Plus, where to find them (many of them are on Amazon!)

The discovery of some of the best skin care products in the world has been accidental for this traveler. Like so many of us, I suffered from mild acne as a teenager, and moderate acne in my twenties (why life, why?) I’m now mid-thirties and worried more about sun damage and wrinkles. Until recently, I didn’t pay much attention to my skin beyond the standard American drugstore cleanser and occasional spot treatment to fix a problem.

My face has since cleared up (hallelujah) and I’ve made my way onto the anti-aging products train (ha.) Somewhere along my travels, I also happened upon an arsenal of international beauty products that have truly changed my skin.

Now that I see what a difference a few discoveries have made for my face (and my confidence, sans makeup,) I firmly believe it wasn’t balancing my hormones or changing my diet that did the trick. It was discovering skincare products overseas that both improved my skin and…got me really into taking next-level care of myself. I now treat my skin more proactively, treating it like the gentle organ and canvas that it is, rather than seeking to treat problem skin as it arises. It feels great to take care of yourself in this way!

There are many countries with good skincare products, but I’m going to share the standout brands and products I have personally tried and tested from France, Japan, Korea, and India. These countries have centuries-old beauty and skincare treatments, as well as some of the most cutting-edge (and affordable) best skincare products in the world today. I hope they are as game-changing for you as they have been for me!

P.S. Images are clickable for some of the best prices I’ve found online. Links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small amount at no cost to you.

Start with These Beauty Products from France

Ah, France — my gateway into skincare product obsession. There’s a reason French skincare is prized around the world. I have so many recommendations for the French pharmacy that it deserves its own post. If you’ve yet to jump into the glory that is a French skincare routine, here are the brands and products you need to know about to get started:

Bioderma

Micellar water

No longer a French skincare secret alone, micellar water cleans your face really well without water (really.) It’s said to have originated when Parisian women realized that the city’s tap water was harsh on their skin. It works by removing dirt and oil from your skin as it bonds to tiny micelle particles.

Some use it as a cleanser in place of face wash (me!) and others swear by it as a makeup remover. Others will use it and then cleanse, so it’s up to your skin and your needs but I highly recommend trying it (great for traveling, as well.) Best of all, it’s very gentle on the skin.

Bioderma is considered the original classic of micellar waters, and I can sincerely say my skincare routine and my skin has improved tenfold because of it. I can’t recommend it enough.

La Roche Posay

Effaclar Duo

If you get those pesky small clogged pores that aren’t really pimples (sorry,) this light cream is great for that. Be aware that the European formulation is much different than the one sold in America under the same name. (The American one has benzoyl peroxide, a well known and fairly standard acne treatment.) I recommend trying it either way, but be sure to pick up the European formulation if you can.

Cicaplast Baume B5

This is a soothing cream for irritated skin. I like to use it whenever my skin gets red/upset. Mostly I spot-treat with it. It’s a miracle cream for those with sensitive skin and/or any sort of dry patches.

Nuxe

L’Huile Prodigieuse

This softly scented oil (which smells amazing, by the way) is a cult classic in France for a reason. Comprised of six different natural oils (including almond oil,) plus vitamin E, it’s a luxurious treatment for your face, body, and the ends of your hair. A favorite of mine!

There’s also a new, pink-hued floral variation that some like even better than the original. If you already own the classic or want to try something different, pick up the florale.

Nuxe Reve du Miel

Lip Balm

A luxurious lip balm that never fails to heal my dry lips. I usually put it on on my way out of the house or before bed when my lips are feeling chapped. It’s got an unbeatable matte finish that is also a great base for lipstick. I prefer the small jar to the tube packaging.

Embroylisse

Lait-Crème Concentré moisturizer

This might be my very favorite French skin care product of all. It’s so good, and so good to my skin, that it might even be my “desert island” item. It’s the one thing I can’t live without.

If you have sensitive skin I especially recommend trying this. I use mostly at night but sometimes during the day combined with an SPF product. My skin soaks it up and feels soothed and protected. It also makes a great base for makeup and is widely loved by makeup artists and is known to be a staple backstage for many events.

Soin Lissant Contour des Yeux (Eye Cream)

This simple eye cream picks up where the classic moisturizer left off, which is why I couldn’t resist trying it. The last time I was in Paris I picked up a tube and it meets all of my eye cream needs (especially reducing/preventing those crows feet!)

Hot tip: you can now buy Embryolisse stateside via their new U.S. website (shipping not included.)

Avene

Eau Thermale (face spray)

I remember being highly skeptical of paying to spray fancy water on my face. How much good could that really do?

What converted me was bringing one of their small bottles on an airplane, where skin is notoriously dehydrated. I do think it also calms and soothes my skin, but honestly, I like the feel of the refreshing facial mist enough that I’d use it even if it didn’t do much for my skin (though I do believe it does.)

Hydrance Optimale (Moisturizer with SPF 25)

This is my day moisturizer of choice. It goes on lightweight, has SPF, and antioxidants to protect from free radicals. Absorbs quickly and doesn’t irritate my skin.

Caudalie

Eau de Beaute Face Spray

This formulation is on the pricey side for a facial mist and was supposedly used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, but really, truly it is an unbeatable product.

