by Crystal Veness

For the past eight months, I have been travelling solo around the world. It’s been a journey absolutely packed with personal growth, learning experiences, challenges, and so much adventure!
How did I find my inspiration, and how can you? Here are my most important and impactful take-aways from my journey.

1. Take every opportunity to connect with others

When I travel alone, I find it markedly easier to meet new people. There is something about being on your own in a new environment that almost makes this a requirement. You either open up, or you’re alone. I stay in hostels, go on retreats with strangers, sit at the bar, chat with people in line, on the bus, on the plane, on the ferry, wherever! The easiest thing is… the people you meet are traveling as well! There are endless conversation starters and opportunities for experience sharing. I can’t tell you how many times a quick conversation has led to a new adventure, an important contact, or a wonderful friendship.

2. Take time for yourself

As much as making new connections is important, connecting with yourself might be even more so. Time alone to reflect on who you are, your goals, and what motivates you is essential. If you’re not sure of these things, the time alone can help you discover them. The day I learned the most about myself in the past year was the day I spent hiking solo on a remote part of the Great Wall of China. It took 7 hours and was 20 kilometres. I struggled. I sweated. I thought about turning back. I might have cried at one point or another… but I took a very close look at myself that day and I saw something incredible. I haven’t been the same since.

3. Learn something new

What is life without challenging yourself? We can’t live every day the same way and be inspired. Take every opportunity to try new things and broaden your experiences. If possible, try something really hard, and don’t give up. There is a breakthrough moment that comes with accomplishing something you don’t think you can do, and it will inspire you. I’ve tried a lot of new things this year; the most interesting being free diving (so difficult, but you have to try it!) and kiteboarding. I have a love affair with kiteboarding that has me running out of bed in the morning if I hear the wind blowing. It inspires me to push my limits every day.

4. Take a notebook

The great Sir Richard Branson told me that I should be recording my experiences, my thoughts, and my ideas. Since then, I have been an advocate of taking a journal or notebook everywhere I go. My notebook is filled with to-do lists, on the fly journal entries of both my accomplishments and my failures, inspiring quotes I hear, contact info of people I’ve encountered on my trips, and business ideas. For me, it’s a great reminder to do things worth writing about.

5. Work on something that gives you purpose.

While on an incredible sailing adventure in Croatia, I was fortunate enough to meet two amazing and entrepreneurial women who I had an instant connection with. We’d all had this similar idea of creating a company that would change women’s lives, in a way that we had all experienced on our own. We spent countless hours talking and brainstorming until we developed Reset Retreat, a place where we invite women to find themselves and make positive changes for the future. Having a project like this to work on every day inspires me.

Follow my solo adventure on Facebook and Instagram and don’t hesitate to get in touch! I’d love to hear about your own journey and what inspires you.

AUTHOR BIO:
Crystal Veness is co-founder of Reset Retreat, a women’s wellness and adventure retreat in Belize. She is an explorer who often finds herself lost in thought on her journeys. Contemplating life, purpose and motivation. She lives to travel, loves to make a difference, and thrives on personal challenges.