Today was pretty normal—I woke up, made coffee, turned on my playlist, and wrote on my journal. Looking out the window, I saw my neighbor doing some serious tai chi; it wasn’t my usual bustling Makati scenery. There were at least four temples, and just a few minutes ago, a bus of tourists was parked outside.
Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.
I’ve kept my leaving Manila quiet, because I didn’t want to freak anyone out. I’m coming back soon; my home is where the heart is (as well as my favorite ChickenJoy). But for now there’s a dream I need to live out, and that involves traveling.
For some, it’s definitely scary. Why make the jump when things are good right where they are? But then, why let things stay good when you can make them great?
I have questions which can’t be answered by sitting in one place, and despite the fear that haunted me leaving home, I took the risk, and things haven’t been as intimidating as I thought.
Our fears are what stop us from moving out of our comfort zone. List your fears beside your dreams, so you’ll be able to see where the greater sign leads you. Open your eyes to the advantages—it’s inspiring to think of the person you can become when you’ve “lived a little.”
Point A to B
For some, the journey never stops. They are always on the road headed for something new, and most of us want the journey to be over soon. Just like on an 18-hour plane ride; after the first two hours, you get impatient. That’s exactly how it feels when you’re pursuing a life dream.
I wrote down a few things to help ease the anxiety of “life” traveling. We all need a few exercises to keep us sane during the seemingly stagnant and unsure moments in mid-air.
Keep the vision in front of you.
Like a donkey who keeps moving toward the carrot, carry your vision the same way. Write and re-write the vision, your goals, your dreams, or whatever it is you want to achieve. Keep it in your wallet, put photos up on your mirror, and always envision yourself moving closer toward your goal.
Court the muses.
When we had Lourd de Veyra as guest in our former radio show, I learned from him that inspiration doesn’t always hit you like a bolt of lightning. Sometimes you have to “court the muses.” There are times when everything is moving along nicely, then suddenly everything stops.
The next step is to keep working on things that keep you inspired. Do the work and be responsible for your muse.
Keep track of the progress.
We are too busy seeing how we haven’t reached our dream yet; we forget the good things that come along. Writing down your experiences helps you keep track of the good things.
A good playlist and a good book.
I had to include two of my favorite things—good music and read something that feeds your mind. Just because you’re in a waiting zone doesn’t mean your mind has to sit there. It’s awesome to take time out to enjoy other people’s art. These musicians and authors took time to create something great to share with the world. Always appreciate.
Faith.
Because as much as we’d like to plan, you know a bigger pilot directs your steps. Have faith that in the end, it’ll all work out.
Happy traveling,
~V
My Dad loved planes. One of my favorite pictures of him was from his early 20s, standing on a dusty tarmac in Arizona, after having flown solo for the first time in his life. To learn how to fly was why he ended up in Arizona in the first place. Soon, he would find himself in Asia, where he would meet my mother.
She, too, loved to fly. A supermodel in the ’70s, Mama didn’t stay long in one country. She took every opportunity she could to soar as high as she could, but she always found her way back home.
And then there’s me. My parents made it a habit to match the number of countries I’d visited to how old I was. But flying was something I did on my own; my first plane ride without a guardian was at age 5. I flew from HK to London; I was treated like a princess, and I never looked back.
This all came flooding back to me, watching George Clooney’s “Up in the Air.” I mildly shuddered at the familiarity of his character’s precision packing—how every item had its perfect place, the swift and expert movements of maneuvering his suitcase through security check, the calculated passport and ticket exchange.
Destination: Anywhere
We all have our comforts, but at some point to be uncomfortable is an essential part of growing up. It’s for this reason I’m going to ask you to identify where your nest, where “home” is.
It could be a physical place or a proximity to a person—“I’m comfortable wherever my friends are”; or it might even be a routine dependency or frame of mind—I can’t leave because, paano na ang/si ____________.”
Picture this place or comfort zone on a map. Bunch it all together into one bright red dot, and fasten to a figurative globe of the universe. Spin that thing, and realize how much surface there is to cover—how tiny a dot your everyday experiences are!
Remember how big and beautiful the world is.
Then look at where you put that dot on the map, and decidedly take flight. Destination? Anywhere.
(The fantastic thing is that you don’t even have to get on a plane to do so.)
Don’t forget how big and beautiful the world is.
You may not realize what you’re clinging to if you never try to let go.
Explore. Engage. Express. Do something that will be good for you for the very first exhilarating time.
It’s easier to see the bigger picture from a distance.
Explore the Philippines. Try moving out of your parents’ house when you get a real job. Walk on the other side of the street on the way home from school for a change. Wear your watch on the opposite wrist. Watch a movie you wouldn’t normally watch, and read a book you wouldn’t normally read. Go to a museum. Try an unfamiliar sport. Allow yourself to tap into the artist in you, and express yourself on paper, in music, on a stage. Rediscover the province or visit a new country. Study your family’s history. Envision the abundance in your family’s future.
Take flight.
You have wings, wings that cannot be clipped or tied by anyone or anything. I have a feeling that there’s something inside of you that knows exactly where those wings want to take you.
Go on. I’ll drive you to the airport as soon as you’re ready.
Peace be the journey.
~S