The mix of natural essential oils not only smells incredible and wakes up the senses but tightens pores and generally makes my skin more luminous. Some use it to set makeup as well. You have to try it to see!

A few other Caudalie products to check out: I love their detox mask and their Vinoperfect serum.

Bonus: Hair Products by Klorane and Rene Furterer

Klorane Dry Shampoo + Oat Shampoo

Klorane is famous for its fantastic dry shampoo, and I recently discovered that I like their regular shampoo just as much.

Rene Furterer Vegetal Finishing Spray

This semi-hairspray is now my go-to to set my hair when I don’t want that crunchy hairspray feel. It isn’t as powerful as some hairsprays, but looks, feels, and smells amazing.

A few others favorites…

I am obsessed with Biafine, a lightweight but powerful cream meant to help damaged or burnt skin. I find it’s especially great for sunburn or any other irritation, and it feels luxurious even though it’s incredibly cheap at the French pharmacy (note: I haven’t been able to find this online, so stock up if you’re able to visit France.)

Another favorite for redness and irritated skin that I discovered long before Cicaplast B5 is the Cytolnat Centella cream. It is not widely available online or outside of France, but is an inexpensive but incredibly effective cream you can get at the pharmacy in France.

Read more: The Beauty of the French Pharmacy

Next, Add in a Japanese Skin Care Routine

I had to get stuck in Japan during a typhoon to discover (through my generous travel insurance) the beauty of Japanese skincare. Don’t let it take a natural disaster to learn this lesson. Here are the top Japanese skincare routine products you should know about:

Face Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid by Hado Labo

If you haven’t yet heard of Hado Labo…it’s ok, I hadn’t either. But it’s all over the shelves in Japan! And their Gokujun Premium lotion (which is more like a serum than a lotion) has transformed my skin, particularly the fine lines on my forehead. It’s full of hyaluronic acid plus natural ingredients such as aloe that really hydrate the skin.

Japanese Sunscreen

If there is one single thing I recommend getting from Japan for your skin it’s their sunscreens. They’re on another level, both in how they feel and how they do not irritate the skin. I love both the Anessa and Biore brands — Biore’s Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ is a little bit more affordable and accessible worldwide.

Deep Cleansing Oil and Lip Cream from DHC

I don’t always cleanse with a facial oil, but when I do it’s this cult classic one from Japan. It’s popular for double cleansing if that’s your thing. I sometimes combine it with Bioderma (from France, above.) And their lip cream not only feels nourishing but leaves a beautiful sheen that doubles as almost a lip gloss (but not sticky!) Or, get both together as a set.

Rice Polish Cleanser from Tatcha

I confess that I love pretty much everything Tatcha makes, but it’s this rice polish cleanser that I’d order again and again (one lasts a long while!) The reason is that it is a very gentle exfoliator that doesn’t harm my skin’s natural barrier. It’s non-abrasive, while still feeling and looking like dramatically different new skin after use.

Facial Treatment Essence from SK-II

This is a definite splurge and one that I have yet to invest in yet. But I could feel the difference in how my skin felt while just sampling it, and it’s an essential Japanese skincare product to know about.

Melano CC: Vitamin C and E Spot Treatment/Serum

Lastly, there is no better budget serum option from Japan than Melano CC. I got a tube of it on my last visit to Japan (just before COVID-19 hit) and it has held up to its great reputation (I heard lots about it in Japan, even from the cashier when I purchased it.) Unlike many other vitamin C serums, this one works great and only sets you back $10-15 even when importing.

Note: as a foreign visitor to Japan you are eligible for tax exemption if you spend over 5,000 yen (present your passport upon purchase.)

Beauty Products and Skin Care from Korea

Korea is so well known as the capital of skincare that I have experienced the full range of Korean beauty (aka K-Beauty) and skin care products without even visiting Korea yet (someday!) Famous for their 10-step Korean skincare routine, there is a lot on offer from there. Here are the brands and products I recommend from Korea:

BB Cream from Dr. Jart

We can thank Korea for the invention of BB cream (it stands for ‘beauty balm,’) a tinted face cream that offers coverage, moisturizing, and primer all in one. Dr. Jart is a solid brand from Korea, and they make several excellent BB creams — my favorite of which is Disapore (light blue packaging.) No makeup has made my skin look smoother, ever.

Amore Pacific

On the high end pricewise but great quality nonetheless, Amore Pacific is a fantastic Korean skincare brand. I have enjoyed all the products I’ve tried so far from this brand, and the botanical radiance oil is a favorite to begin with.

Lastly, don’t miss the wellness traditions and Ayurvedic skincare of India

The wellness traditions of India have served mostly as an inside-out approach to well-being for me. The ancient system of Ayurveda has a holistic approach to skin and purports that skin reflects the balance (or imbalance) of your inner health.

So if you want to treat your skin from the inside out and go beyond nutrition to do so, look no further than Ayurveda and skincare from India.

First is the skincare technique of dry brushing. Brushing your skin while not in the shower? Seems strange right?

