Coping with change

And trusting the process

Apr 23, 2023

Have you ever returned from a trip and felt down or restless? If so, you may have experienced what is called post-travel depression or post-travel blues, a seemingly common phenomenon that affects many travelers. Post-travel depression is characterized by feelings of sadness, anxiety and disorientation after returning from a trip. It is said that the longer you are away from home, the worse it gets.

I would argue that the contrast between the excitement of travel and the routine of everyday life, and the loss of the sense of freedom and adventure that comes with being on the road, is the biggest obstacle we face when we come home. When you are on holiday, you are usually looking for lots of highs and constant excitement. When you return home, it seems like you go from high to low in an instant.

But that's what usually happens when you are on holiday, not when you are traveling like a digital nomad, where the lines between the concepts of home, holiday, travel and work become blurred. That's why I felt the symptoms of post-travel depression when I came back from my 3-week holiday in Patagonia, but I did not feel them as strongly when I returned to my home country almost 6 months later.

Now I didn’t feel so down. I was in a constant, stable state because I had been working and not on holiday before I returned. However, I had culture shock because of the changed environment and different way of life - and that's quite normal. It's a big difference when you come from South/North America to Slovenia. For me now, it was more about getting used to the tranquility and serenity of Slovenia, which I now appreciate again.

Today I would like to share how I'm coping with returning home and how I've found meaning and excitement. After the end of the 2nd week at home, I engaged in many different activities that helped me with this transition. I believe that these activities can help with PTD and culture shock. However, I will have to test them after my next holiday. Hopefully, it can help someone else in the future as well.

Exercise regimen

I cannot emphasize this enough. It has always helped me to stay sane, but now I have found it has been even more helpful than ever. In the last 2 weeks, I have only taken one day off. On the day I was feeling particularly sore and tired, I just did yoga and went for a walk. It makes you feel strong and mentally resilient. Unfortunately, I don't do as many burpees as I did in the US, but we still meet 1x a week on Zoom to do 200 burpees with Dean and the Cabin crew.

Zoom-Burpee time with Eye of the Tiger in the background

Nutrition and well-being

Starting with nutrition. I've cut down big on carbs (I’m a big pasta lover) and increased my protein intake with grass-fed steaks. A good hack for feeling light and clear-minded. We'll see how it goes in the long run, but so far so good.

Speaking of a clear mind: I have kept up my daily meditation routine - I meditate in complete silence for 20 minutes every morning.

More real-world connections

Of course, I’ve spent a lot of time with my family and started to connect more with old and new friends. Going out for a beer with old friends felt very nostalgic and brought back the feeling of home for me. I've been minimizing contact with people online and trying to have more physical contact. However, I tried not to go out too much to still maintain my health and well-being regimen and other routines.

Hands in the dirt

Today I started working on my very first garden. Probably the most exciting thing I've done so far (yes, I'm getting old). My friend Dean told me that this is the most rebellious thing you can do in society - produce your own food. And as Graham Bell says in his book The Permaculture Garden:

"A garden is not a place, it is a process.
A constantly changing canvas on which nature paints her harmonious beauty."

I want this garden to be an exercise for me, where I try to value the process rather than the outcome. I want to be present, enjoy it and learn from it without worrying so much about the outcome.

Meaningful work

This week I held a workshop in person for the first time in 6 months and it was very fulfilling. I spoke to accommodation hosts about remote work and digital nomadism and helped them improve their online presence. At that moment I was very grateful for the work I can do and the people I get to help. This motivated me to do more of it.

I'm also co-organizing an event in Slovenia in June where we aim to help more local providers while dispersing digital nomads and students to rural areas. If you are up for a cool rural adventure, you can apply through this website. I hope to see you there!

Feeding my curiosity

I never had any real interest in reading Slovenian books. Somehow everything that was foreign had priority. But last week I became more curious about my home country and started reading the first book about it. This makes me feel more connected to my origins and my closest community.

That’s it. All in all, I felt called to make a more positive impact in my closest environment. To help more people, to be healthy, to do more meaningful work and to appreciate everything around me in this unique moment.

Coming back home after a long trip can be a challenging experience, but it can also be an opportunity for growth and reflection. By taking the time to process our experiences and integrate them into our lives, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

As for me, I've learned that the transition back home is just as important as the journey itself. I'm trying to find joy and meaning in the little moments of my daily life, and appreciate the beauty of the familiar surroundings that I once took for granted.