BY JULIA LEUNG // + writing. travel. life.
Currently in 'destination quarantine', living in a bungalow on Thailand's second largest island. Some of the other travelers I've met on the road have taken one of two options: return home or stay here in paradise. My choice was easy - ride it out.
I remember the first flight I ever took alone: freshly 19, working a minimum wage job and purchased a 'Name Your Own Price' ticket off an online site headed out to the Wild Wild West Coast - California.
To be honest, I didn’t even realize that I had an eating disorder. If you asked me 10 years ago, I would have denied it. This body that I lived in was mine but also not mine. At first, it feels like sowing seeds in an infertile earth. Learning to cultivate tenderness for self esteem to grow in.
My philosphy is this: growth is deeply uncomfortable and frightening. Do it anyways.
Granting ourselves the gift of reflection at the end of the year is a fun activity for New Year's Eve - sitting in silence, mulling over all the memories we've collected. It gives us a chance to slow down and savor all the different facets of life. For me, it provides a chance to reflect on my character and growth. How have I changed? Are my actions and goals aligned with the person that I want to continue to be? Only when we record and reflect will we see the nuances that teach us a little more about ourselves every day.
A whole day without running water? At first, I debated going to a cafe for the day but decided against it. Staying home in the increasingly cold weather seemed more enticing and I figured it would be a good chance to do a little experiment.
It is a fact that time, money and personal reserves are limited in some way. How much of that are you using to benefit your personal well-being?