Dry brushing seems like a mild part of a self-care routine, but it also purports many health benefits including better circulation, removal of toxins, exfoliation, lymphatic stimulation, and even the reduction of cellulite. I love brushing my skin before hopping in the shower, and it makes for a quick and easy add to my routine. Always brush up toward the heart (I start at my feet and work up.) Here’s a simple natural bristle body brush I love.

I also love self-massage with almond or coconut oil. I’ll apply it to the ends of my hair before washing, to my cuticles and heels…it’s one of the best and most natural moisturizers out there. The Ayurvedic approach to massage is called “abhyanga,” and uses different oils based on your composition or dosha.

My final beauty secret from India is actually an inside-out treatment, and that is to take turmeric supplements. Turmeric is one of the most common spices in Indian food, and due to its antimicrobial effects often applied externally to the skin (note it does leave a yellowish stain.) Not only is turmeric thought to be good for your health as a whole (thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties,) I notice a dramatic difference in the number of blemishes I get (or don’t get) when I’m taking it. Be sure to get the capsules with black pepper, which helps with absorption. This one with 95% curcuminoids (the good stuff) has some of the best reviews and has served me incredibly well. I take it daily in conjunction with ashwagandha (not skincare related, but recommended as well for overall wellness/stress/anxiety.)

Also, do yoga.

I’ll leave you with one final skincare secret I found right here in America — the rose witch hazel from Thayer’s. I’m not much of a toner person, but this is one of my favorite ways to calm my skin down and feel refreshed. (Try the cucumber one to cool down in the summer, and put it in the fridge!) They also have a new milky toner that’s great if you’re needing extra hydration.

Taking care of my skin has become one of my very favorite forms of self-care. I hope this long list of the best skin care product in the world helps you as much as it helped me! Let me know if you have other favorite products in the comments below!

:: save for later ::

The post Around the World: Best Skin Care Products from My Travels appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

Although the pursuit of these concepts is not what led me to yoga in the first place (who else tried yoga as a workout before they realized it was much more a philosophy than a form of exercise?) it is what has kept me committed to showing up to my mat.

Why yoga? What started as a small part of my college exercise routine has grown into a daily practice and lifestyle that has taken me around the world and back. I have practiced yoga everywhere from the floor of my apartment to cramped hotel rooms, from open air shalas in Bali and Costa Rica to the mountains of Nepal and the beaches of Mexico. I even lived in an ashram in South India for a time and experience the roots of yoga at its origin. I can think of nothing more crucial to my mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

After travel, and relationships, yoga is my greatest teacher. It tends to nudge me towards introspection and a search for meaning or and deeper understanding — not far from the way a long solo journey in a foreign land does (except it doesn’t require a plane ticket.)

Whether you enjoy an extra long savasana, or the thought of bending over to touch your toes makes you weep, I hope that these words that ‘flowed’ after my last couple of classes ring true to you, and encourage you to pursue whatever it is that makes your life more internally sweet and rich.

 1. Caring for yourself means knowing when and how to slow down.

For me, slowing myself down is an antidote to the pressures of modern life. Whether it is the fast speed of my thoughts or of my daily life and activities, it has become normal to operate from a place of overwhelm and trying to stay on track with our ever-expanding inboxes and to-do lists.

On top of that, our world seems to operate at a faster pace with each passing year. Whether or not you live in an urban area, are in a high-stress work environment, or are constantly on the go, modern technology alone runs at a rate that can leave us feeling exasperated and without pause.

Is this you? Recognition of this feeling is not meant to add further stress, but rather to empower us to make a change. It’s all too easy to live in autopilot, only to realize we’re burnt out by changes in energy, sleep, motivation, or mood. Awareness of this speed is the first step to slowing down!

Yoga teaches us the value of tuning in and slowing down. Once your mind is able to go there on the mat or in a meditation, it is becomes easier to extend a slower pace to the rest of your life.

Some great ways to slow down include:

• Becoming aware of your breath. Watch the inhale and exhale that takes place in your body with zero effort.
• Focusing on a single task at a time. (Close the 18 tabs open on your browser or in your brain!)
• Mindfully sipping a cup of tea. Or sitting down to dine and savor every last bite of a delicious meal. (Who here has eaten a meal without really tasting the food?)
• Sitting in stillness. Observe the energy of your heartbeat, perhaps by placing a hand on your midsection or heart. Listen to some slow music or appreciate a few minutes of complete silence.
• Picking up a good book or going for a slow, solitary walk. Choose a peaceful activity that grounds you in the present moment.

2. There is a sweet spot between effort and surrender in all pursuits.

Every pose requires some effort and some surrender, and some ask for a little more of one than the other. 

No yoga pose has taught me as much about effort and surrender than headstand. Even after years of practice, it wasn’t until I studied at the ashram that it finally clicked for me. 

There, the teacher whispered to me, stop trying so hard.

All it took was a few small adjustments in my alignment (if that’s not a metaphor for the rest of life, I don’t know what is) and for me to stop forcing with effort and breathe with a little more trust and surrender to finally get there. When I did, it was like something had clicked — as if I knew how to do the pose all along.

