 

As always, keep traveling and much love!

H

New Adventures

New adventures can be exciting, scary and a whirlwind all at the same time!  It's funny how when you are figuring what to do with your life, people say to find something you love and it won't seem like work.  That sounds good in premise, but how often does that happen, for real?

 

Putting yourself out there takes so much courage and bravery!

 

What if no one wants what I'm offering? 

What if I fail? 

What if I make a fool of myself?

Instead of focusing on the negative things that COULD go wrong, I decided to focus on what could go RIGHT!!!

What if I fulfill my wildest dreams?

What if I'm wildly successful?

What if this brings immeasurable joy to my life?

What if I'm able to share my joy with countless others?

I am excited to finally announce that I have started a new travel business!!  This has been a dream in the works for quite sometime.  As many of you know, I LOVE traveling and all things travel related! This is step one, and soon, hopefully, other steps will follow in my ultimate goal!!

This is going to be a fun and wild ride as I figure out the kinks! So, those of you who I will be helping as my first customers, thank you for your patience!!

It's funny how life can change and morph into so many different avenues. Certain chapters may be ugly and not worth mentioning, but if it weren't for THOSE chapters, you may not be EXACTLY where you are at this point. I am so thankful for the ugly, beautiful, crazy, hectic and unknown chapters of my life! I can look back and see how each one prepared me and taught me things that I am living now.

When life throws you a curve ball, or a new adventure is dropped in your lap, embrace it! Life is a journey full of ebbs and flows and its the only one we get. 

Much Love and Keep Traveling!

H

 

Thrifty Traveler

As I am beginning to delve into the detailed planning for my next trip, I was thinking about how fortunate I am to be traveling to Australia and for such a low cost.  It got me to thinking about the many tips and hacks I have discovered along the way and I wanted to share some of the newest tips I have discovered that have made a HUGE difference in my overall travel budget. 

The 12 Apostles, Melbourne AU. 

I will begin this by saying, I am an extremely thrifty traveler. I don't book hotels, fly first class or travel during peak seasons. IF you are particular about those things, this blog post may not be for you. BUT if you are like me, and want to experience new places, cultures and people, then keep reading!!!!  

My Airbnb in Brussels

As I stated earlier, I do not book hotels. Instead I use Airbnb and I have for quite sometime and LOVE it!!  I haven't had a negative experience in the 5 years I have been using the service and I have met some of the most incredible people along the way with such remarkable stories!!  If you are brand new to Airbnb and want to set up an account and book with them, click here for a savings. http://abnb.me/e/hvdfeRQ8AY  Airbnb is an excellent way to save money and immerse yourself into the culture or area in which you are traveling.  With Airbnb, you can connect with your host as much or as little as you choose.  Many of my hosts have been amazing and so helpful in giving tips and directions. I have found lovely rooms for as little as $30/night, so trust me when I say, you can and WILL save money!

Settings in Skyscanner app

Skyscanner app

A second huge trick I have discovered recently is to clear my search history when looking for flights. I typically scan three major search engines or apps for my flights; Expedia, Google flights and Skyscanner. In all three, and with many others, when you search a particular destination more than 2 times in a row, the algorithm notices that and the prices begin to go up. So, after searching 2 times, clear your history and you will be able to see the most accurate, least expensive flights. No need to pay more if you can avoid it!  Another nice perk about many of the apps and sites is you can set it alert you if the price drops. You can receive the alert via text or email.  This is especially handy if I don't have the time to spend searching the various apps.

Usually I'm not a huge credit card advocate. The one exception is when I travel. Most major credit cards have zero currency exchange fees, which is super handy when traveling. In many cases, traveling with a large amount of cash isn't safe, so having a designated travel credit card is advisable. I have a Capital One card that I can also earn travel miles on as well. I personally enjoy having some of the local currency on hand for small purchases or tips, but usually use my card for the larger purchases. Another tip, when you are purchasing something abroad with your credit card, many times the kiosk will ask you if you want to convert to your currency. If you card does NOT have exchange fees, then you do NOT want to convert. You will end up paying MORE. Just keep it in the local currency and the conversion will happen through your card but with ZERO fees added. Many places have their system set up to convert for you BUT with a hidden fee attached. So, be aware and if you are interested in a travel credit card, be sure to look for currency exchange fees in the fine print.

