Spain and living in the present

Spain and living in the present

Its been proven Ageing well is a combination of many factors that involve the whole self by nurturing all 4 areas of our well being such as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, living a 'holistic' lifestyle daily to stay balanced. After walking the Camino de Santiago last year and discovering I could live out of a backpack for 5 weeks, I reflected on my life before my pilgrimage and realised my life was out of balance. Too much focus on 'doing' and not enough of simply 'being'.

Ageing well my way, Knowing what energises us is key to ageing well, and what energises me is travel. So this year I moved right out of my comfort zone by letting go of everything, my home, my car and possessions. Feeling optimistic and liberated I was able to focus more on inner growth instead of outer growth, by learning new things, visiting new places and meeting new people.

'The real value in life is our relationships.' I began my inner journey in May this year and decided to live in Spain for 3 months. Choosing to go in the hottest months of the year probably wasn't the best decision I've ever made, but the challenges I faced during the heat and excessive mosquitos tested my patience and resilience! I chose Spain because I was fortunate enough to make friends with an English teacher and life coach who's lived there for 8 years with her son and whom I met on a global Empowerment coaching course during lockdown. To begin my adventure this wonderful lady kindly offered me a place to stay both in her home near Javea and in one of her rentals in Xativa.  While there I got to experience a new way of living, a new culture and made a new circle of friends that have been so friendly and welcoming. This opened doors to new places to stay which opened my eyes to a new way of being.

The nomad lifestyle. During my stay I discovered the best way for me to travel on a budget and stay within the limitations Brexit imposed, is to house/pet sit for residents both in Spain and the UK. My first pet sit was for 2 adorable cockapoos called Rufus and Kiki in the mountains of Javea that included evening meditations in front of amazing sunsets!

No more ground hog days! Having life unfold is a joy and exciting! Yes it can be a little unnerving at times, but now I've gotten used to living with uncertainty, I've come to realise there is no certainty or permanency in life. There are only moments we experience that can be pleasant or unpleasant depending how we view them.

Life can change in the blink of an eye. Reflecting back 5 years, 2 years or even just one week, all I've experienced has changed me and if you pause and reflect for a moment, you'll find you aren't the same person you once were too.

Resisting change stops inner growth. Since detaching from 'things' I feel lighter and I get to notice more about myself and others around me. My mind isn't tied up with overthinking every little  detail, such as 'have I done this right or done that ok? What have I got to do next?'

The busyness becomes less allowing the present moment to come alive.I've also noticed I'm more available to those who need a listening ear or undivided attention because I've 'no-thing' to rush back for or deal with. By letting go of all the 'stuff', I've created more time for myself and others, the most precious gift we can give to ourselves.

And as we all know, the older we get the more precious time becomes! Thank you for making time to read this and wishing you many peaceful moments ahead.