This month officially marks one year since I last hopped on a plane.
And for someone who used to book 2–3 trips a year, that’s a big change. Travel has always been my reward and my reset button. But this past year looked different, not because I couldn’t afford to go, but because I made a quiet decision to stay.
When I turned 36 last year, something clicked. It wasn’t a crisis or panic moment, but more like a quiet, honest wake-up call. I looked at my life and asked: Am I on track for the future I really want?
For so long, I’ve always had this little habit of occasionally asking myself, “What do I want?” This time, I didn’t have a clear answer, and that bothered me. It made me more adamant to find out, not just what I wanted at the moment, but what I wanted long-term.
I wasn’t in a bad place, in fact, far from it. I had savings, an emergency fund, no debt, and a steady income. These were things that I used to just aspire to, and which I worked hard for over many years to achieve. But I also knew I hadn’t made the kind of progress I really wanted with my finances and future planning. I had questions, especially what kind of life I wanted in the next 10 to 15 years.
So I paused. I decided not to travel this year and gave myself the gift of clarity.
I love to travel. I always will. But when I started asking myself the deeper questions, travel just wasn’t the top priority. Not right now. I needed time to figure things out first, and I knew I wouldn’t find those answers while running on autopilot or constantly on the move.
Future thinking, I’ve come to realize, takes a lot of introspection. And introspection takes courage. The kind that comes when you’re willing to be alone with yourself, without distractions.
It wasn’t easy having to say no to my friends. Turning down trips or catch-ups was hard. I couldn’t fully explain what I was doing, and I wasn’t ready to share my plans without the weight of expectations or the pressure to prove anything.
I’m grateful, though, for the friends who respected that choice, even if they didn’t fully understand it. This is why it matters to have people in your life who don’t need the full explanation to offer support. That kind of quiet respect creates the space we need to grow on our own terms.
This season was personal, quiet, and just for me.
What I Gained by Not Leaving
Without travel plans, I wasn’t distracted. I wasn’t hustling to fund the next trip or half-present while trying to work from a hotel. I had focus, and that changed everything.
In that stillness, I…
- Took the time to learn about retirement math, global investing, and how to use platforms that work in my favor
- Rebuilt, streamlined, and simplified my finances with confidence, not confusion
- Launched a blog I’ve dreamed of for years, but never had the headspace to commit to
- Got clear on my version of freedom and what it takes to build it
I Also Took Care of My Health
One of the biggest, quietest wins of this past year? I finally made time for my health.
I booked my checkups, did my labs, and started paying closer attention to symptoms I’d been brushing off. If I had been traveling, I probably wouldn’t have taken my gallbladder discomfort seriously or noticed signs of possible hormonal imbalance that I now have a better understanding of.
This pause gave me the space to slow down and actually care for my body. And the peace of mind that comes with that? Worth every bit of it.
Prioritizing my health wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it’s one of the best things I’ve done for myself this year.
Unexpected Wins in the Background
And while I was doing the inner work, the outer world responded too. With fewer distractions, I had time and energy to:
- Take on new and exciting client work
- Rebuild my portfolio from scratch and finally appreciate how far I’ve come
- Launch a YouTube vlog for one of my clients
- Design materials for a high-profile event hosted by a renowned cosmetics brand
- Have my work featured in an international toy expo for children
- Work for a client whose past client was The Rock (yes, that Rock)
None of these would’ve happened if I were on a plane every few months or constantly thinking about it. And truthfully, I don’t think I would’ve recognized these moments as milestones if I were in my usual “on-the-go” mindset.
This Isn’t a Goodbye to Travel (Of Course!)
This season wasn’t about denying myself pleasure. It was about saying yes to something deeper, and that is building a life that’s stable, spacious, and sustainable.
Because the truth is, I wasn’t just giving up travel for a year. I was laying the groundwork for a future where I could travel more freely, fully, and without guilt or worry.
For Anyone in Their “Quiet Season”
This little project—the investment resets or the quiet pause—may turn out to be nothing special. Maybe it won’t grow into anything, but I was at a point where not doing it felt riskier than trying. I knew I’d regret it more later if I never gave myself the chance.
Living in the present matters. But so does planning for a future you actually want to live for.
If you’re in a season that feels slow or behind the scenes, I see you.
Sometimes the most important growth happens when no one’s watching. When we’re not posting about it, but quietly becoming the person we’ve always wanted to be.
This year, I built that future version of me. And I’m really proud of her.
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