Finally, probably the biggest tip and trick I have is to pay attention when you are traveling. In Europe, off season is November - March. Usually the weather is cooler and rainy. If you don't mind this weather, THIS is the prime time to travel to Europe!! I have saved hundreds by traveling in November and February. Summer months are peak season in MOST travel locations so flights, accommodations and tours will be higher.

A lovely London day in February

When booking in the off season, you will run the risk of restaurants, museums, and other sight seeing attractions closing early or opening later in the day. The major plus side for me is that the attractions don't have the lines or people so I can easily see more and have less crowds to deal with. Planning and some fore sight can usually overcome this potential snag in your itinerary. The savings most definitely out weigh the more time spent planning!!

I do hope these tips have been helpful and you will utilize them when planning your next adventure!! By taking a little extra time to plan, you can save thousands of dollars and extend your travel budget exponentially! 

Safe travels and keep traveling!!

Much Love

H

Fear of Missing Out

Sometimes my blog entries aren't always travel themed directly. Today, I was hit with something head on and it is something that I personally struggle with.

If you've been living under a rock or aren't hip to the newest acronyms, FOMO is short for "fear of missing out". I had never really heard of that until last year and it never meant much to me until recently. For whatever reason we have this relenting fear of missing out. Whether it's a big trip or the newest fad or fashion...we are all so hyped up to fear that if we miss out, we are experiencing a legitimate loss in our lives.

But, by not missing out, what are we unnecessarily adding to our lives? More stress, more debt, more headache?? Are these the things we are truly willing to add to our lives just to be on the cutting edge of everyone else?!

When did we get to the point of "keeping up with the Jones'" that we sacrificed our sanity, peace and money?!?

Being present or being in the moment are the latest catch phrases but in all actuality they are so difficult to live by. To truly be present, we must ignore the distractions of comparison and competition. We must appreciate the things in this moment, the bright blue sky, the warmth from that first cup of coffee, the birds chirping or the bugs buzzing. We have conditioned our minds to think that if we aren't "busy" we are automatically being lazy. But when did stillness automatically equate to laziness??? To be truly present we need to learn to be still and appreciate this moment we are living in. Each moment doesn't need to be extreme or high energy.

As someone who loves travel and sees it as a form of self care, remembering to be present and enjoy each moment can be difficult. Planning for the next trip is so much of the excitement of travel for me, but I need to remember that each everyday mundane moment is just as precious. I need to stop comparing or wishing for the next big adventure. I need to be present and not worry if I'm missing out. My mental health and wallet will thank me.

So, how can you take steps to stop the FOMO?? First, address what areas in your life you feel that the most. Maybe you feel FOMO when you are associated with specific friends or family. If that is the case, perhaps you need to take a hard look at those people. If you are feeling an uncontrollable feeling of keeping up or comparing, they may be toxic to your life. Their presence may not be bringing you joy but sucking the joy from you. These are difficult conversations to have, but they are necessary. By allowing another person, whether friend or family, to bring this kind of stress into your life, you are giving them your peace and far too much power. These relationships need to be cut off, even if it is uncomfortable.

Once you can address the areas of your life that are causing you to feel FOMO you can take necessary steps to eliminate these things or people. As difficult as it may be, these eliminations must happen. Be willing to have the hard conversations and make the uncomfortable decision to change your life. Your mental health will thank you. Make peace with the idea that stillness does not equate laziness. Be okay with taking the time to truly be present and appreciate each moment in your life. We only get this one life, we should be waking each day thankful we are here another day.

Be kind, be present and be one who gives joy and not one who steals joy from others.

Much Love,
H