Wherever you go, there you are

The beach at West Bay, Roatán, Honduras. My home for January 2021.

This beautiful beach is basically my front yard. Yes, I am living in tropical paradise. Everything should be perfect in my life, right?

From whatever discomfort you’re currently experiencing, you are probably thinking I shouldn’t have any problems when I’m here and you’re there.

“If only I was (insert better place), then I’d feel (insert better emotional state)” or another variant of “When I have X, then I’ll finally feel Y.” It’s a toxic pattern – and we all do it – of making excuses for our lack of happiness.

As a traveler, I have been incredibly fortunate to be on many tropical beaches like this, and I’ve still managed to feel lonely, or sad, or unsure of myself. Why?

Because I can’t out travel myself. Because wherever I go, guess who’s coming right along with me?

Me, myself and I.

Of course, having access to a tropical beach, warm weather and sunshine does greatly contribute to my sense of well-being.

And… it’s not a panacea. We all know people who have everything they could ever want in the world, and all they see is lack and problems.

Getting on a plane and going somewhere amazing isn’t the full solution. This is one of the (many many things) I love about the inner journey that accompanies the outer journey of travel – the stripping away of illusions. When you’re on that gorgeous beach and thinking damn it in my head it was supposed to all be perfect once I got here, far away from the shit weather, or the job I hated, and yet why I am still having these same persistent thoughts and problems? Travel strips away all the if onlys and whens and forces you to truly confront yourself face to face.

I started Beyond the Itinerary because one of the many many lessons I’ve learned through travel is precisely this – Where ever you go there you are.

I’ve seen it in myself and countless others – seeking happiness in some foreign place, only to meet themselves all over again. My job as a coach isn’t just to support you to achieve your travel dreams or achieve location independence. I do that, but more importantly, my role is guide you through the parallel inner journey, so that you ultimately find what we’re all really looking for. It’s not the world’s most perfect beach. It’s joy, love, contentment, and peace.

Happy traveling :)