Headstand has shown me that while I had to do the work — show up to the mat, lift my body, and have strength in my core — I could not ‘effort’ my way into it. For years it was a pose I would watch others do, but the key to doing it myself was nothing more than letting go a little.

An inversion, the act of going upside down, requires trust in yourself and a willingness to fail or fall. “

That is the true meaning of surrendering, in a pose or in life. And it’s where the magic happens.

3. There is so much value in sharing experiences with a community, and it is best felt when you also feel connected to yourself.

Why do we practice yoga in a class setting? Whenever I’m trying to budget, I think to myself that I could cut my (expensive) yoga costs by practicing at home — to free YouTube videos or even audio tracks. Often I am in my own little world listening to the instructor, or I’ll place my mat at the back of the room where no one really sees me anyways.

So why do I continue to show up to practice yoga in a group? Because there I am part of a community. There is power in the collective, in the energy poured into the room by the others who have gathered for the same purpose if only even for that hour. To me this is a little like why we work well in teams and value connection to others, even when we’re focused on our own activities and goals.

The second merit of practicing in a group is the ability to notice if you’re comparing yourself to others. There are times that I notice how someone next to me is or is not holding the pose in the same way that I am, or honestly even that they have a better outfit on than I do. This doesn’t make any of us less of a yogi — it simply allows for me to be aware of when I need to ‘keep my eyes on my own paper,’ so to speak. Usually, if I’m comparing in a yoga class, I’m avoiding going deep or looking within myself.

I’ve found the same to be true in life. Again, awareness is the starting point from which we can begin to choose to live differently.

4. There is lasting power in connecting your mind, body, and spirit.

The most powerful thing about yoga to me is still the  actual definition of yoga, which is the union of mind, body, and spirit. In this case, moving your body in a specific manner allows your spirit and mind to follow suit.

I’ve also noticed positive changes in my body after healing something in my mind or spirit. Yoga remains the best thing I know of to remind me of the connection between, and importance of syncing, all three.

5. Life flows beautifully when you are able to tap into your intuition, trust it, and live from that place.

Similarly, when we are able to connect our mind, body, and spirit, we are able to let our spirit have a voice in a conversation where our mind and body often speak loudest. 

The best days of my life have followed after quieting my mind so that I’m able to hear my intuition. This will never be possible 100% of the time, but I now view yoga (and meditation) as tools to help me live not from what my mind thinks but from the cues of my body and the strength of my intuition.

Just like the headstand example above, when faced with a problem…yoga teaches us to ask:

What would this look like if it were easy?”

The answer is often simpler than our mind wants to admit.

:: Read more ::

25 Lessons I Learned From Yoga and Meditation

Five Ways To Mindfully Relax and Unwind (That I Found Traveling)

Five Positive Traits Travel Helps You Build

The post Five Lasting Life Lessons from Practicing Yoga appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

Here’s to the power of knowing and taking care of yourself on a daily basis. As always, take what works for you and leave the rest. xx

Sound Bathing

The first time a friend recommended this to me as a supplement to my yoga and meditation practice, I genuinely thought it was kooky and likely ineffective. A group of strangers just lie there while someone hits a bunch of gongs and crystal bowls? And then the sound waves “wash” over you and can provide not only peace of mind but healing, even changing your brain waves? The claim was that “with an hour of sound meditation, participants can come closer to a state of peacefulness than if they were to sit for a weekend of silence.” I wasn’t so sure…

But as I work to keep an open mind, and given that I’ve been pleasantly surprised with trying wellness techniques that I was initially skeptical of (see everything below,) I decided to sign up and give it a try. After all, a lasting sense of balance, harmony, and overall well-being sounds pretty good to me. I am happy to report I did feel a lasting sense of calm and a deeper meditation than I experience without sound.

Where to Try It: I tried it first in Bali (how cliché,) but my favorite sound bath experiences have actually been at home in San Francisco. If you’re in SF, try the sound meditation at Grace Cathedral (they take place roughly once a month,) I also recommend checking out my friend Danielle of Sound Embrace, who leads sound baths both in Atlanta (where she now lives) and in SF (when visiting.)

Or, if you’re on a budget/not willing to pay for it just yet, try showing up at Dolores Park on a weekend. They have free sound baths all the time — in fact, one of the most “SF moments” I’ve had living here was when a friend invited me to join her at one. “Just look for the prayer flags,” she said. So you could, too.

Restorative Yoga/Yoga Nidra

Before I had tried restorative yoga I thought, “So let me get this straight…I pay to just lie there on the ground with a blanket and some pillows and it’s called yoga?”

Although I don’t go as regularly as I once did, I now affectionately call restorative yoga “adult nap time.” Yoga Nidra, which is led differently and is more of a guided relaxation and body scan, is similarly called “yogic sleep.” If you are familiar with savasana, or corpse pose, at the end of a traditional yoga class, it feels a bit like an extended version of that.

The truth is, I often feel the effects of restorative yoga for much longer than after even my favorite Vinyasa yoga classes. It’s one of the best ways to relax your mind. I still favor a bit more active yoga week-to-week (a girl needs her physical activity,) but I’ll always treat myself to a restorative yoga class after a stressful week ends or when I simply when some grounding. Just like meditation, I find that when you’re able to go deeper into the postures or relax with your breath for longer periods, it allows us to go deeper in the rest of our yoga practice.

