3 Things I Was Surprised to Learn on my First Solo Trip
Updated: May 21, 2021
Written by: Patricia Renovato, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It’s true that going on a trip alone is not on everyone’s bucket list; it certainly wasn’t on mine. But circumstances coupled with a deep calling to get clarity led me to a 4-day solo adventure. I’ll be honest, the idea of spending 96 hours alone with my thoughts felt exhilarating and daunting at the same time.
I committed to disconnect from every distraction. In my everyday life, I have so many things and people to tend to, I’m a ball of anxiety moving through the world. The solitude exposed me to the serenity that I needed to recharge. I had full autonomy of my day and didn't have to coordinate with anyone or compromise on anything. It was a freeing experience. I was able to move slowly and never felt rushed. For someone who constantly feels like she’s racing time, letting go of commitments was such a relief.
I went into this trip wanting clarity, but what I was really searching for was peace. I have been on a self-discovery journey for the past 4 years, seeking to find my purpose, strengthen my connection to God, and reunite with my passions, but I hadn’t taken the time to actualize my new awareness into action. I knew that I wanted to participate in my life differently, I wanted to be an active participant. And to me, this meant that I needed to be more present and less anxious about the future. This resulted in me letting go of a limiting belief that my worthiness is tied to my output.
I invested 4 days in getting to know me, something I had never done before. I questioned my goals, re-connected with my WHY and designed a new blueprint for my life. There was so much that I learned during this trip. I’ll share a few takeaways that you can use as a guide to kickstart your own self-discovery journey.
● Remove distractions, stop and feel. I had never analyzed my state of being until this trip. It was shocking to learn that my normal state was anxious. Just writing this out for the first time is a big acknowledgment for me. But it lends itself to so much opportunity for growth. I know that I don’t want to be anxious all the time. I want to be present and an active participant in my life without limitations. Anxiety not only limits my ability to see all that is possible, it also impacts my level of engagement and enjoyment.
● Take the opportunity to re-evaluate and re-define yourself. Going on this trip alone was never something I had intended to do. It was never something I thought I could do. I didn’t think I would enjoy it but I loved it. This discovery led me to take an inventory of all the areas of my life where I had limited who I was or can be. I don’t want to be limited in any way.
● Mindfulness and Peace. I finally felt what it means to be mindful. I have been reading a lot of books on mindfulness and practicing ways to reel myself back to the present. My mind tends to live in the future. This trip allowed me to remove all my distractions so that I could finally experience BEING. To me this means being fully present, fully awake in the present moment, not thinking about the past, or being concerned with the future. Now that I know what it feels like, it’s a lot easier for me to find it when I get off track.
I also felt at Peace. And I learned that it’s not something that you lose or that is hiding. It’s always inside of you, but you need to be still long enough to feel it.
I highly recommend that you take the time to reconnect with yourself. It doesn’t have to be a 4 day trip somewhere. You can start by spending an afternoon at the park reflecting or you start journaling from your couch. It’s important to pause to check if you’re still on the course that you intended to be on. You make the rules, which means you can change course at any moment.
If you want to dive into your own self-exploration and be coached by me, you can email me.
Patricia Renovato, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine For over a decade, Patricia kept ignoring the growing sensation that she could do more to serve the world. It was daunting to think about dramatically changing her life without direction. After spending some time searching for the answer, Patricia found her calling as a Life Coach. This became the vehicle for her to facilitate the transformation of people who felt stuck in their life, not knowing how to begin a new journey. Patricia dedicates her time to connecting people with their genuine passion for living a passionate and purposeful life. Patricia’s innate ability to see people’s potential beyond their purview inspires clients to work through the inner blocks preventing them from living their dream.
