This is a challenge for the most addicted globetrotters out there. I can rarely resist the urge to book my next flight, so I know how hard it can be to settle down. But there are certain moments in life when you need to stay in one place and focus on yourself.

The time you’ll take off from traveling will let you concentrate on where you want to be in your life. Strive for greatness, build a career or take your relationship to the next level. You might be finally ready to buy a car or invest in a house, but you won’t be able to pull that off if you spend a week abroad every month.

Even though I’m passionate about traveling, I’ve realized that it’s not the secret ingredient to happiness, despite what your friends’ pictures on social media may have you believe. You might be surprised to hear that from a travel writer, so let me explain.

There always comes a moment when you feel emotionally empty

You’ve been traveling for months, you’ve seen many wonders of the world and you’ve visited your top 10 dream destinations. You’ve been to festivals, concerts, events; you’ve met incredible people along the way. Then one day you end up staying in. You feel emotionally empty.

You don’t want to do a single thing, and yet spending the day at home feels like such a waste of time. What if you miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?!

The truth is traveling won’t necessarily make you happier. It is a strong drug with lots of side effects. Long-term travelers often find themselves tired, angry or sad, just like everyone else.

So, what do you do if you end up in their shoes? 

Like everything in life, travel calls for balance. The secret lies in deprivation and appreciation. Don’t rush out to your next destination; take a moment to contemplate your life. We are lucky to live in an age when travel is affordable and quite accessible. We’ve become used to it and even begun to take it for granted.

Learn from the Stoics

Make your favorite activity a treat! How? Back in time, the Stoics (members of the philosophical school of Stoicism) understood just how miserable runaway desire can make you feel. For example, Epictetus once wrote that “a wise man is the one who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has”.

What’s something you used to cherish that you now take for granted? Well, you have the absolute and unconditional right to move freely around the globe, but you might have stopped taking pleasure in it.

The verdict is you have reached the deprivation point. What should you do? Cut back on travel for a while. You could stop traveling for three months or three years – it all depends on you. This is not a “give it up for good” call; it’s an invitation to “leave it for later”. If you abstain from travel for a short period of time, when you come back to it, you’ll love it even more.

This philosophy is not about restricting your enjoyment of life, but about enhancing it. The Stoics believed that living in the present moment allows us to get more out of our lives.

Here’s what inspired me: an article by Eric Barker on how Stoic ideas can make you happy. Eric is one of my favorite bloggers; he uses science-based answers and expert insights to creates guides on being awesome at life.

How to savor your journeys

Be present, wherever you are. Once you’ve embarked on your journey, slow down your pace. Pick one or two destinations instead of a list of must-sees. Take time to indulge in your meals, talk to people, wander aimlessly or just marvel at the beautiful sights around you. 

Maybe you suffer from dromomania

Did you know there’s a disease called dromomania? You might have heard of it by its other name: wanderlust. It is defined as an uncontrollable urge to wander, spontaneously depart, leave your routine and travel long distances. So, if you accept our challenge to deprive yourself of travel for a while but still can’t control your urges, you might be a dromomaniac.

Here are some of the symptoms of dromomania:

•         Your suitcase is never fully unpacked; you use it as a makeshift wardrobe.
•         You carry at least three different currencies in your wallet… just in case.
•         The thought of staying home for the weekend makes you panic.
•         All your stories start with “When I was in…”

Read the full list of dromomania symptoms here.

The post Could you stop traveling for a year? (Think twice and say yes!) appeared first on 203Challenges.

Here are our favorite picks of local wisdom:

Pura vida in Costa Rica

Pura vida simply translated in English is “pure life”, but the phrase actually has a far deeper meaning. Costa Ricans use it to say hello, to say bye or as an answer to the question “How are you?”. Pura vida is in fact a way of life, where you accept that no matter how difficult, your life is not that bad at all.

>>> Read more about Pura vida.

Dolce far niente in Italy

Dolce far niente literally means “sweet doing nothing” and the Italians, especially in the southern part of the country, know how to turn idleness into a happy occupation. This philosophy of life contains a number of important prohibitions, such as no haste, no taking problems to heart and no paying attention to the surrounding nuisance.

>>> Read more about Dolce far niente.

Hakuna matata in Africa

Thanks to the animated film “The Lion King” everybody knows a bit of Swahili. Hakuna matata means “no problem”, “no worries”. The phrase is used mainly in Kenya and Zanzibar and is mentioned in the famous “Jambo Bwana” song.

