Returning Home

Ahh home. Sweet, sweet home.

Sleeping in my own bed feels amazing.

Working from the road was certainly doable, but I was surprised by what happened when I returned. Sure, I was exhausted and jet lagged. But as soon as I sat at my desk in my old “idea workshop” (bedroom), I was hit with a rush of creative energy.

Suddenly I needed to write, brainstorm, pound out my next masterpiece. I wanted to stay up all night and work. When my head finally hit the pillow, I used all the sleep-hacking techniques I could think of to make the morning come faster.

This is what I love– the feeling of waking up excited, itching to work on my projects.

It’s not like I didn’t have moments of inspiration on the road, but there’s something about having your own workspace, a little cave that you’ve designed yourself, where you go to dive in deep, and where you’ve been wildly productive in the past. That kind of energy can’t be replaced, even by the most charming of coffee shops (and I do love working in coffee shops).

My plan is to hang out with my family in Montreal for the holidays and then fly back to Portland on January 6.

People keep asking me if I really want to return to Portland after I fell so hard for traveling these past six weeks. The answer is a definite yes.

Travel vs settle

Sure, I feel the urge to keep going, to travel for longer periods of time, and keep connecting with multipotentialites in different cities. But at the same time, I’m feeling an even stronger pull to set down some roots, or rather continue setting down my roots. I’ve already begun establishing a nice little community of friends in Portland, whom I miss dearly. I want to keep going and take it further.

The thing is, I don’t see the traveling and “settling down” mindsets as opposites. I think you can experience both at the same time. Obviously you can’t be in two places at once, but maybe there are other activities that will evoke those same feelings I got from traveling.

What I loved about traveling was meeting new people, having deep conversations, and experiencing how others live. These are the feelings I’m seeking, but they’re all things that can be achieved in Portland too, with a bit of effort.

There’s no reason not to continue saying yes to more opportunities like I did on the road. With a bit of balance, I can have my comfy dream (home, community, routine), and still experience the feelings I loved when traveling (excitement, adventure, connection).

It’s sort of like being a multipotentialite. There are a finite number of hours in the day, but if you’re conscious about how you spend them, you can absolutely integrate multiple projects into that one day.

What are the feelings you’re seeking through your interests?

I like the idea of identifying the feelings behind your interests and seeking those out. Do you really need to become a full blown professor to satisfy your love for teaching and inspiring people? Would you feel every bit as satisfied through coaching or public speaking? I’m not saying one path is better than the other, but these are questions to explore.

Often the limitations we see aren’t nearly as rigid as we think they are. Focus on the motivation, not on the specific activity, and you may be surprised by all your options.

Here are some photos from my trip. Locations include San Francisco, the Red Woods, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, LA, Joshua Tree, Boulder and Las Vegas.

Your Turn

Have you found a way to integrate multiple “drives” into your life, at a level beyond the specific activity?