I really believe that those who resist something like restorative yoga (“I can’t lie there for an hour with nothing to do!) are the people who need it most. So whether you’re a sleepy non-yogi who could use some designated relaxation time or a seasoned yoga fan who wants to take your practice to another level, I urge you to take one hour and see if restorative and/or yoga nidra works for you.

Where to Try It: Most yoga studios with varied classes will offer restorative yoga on their schedule at least once per week. My favorite class in San Francisco is taught by Sarah Pascual at YogaWorks on Divisadero Street. Sunday night is a great time to unwind with restorative, too.

Yoga Nidra is offered at some studios, but you can also try it at home using a guided meditation app. My favorite, as always, is Insight Timer.

Reiki

My personal journey with reiki is a long story. It begins in Delhi, India when I was sent to teach there for a month. One of the women living in my apartment complex there was on a mission to teach reiki, or energy healing, to the women in slums there. It was a powerful form of self-love and emotional healing, she told me, that once attuned to could even be performed on oneself.

The more she described reiki to me the more skeptical I became. (I was not so open to new things at this time.) She told me about chakras, or energy centers, and how they can be out of alignment in our bodies. She explained she had been trained to sense where the imbalances were trapped in my body and could help me open and release the energy there.

She finally convinced me to let her try it on me with the attitude I still keep for many “woo woo” things: what can it hurt? In just a short twenty minute reiki session, I felt something shift. I also felt a deep sense of calm. Maybe there was something to this ancient Japanese energy tuning.

Reiki is practiced while lying down, and can feel a bit like a relaxing massage. But often the healer will not even touch your body, but rather hover over and channel universal energy to you.

Reiki continued to show up in my life and present itself without demand or request. From the shores of the Ganges in Varanasi to the hills of Santa Barbara after a terrible heartbreak, to a block from my home in San Francisco…I’ve had reiki healing all over the world. And now, when I know I need it, I believe it works for me. It’s likely one of those things, as it was for me, you have to try repeatedly to understand or benefit from. And now, you know about it.

Where to Try It: I believe reiki can be a very different experience based on who you work with. I recommend asking around to find someone trusted. If you’re in a place like San Francisco that can be easy to ask about. If you’re somewhere where you might be faced with a few puzzled faces to questions about it, try our friend Google. And if you’re in SF, I wouldn’t hesitate to visit my very favorite reiki practitioner, ever. Her name is Caroline.

Onsen

Ahhhh, onsen. Just the word itself instantly relaxes me.

For those of you who are familiar with the pillar of Japanese culture, it’s very much worth seeking out the onsens in Japan if you’re planning a trip. Soaking in the hot springs waters of the volcanically active country is a truly wonderful experience.

The Japanese believe a daily soak is restorative not only for the body, but for the mind and spirit. For me, onsens taught me both how to relax and how to love being naked in public (no, seriously, there is something powerful about being in a group setting of all ages and body types no matter how comfortable you already feel in your body.) Check out Kinosaki, a Japanese town that’s all about onsen-hopping (will share more about my time there soon!)

I do believe in the healing properties of a natural hot bath, especially outdoors. But I realize that may not be accessible to everyone. So I’d ask you think about where you can enjoy steam, hot water, and some extended silence without the shared public aspect.

Where to Try It: Japan, of course! Check out Kinosaki, a Japanese town that’s all about onsen-hopping (will share more about my time there soon!) And if you’re in San Francisco, there’s Onsen SF — a public bath and restaurant modeled after the Japanese ones I love so much.

Forest Bathing

A fancy term for hiking. (Kidding.)

There is sometimes nothing more relaxing and restorative than a walk in the woods. And again our friends in Japan have a beautiful name for it. “Shinrin-yoku” which means bathing in the forest, or taking in the forest with our senses.

In this way, forest bathing is much more than a hike in the woods. It’s about immersion in nature, yes, but it’s also about intentionally breathing in the fresh air, noticing the sights, scents, and sounds of your surroundings, which let’s face it — are likely to be most pleasant in the forest.

I also have my version of forest bathing near the water. If you’re lucky enough to be near to some body of water, especially the sea, a mindful walk by the ocean gives a similar sense of relaxation, meditation, and perspective on what’s truly important.

So in summary, when in doubt, take some kind of nap, walk, or bath

Here’s to a happy and healthy week ahead!

Bonus:

Aromatherapy: essential oils, so hot right now. Ha. But honestly, my diffuser is one of my favorite ways to relax at home. Read more.

Dry brushing: along with so many of the other Ayurvedic (ancient Indian medicine) practices I cherish, dry brushing is a quick thing to add to your routine that feels both cleansing and relaxing. See also: skincare.

Tea: There is nothing simpler that brings me into the moment better than a hot cup of fragrant tea. So soothing. Read more.

