I have a weird thing to admit: I don’t want to travel anymore.
I’ve officially reached the hermit stage of my life.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to travel and explore the world.
But I’m more than happy to stay in my little corner of the planet.
I’m extremely fortunate to have been able to travel a lot when I was younger. I’ve been to a lot of bucket list destinations.
I’ve also traveled a lot to go to business conferences and events.
And I’m happy to put a pause on those too.
Events have done wonders for my career and business, especially when I’ve been able to speak on big stages.
But at this point in my life, there’s very little that could motivate me to leave my sheep, my garden, and my kids for a few days to network or speak.
I’m also very conscious of the climate effect of travel. And again, I don’t judge anyone who is actively traveling… but I just know that with the web these days, a lot of travel for work is not necessary anymore.
I’m also an introvert, and spending time with people takes a lot out of me. So I’m not advocating you stop networking or traveling, I’m sharing what’s true for me right now.
I do think there is magic in meeting people in person, but my goal is to strengthen my local friend community so I can get some of that people-magic without traveling for it.
Why am I sharing all of this?
I guess I’m doing it because I’ve felt a lot of peer pressure to go back to in-person events and conferences… and I wanted to explain why I’m not feeling it and maybe give permission to anyone else who isn’t feeling it to say so too.
I also know that my particular phase of life with two small kids, a business, and a farm is very specific. (Maybe even a little hard to imagine!)
You might just have a houseplant to worry about when you travel. That’s awesome.
I’ve consciously chosen to move to a farm and take care of animals, and the same goes for starting a family. It’s not something I take lightly, and we do have people who could mind the chickens and sheep for a few days…
But being in a relationship with these creatures means that I take care of them, and they also take care of me.
They balance me out and help give me perspective. With the farm and garden, it’s easier not to get caught up in the push for “more, more, more”.
Plants, animals, and kids remind me about what’s important.
They ground me in ways that help me bring good energy into my work.
When you’re carrying a water bucket or shoveling manure, you’re not second-guessing how you should present yourself or trying to make friends with the hot new biz owner who could give you your next break.
You’re focused on what you need to do. And for me, in my business, that means where I can provide value for my team, clients, and potential clients.
So that’s why I like to stay home.
That, and we have really amazing food that can’t be beaten.
-Nathalie
