I Knew This Place Existed...I Just Never Thought I'd Get Here

In every session of In Your Element or Revive, the same question comes up: what if I travel a lot?

This is the anxiety a lot of women feel when they are working on themselves. Consistency is key, especially when you are working with a new mindset or establishing a new habit. Habits at home are easy - you have control over food and where you work out and the schedule you keep around everything. For some people (heck, for MOST people) once they hit the airport it all goes to hell.

Their routine goes out the window and they spend the rest of their trip feeling guilty about it. I get it, I’ve been there - but it doesn’t always have to be this way.

I recently traveled to Spain to teach at a retreat for YogaDownload, and I just didn’t care.

Sure, I cared about supporting the yogis who came out to connect with each other. I cared about putting together a challenging sequence of asanas and a totally baller playlist. And of course I cared about being as present as possible while I was in the beautiful country of Spain. To do the last one, I had to stop caring.

For years I watched as my friends and women on social media take their vacations with total ease. They didn’t worry about what they ate or when they would get a workout in. I was envious. Here I was packing emergency tuna and asking the guy at the hotel front desk if there was a way he could get me a kettlebell for the room.

This time, in Spain, it was totally different. Yes, I got to do yoga every day because I love it. I toured the area and ate dinners rich with fats and enjoyed a bit of wine. It was freeing to feel so at ease - I just wish it hadn’t taken me 10 years to get here.

I’ll say this: it won’t take you ten years. If you have a vacation coming up, enjoy it. Taking a few days off from your routine won’t set you back anywhere near as much as you think. Get as many steps as possible, hydrate, enjoy every bite, wear sunscreen, and we’ll get things going when you come back.

It’s possible to feel so free. You deserve it today. It took me ten years because I had to learn:

• How my body works. For example: I’m still burning calories even if I’m missing workouts.
• Muscle is powerful. It doesn’t wilt away because you don’t lift for a week, and the more muscle you build, the more calories you can handle.
• This is the long game. In a year, I log about 200 workouts. There are 365 days in a year. The 165 days of not working out are just as important as the 200 I do.
• How can I care less. Attitude is everything. Having anxiety over eating “right” or keeping up a routine ultimately ruins everything.
• I trust myself. I know I don’t need to track macros to make good choices. I know how to eat in a way that makes me feel good. I know when to rest. I know what I need.

And, chances are, you know what you need.

I want to know: are you going to let yourself have it?