The post 5 Mindful Ways To Relax and Unwind (That I Found Traveling) appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

If travel can be made a priority in your life — dedicating your time, money, and resources to it instead of making other choices — the rewards will be far greater than just the frequent flier miles you acquire or bar stories you can tell. Along with your well-worn passport pages, you’ll gain invaluable experience that will teach you profound lessons about the world and about yourself.

Every person takes away different perspectives from even the same trip. Each destination is ever-evolving, we each bring a unique set of life experiences to it, and no two days in a place are the same. So while we associate certain things with specific places — you may have a spiritual experience when visiting India, or a culinary one when visiting France, for example — we can really never know what to expect to receive from our travels. Still, after decades of trips it’s hard not to look back and see some consistent themes emerge.

The ways in which traveling enriches our character are immeasurable. It is my hope that these side effects, the growth that happens alongside the joys and challenges of traveling, give you one more reason to get going and hit the road.

Here are some of the positive traits that we gain as we travel for personal development.

1. Learning to be happy with less.

Whether it’s learning through living with only what you can carry in your suitcase or backpack…or by seeing the happy lives of others who live with so much less than we do, seeing the world inevitably has this effect of feeling content with less. I think this is an especially dramatic shift for Americans. I speak for myself when I share that stepping out of an automatic/consumer way of thought in other countries allowed me to at least view what I own and how I purchase things from a different perspective.

This change is not a superior lens of detachment or rejection of buying things. It might be as simple as recognizing that you can be conscious of what is in your life and why. You may begin to place more value on resources that are easy to take for granted, such as clean drinking water, when you witness how they are not a given in every place on this Earth.

Travel doesn’t preach or require that you give up all your possessions and become some sort of nomad or monk. It does, however, grant a larger perspective — of life lived more simply (as it is, happily, in many places.) With this knowledge we can either become more grateful for what we do have…or see more clearly what may be weighing us down that we can shed to feel lighter.

2. Becoming wildly adaptable to change.

Bus canceled? Train too full? Your language unavailable? Exercising the flexibility muscle is a given when traveling, and it can happen before you even leave the country.

With the simple act of taking a plane somewhere, you will be subject to delays, rules, language barriers, cultural barriers, and more. You may have bought the right ticket (at the right price!) and you may show up to the gate on time, but ultimately unless you can fly a plane and control the weather your journey’s fate rests in factors outside of your control.

Within our comfort zones we often trick ourselves into thinking we have more control over things than we realistically do. Tricky transportation and navigating foreign lands grant us the opportunity to exercise thinking on our feet, problem-solving, and conflict resolution on a regular basis. And with that comes the ability to cope with a lot more than just shifting train times. Traveling trains you to better readjust and recover from factors outside your control (which, in this life, may be one of the only certainties in any journey.)

3. Learning to love being alone.

It still baffles me how many adult humans, both male and female and no matter how accomplished…cannot stand the thought of dining out alone. It shouldn’t surprise me; I used to be one of them.

Like a muscle that’s weak until we exercise it, we may not have the opportunity or real inclination to spend time in public on our own when at home. Even if your life isn’t full of social opportunities or inclinations, you may feel it is taboo or even depressing to see a movie, enjoy a meal, or show up to a party on your own.

Instead of waiting for the travel partner we’ll never have for all the trips we want to take, we have to embrace enjoying at least some of the experiences of the world on our own. It’s helpful to remember that there is a distinct difference between being alone and feeling lonely. It also helps to try this out in a country that values public alone time — for me it was France, and the role that Paris played in teaching me how to learn to love being alone will leave me forever indebted to the city.

Why learn to love traveling and being alone? You see sides of yourself that you can’t hide from, you learn to accept them, and eventually, you may even value your own company so much that you crave it. The confidence you gain in doing so stays with you from then on…no matter which country you stand in.

4. Knowing who you are. Loving who you are.

I’ve written a lot about how traveling strips us of the external factors that define our identity — roles, routines, labels, cultural mindsets, and much more — that have been integrated into who we are as a result of where and how we were raised in this world.

It’s not about abandoning these valuable parts of yourself, nor unlearning pieces of your personality that make you who you are. It’s about trying on other ways of living, even if for just a few weeks, and being more selective about your beliefs and behaviors as a result.

Traveling to me is like painting a canvas. When you step out of the frame you were given, not only does the size of your canvas grow but the colors from which you can choose to paint it with. You may not feel like the picture you are painting now fits you, or fully expresses who you are or what you want to be. Pick up that paintbrush by walking along an unfamiliar street, trying a new food, or learning a new phrase to speak with. Exposure to more experiences and ideas will only help you refine who you are at your core versus who you are as a product of your environment.

5. Growing your ability to empathize with others.

We are all, undeniably, partial products of the environment in which we live. Yet the truth is that we as people share 99.9% of the same DNA — just by being human.

The unfamiliarity and discomfort we feel in foreign places naturally shifts us from looking merely at the differences between us all and more closely into the commonalities. At the end of each day, we all seek the same basic needs. We all want to be loved. We all want to be fed, clothed, and housed. We all want our lives to have meaning and dignity. Sadly, sometimes where we come from and what we hear can clash with or cloud this simple truth.