Tri Hita Karana in Bali

If harmony means happiness, then this philosophy of life from Bali will help you achieve it. In English, Tri Hita Karana means “three reasons for well-being” – being in harmony with people, in harmony with God and in harmony with nature.

Aylyak in Bulgaria

Aylyak is an untranslatable Bulgarian word which can be roughly translated as “the art of doing everything at a relaxed pace without worrying about anything”. The Aylyak lifestyle is mainly typical for the residents of the city of Plovdiv famous for taking long, leisurely walks back and forth along their main pedestrian street.

>>> Read more about aylyak.

Fernweh in Germany

English doesn’t have an antonym of “nostalgia” but in German it’s Fernweh. It means a strong desire for traveling, dreaming of far and unknown lands and new experiences. So give in to your Fernweh and hit the road.

Friluftsliv in Norway

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. True to this principle, the Norwegians are fans of Friluftsliv or life in “free” air (“open-air living”). The northern country’s inhabitants appreciate the benefits of spending time in the open for health and well-being, regardless of weather conditions. Whether it is running, cycling or just going out to the park nearby to take some photos – the important thing is to breathe fresh air.

Wabi-Sabi in Japan

Salvador Dali once said “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it”. This is exactly what the Japanese idea Wabi-Sabi tries to convey. In English it means “accept imperfection” and applies to the individual body and character, friends and life in general.

The post 8 philosophies of a happy life from around the world appeared first on 203Challenges.

Let`s review some of the Japanese best pearls of wisdom for appreciating life to its fullest:

#Ikigai

Why do you get up in the morning?

It boils down to answering one vital question: what`s the meaning of my life?

Losing sight of one`s purpose may have detrimental effects on our overall happiness and well-being, as numerous psychological studies suggest.

But how is that some people have no doubts about their inner passion, whereas others remain trapped in painful confusion?

Finding your ikigai

The Japanese people believe that everyone has an ikigai (translating roughly as a reason for being). It`s hidden deep inside of us and waits to be rediscovered.

The question is: how to do it?

According to the inhabitants of the Japanese island Okinawa, the island with the most centenarians in the world, ikigai can be found at the intersection between the following:

• What you love doing.
• What you`re good at.
• What the world needs.
• What you can be paid for.

In their book, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, interviewed the residents of the Okinawa island to understand how they managed to discover their ikigai.

Any practical tips to help you find your own ikigai?

Follow your curiosity. As Garcia and Miralles wrote:

“Our intuition and curiosity are very powerful internal compasses to help us connect with our ikigai.”

#Wabi-Sabi

Searching for happiness? But it keeps eluding you.

The pursuit of perfection (both in your personal and professional life) leads to stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction.

The Japanese have crafted the concept of wabi-sabi to counteract this problem (wabi translates as rustic simplicity or understated elegance, whereas sabi means taking pleasure in the imperfect).

It`s about taking a step back and focusing on the numerous blessings that can be found in our daily lives. As Leonard Koen wrote in his book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers:

“Wabi-sabi is the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete, the antithesis of our classical Western notion of beauty as something perfect, enduring, and monumental.”

The wabi-sabi philosophy also relates to sanboin or the Buddhist teachings of the Three Marks of Existence:

• Embrace impermanence: There`s nothing permanent. Everything changes and that`s the beauty of life. This is illustrated by the festivities surrounding the hanami season in Japan when the locals celebrate the fleeting nature of cherry blossoms.
• Suffering: Pain and suffering are necessary lessons. They can allow us to grow and gain a deeper understanding of life.
• The absent self: Everything around us is undergoing constant change. And our inner self makes no difference.

Wabi-Sabi in practice

The age-long wisdom of wabi-sabi is about slowing down and accepting imperfection.

Any implementations in daily life?

Let`s take the Japanese tea ceremony (or the way of tea). The tea is usually served in beautiful hand-made cups, which have their own small imperfections due to the frequent use.

But the Japanese way of tea is about appreciating the imperfect. Because nothing is permanent – neither objects nor people. The cracks in the cups are what makes them beautiful.

In other words, wabi-sabi is about acceptance. It`s about being compassionate with yourself and who you are. Because you`re perfectly imperfect. And that`s OK.

Inspired by the Japanese pearls of wisdom for a happy life? Check out a few more philosophies from around the world here.

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