3 Lessons from Life Abroad
By Tiffany Dahlberg
Back in March I had shared
"3 Tips to Achieve Your Dreams!" I had decided to take my own advice and go on a 6 week sabbatical in Italy and France. What a journey it has been! What I didn't expect is that I nearly died living my dream (more about that next month).
Here's what I learned along the way:
1)
Feel the fear and do it anyway. Fear lives in our imaginations. Some of us are pretty good at creating horror stories in our heads most of which never come to pass. We also tend to attract what we think about. Knowing this, I intentionally switched from thinking about all that could go wrong to everything that could go right. Although I consider myself a positive thinker, it helped reading,
"What If It All Goes Right?" by Mendhi Audlin. Manifesting the life you want starts with courage to go for it! I got lost walking a different path (literally), but I learned how to ask for help to get back home, which leads me to my next lesson.
2)
Expanding your comfort zone is required for growth. Being in a foreign country is different, which is what I wanted until I realized all the little comforts that I took for granted were no longer there like soft beds, my morning mocha ritual, and washcloths. I had to let go of my preferences and be willing to live as a local instead of as an American on vacation. When I did that, I noticed that I became more flexible and open to new experiences. I could be in the moment and not wish for something else, like certainty that I was on the right path!
3)
When times get tough, give yourself a break. When things are going well, it's easy to stay positive and have fun. When the worst does happen, remember that you have a choice how to react no matter how horrible the situation is. And give yourself a break when you are not acting the way that you wish you could. Sometimes we get in survival mode and aren't intentional because our thinking brain is not serving us, but our fight and flight response is. Remind yourself that the situation or how you feel is temporary, and you will get through it. Breathe slowly and deeply and then start asking yourself questions to get back into your thinking brain, so that you can make good decisions.
Remember that fear is a natural human emotion not necessarily a real-event (danger). Recognize that growth comes when we get out of our comfort zones. Be kind to yourself when you are not reacting the way you wish you could. You are doing the best you can at the moment. Slow down, breathe, think, and then choose again. Life is all about the choices that we make.
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