I can’t tell you how many times travel has reinforced this for me. When you’re forced to find facial expressions or hand gestures to even order a morning cup of coffee, you find something that extends beyond the formalities we rely on at home. Finding this grants a sense of shared humanity, that you can then more easily identify not only in others but in yourself. It’s a constant exercise in seeing past the surface, a practice that deeply changes how you connect with others in this wide world we share.

What else has seeing the world taught you about yourself or about others? Do you travel for personal development and growth? I’d love to hear about it.

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Sometimes a week away from home is all you need to realize how much you appreciate home.

And in my case, even when staying in a beautiful, comfortable house and without leaving San Francisco, this is still true.

If you watch my Instagram Stories (shameless plug,) by now you know I spend a lot of time in my second SF home (and watching a certain puppy dog, who I’m so attached to I have started calling her mine — much to the confusion of my friends.) I spent a week and a half there recently, bathed in sunlight and basking in the glory of their view of the city and the bay. Still, there is no place like home (even when you’ve been in a house so beautiful that coming home seems like a bit of a life downgrade!)

Still, there is no place like home (even when you’ve been in a house so beautiful that coming home seems like a bit of a life downgrade!)

Why is that? What is it about our own space and our own things that is so significant to our well-being? As I sat in my space after some time away, I took the time to look around at the small things that add meaning and a sense of peace and belonging in my little apartment bedroom.

Here is a peek into mine:

Without realizing it, I’ve built a space that feels so much like my little sanctuary — a positive, dare I say sacred space, filled with good energy and a calming sense of peace — so much so that I hardly want to spend time in the other rooms of my apartment.

We have all felt how our outer world can both impact and reflect our inner world. Travelers know this best of all. We all need a designated place to retreat, an oasis of calm where the pressures of the world melt away. To step into my room is to transform my mood in a way that’s better than an instant ‘sigh.’ Here’s what I’ve found contributes most to that feeling:

1. Essential Oil Diffuser

This is the one item that has (surprisingly) made the biggest difference in how I feel about my space. From eucalyptus to ylang-ylang to lemongrass and all the pretty essences in between, it’s a trick I actually picked up from staying in luxury hotels. Now I wonder why it took me so long to get one!

If it also seems silly to you at first, I suggest you try it before you make up your mind. It is amazing how much scent can subtly affect state of mind.

I love this brand and this natural wood-looking one is my diffuser of choice.

My favorite oils: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

2. Plants and Rocks

A few years ago, “bringing nature in” was not something on my radar nor something I would have considered. Aside from the fact that sometimes I’m not home enough to water them (slash I don’t really want the commitment and responsibility of keeping something alive lol) I’m not really a “plant person.”

But now that I have added plants and rocks into my space…they’re not going anywhere!

There is something almost intangible but innately comforting (and dare I say, natural?) about having a few plants and rocks that you find beautiful to grace your space. (Related: have you tried “forest bathing?”)

As for bits of Earth…geodes and crystals can’t and won’t hurt. Whether or not you believe in the woo-woo properties they can have, you can’t deny they’re the prettiest rocks. Get yours at a local crystal shop (if your town is hippie like that) or online. I prefer to pick them out in person or find them in nature.

These baby palms (pictured above) are my favorite so far. And if that’s too much of a commitment for you, Ikea literally has plants that are cheaper than a single rose (so no reason not to give it a try!) Are the plant and rock skeptics convinced?

3. Himalayan Salt Lamp

The latest piece to join the party, I just recently received a salt lamp as a gift. And though I’ll admit I had my eye on it for a bit before now, again I was skeptical about how much of a difference it would make in my space. (Are you sensing a trend?)

The claims are many — from cleaner air to reducing airborne infection to boosting mood. But for me what it really comes down to is…does its presence make you a little bit happier?

I plugged this puppy in and instantly felt calmer. I love the soft glow it emits. It’s almost like a candle but slightly more soothing. And if it clears the air too? Added bonus.

4. Candles

I never used to be a candle person. Now they’re one of my favorite ways to signal the start of a ritual — it’s time to write, it’s time to relax, it’s time to be thoughtful.

A few of my favorites include Diptyque (splurge – this one is my favorite,) Voluspa or Jo Malone (medium,) and any soy candle that you like the smell of at your local discount store (budget – I have been known to get mine at Home Goods.) World Market also has some great candles centered around cities or countries. There are lots cleverly marketed as the scent of a particular U.S. state. (And you know I had to have that amber candle from Jaipur.)

5. Books (or your equivalent)

Don’t underestimate the beauty and power of having words on pages and titles on the shelf that are meaningful to you.  Delight yourself by surrounding yourself with the small books of poetry or big books of photographs that make you happy just by looking at them (and then, also read them!)

If books aren’t your thing, perhaps it’s music and records, or personal jewelry, or enjoy framed photos. Think of what visually either calms you or brings you joy.

+ All my tiny little good luck charms/good mojo/good memories things.

From my own art to framed words that inspire, to small statues and plush pillows, blankets, and fabrics from my travels…to the Cuban cigar or French wine boxes I use to decorate, or even the box of old love letters and cards from friends that I keep in case of a rainy day. You can’t put a value on the tiny things that bring a sense of love and serenity to your life just by being there.

