The ability to travel, is such a sacred experience. I have almost always found it transformative in nature. Every trip that I take happens to shape who I am, alter my perspective about the world or myself, or teach me new things. Because of the recent events of the world I haven’t had the chance to indulge myself in these experiences lately, but the doors to opportunities seem to be opening once again.
Recently, I went on a trip to visit one of my close friends who lives in Utah. We did SO much while I was there, but it was all of the things that made feel so fulfilled. So, I wanted to share some highlights of my trip because it reignited a feeling inside me, a desire to travel, to see new places, and to try new things.
I was only there for a short period of time, but we packed a lot into the few days that I was there. The first day there, we caught up, ate some solid salads, and went on a sunset hike, which was one of the highlights of my day. Mother Nature was really showing off that day, she lit up the sky in colors only the human eye can interpret and never recreate. We had to stop and soak in the views every couple minutes. This was the first moment I really let it sink in that I was somewhere different, and it led to a lot of reflection. There is something about light beams reflecting and refracting off clouds that really makes you reflect on your own place in the world.
The second day we walked down to Café Feel Love to grab some food, journal, read, and spend some time just slow living. I loved the time to just people watch, enjoy good food, journal and reflect, and read a bit. It was such a perfect morning. It was a great reminder to me to just slow down and enjoy the ways of the world a little bit, to enjoy some of my favorite things more often, and to take time to care for myself in all of the busyness.
Later in the second day, we went rock climbing and then to yoga. I hadn’t rock climbed in years, but I really enjoyed it and feel like it is something I could get into more as a hobby. I loved doing something active that really challenged me both physically and mentally. I had a cool moment while on the wall where I realized that less than a year ago, I would’ve been too afraid to climb and trust myself, but here I was, doing it even though I had a slight amount of fear. It’s not that I am afraid of heights, it’s that I am afraid of everything that could go wrong. But instead of saying “Life is short, so I am going to stay in my comfort zone”, I said “Life is short, I am going to go for it” and that is such a beautiful feeling.
The third day, we went on a 6-mile hike through Snow Canyon State Park. We hiked a trail to a cave and then continued through the rocky and sandy terrain. The views were absolutely breath-taking. I loved spending time outside, exploring a new area, and challenging my fear constantly. I would do it all over again.
Later in the day, we went to my friend’s favorite café, Gaia’s Café. It is a completely vegan café and I loved the creativity, the overall atmosphere, and the delicious food. I unfortunately was too excited and ate all of my food before getting a picture but did get a photo of my chamomile latte!
The final day, we did some brief shopping, traveled back to the airport and said our goodbyes. It really was such a fulfilling trip. I was able to do so many things that brought me joy. First and foremost, I spent time with such a special friend. I enjoy every moment with her. She is an individual that fills my tank every time that I talk to her. I love her perspective on life, her caring nature, and our ability to just be ourselves around one another.
I left this trip excited about living life, something that I haven’t felt in a while. I feel so refreshed, I feel a sense of direction, I feel curious, I feel hopeful. I am looking forward to continuing this feeling, this excitement, and this mindset. I am filled with gratitude for this amazing opportunity and this amazing life.
I hope that you too can have beautiful experiences that make you feel this way.