More Tips for Creating Your Sanctuary Space

• Make an effort to bring in nature.
• Pay attention to (natural) lighting.
• Consider what feeling objects contribute to a sense of restoration, relaxation, and self-care for you.
• Surround yourself with the small things that bring you joy. Clear out the things that do not (the biggest way for you to shift energy in your space is to declutter.)
• Work to engage all of your senses.
• Consider the three ‘c’s: color, calm, clutter.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: curl up in your hideaway with a good book, a cup of tea (or a glass of wine, who are we kidding.) Surround yourself with some soft fabrics, light a candle, turn on your salt lamp and/or diffuser. Breathe the clean, fresh, and slightly scented air. Turn off the lights. Tune in. Feel the magic of having so many good things that you love all around you. Turn your home into your sanctuary.

*This is my personal version of a sanctuary — insert your own favorite items/home self-care practices as required.

Just like everything else in life…it’s not that we need newer/bigger/better. It’s often simply that we need to take the time to block out the expectations of others and explore what we can create with intention — for ourselves, true to ourselves.

Read more:

// The Art of Hygge, the Magic of Self-Care //

// The Delicate Balance of Home and Travel //SaveSavSaveSave

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I spent a week living in a spiritual community in India. There’s a sentence I never expected to utter.

If you read this blog, you know that I practice yoga regularly and that it became a much bigger part of my life after a traumatic experience abroad (when I experienced and truly needed its healing power.) And if you didn’t know? You likely could’ve assumed given that I live in San Francisco (where yoga clothing is the mainstay on the city streets.)

First, what even is yoga? And furthermore, what is an ashram?

• Waking up early feels good.
• Single-tasking, being disciplined to your commitments (without excuses!,) and truly being present with one activity at a time…feels good.
• Having a daily routine that gets you into motion and stays fairly consistent feels good.
• Being disconnected from the Internet, media and the news, and notifications feels good.
• Not being the slightest bit concerned with your appearance, as you practice focusing on the inner, feels good.

(Are you sensing a theme here?)

A housing building at the ashram.

I could do a whole post on what I learned about food alone, but for now know that this is what I learned about eating:

 

• What you eat affects how you feel…(a seemingly simple concept that finally clicked for me here. I have an iron stomach, and I truly can eat and drink whatever I want. I’ve experienced food making me feel worse, but I didn’t realize I could feel so much better!)
• Foods have different energies, and food that is reheated, old but not spoiled, overcooked etc. loses its vital energy even when edible. Eating seasonally, locally, organically, and freshly prepared foods increases not only its nutrition but the positive energy your body absorbs.
• Eating only sattvic foods and eliminating meat, caffeine, alcohol, and even garlic and onion…all serves to enhance clarity of the mind (it may not be fully realistic, but it works.)
• The act of creating, offering, and sharing food can be a spiritual experience. As I was in Kerala, the birthplace of Ayurveda (the sister science of yoga and an ancient Indian healing practice,) this was well-ingrained into meals and principles of food.
• Eating in silence allows us to show reverence for food and the way it nourishes our bodies, as well as practice mindful eating and being very aware of what we put in our bodies.
• Eating with your hands (with some time and practice) feels good! You feel more connected to the food (really!)

  

Every individual’s experience is undoubtedly different. What follows is a summary of what I wish I had known would come from the hours of discipline, the leap to go at all. Here are some overall thoughts upon leaving the ashram, after only a week of surrendering to the schedule: 

 

Sitting with discomfort — mental, emotional, even physical (my back from all that sitting cross-legged…ouch) is important sometimes. Whether on the mat, in the middle of chanting, or during a particularly long meditation, I stretched myself (pun not intended) to just be in moments where I had the impulse to get up and leave about 100 times.

 

I travel admittedly, to experience discomfort. While I love a nice massage or beach cocktail as much as the next person, I have learned that pursuing places and activities that make us uncomfortable at first create so much room for growth. (That might be a huge part of why I love India so much.) Also, you can do anything for a week.

 

There is unity in diversity. This is literally one of the mottos of the ashram, but having the experience at the ashram is what cemented it for me. All of these people from around the world…and I mean from my Danish roommate to the group of Iranians or Japanese students undergoing teacher training, to the dozens of new friends I met from all over India…we all dressed, ate, practiced, and pursued the same common goal for the time we spent in the ashram. Spiritually you are taught that this world, our perceived reality, is all a mere projection of the mind, that underneath or beyond that we are all the same…and fortunately I got to experience this on both a surface and deeper level here.

 

There is magic in surrender, and what is surrender? Ultimately it is trust. This is something I personally needed to rebuild. Trusting the people around you, the people guiding you, the people that enter your journey, is essential. The harder part, at least for me, is trusting yourself, especially when life or interactions with others lead you to doubt this.  I had to exercise this trust way more than I exercised any joint, bone, or muscle in this “yoga vacation.”

 

There are two choices for how we feel, both on and off the mat. Love and fear. Everything else is some variation of one or the other. So many of us are choosing fear blindly and repeatedly, without even recognizing it for what it is (I know I do!) Silly as it may sound, finally learning to hold a headstand did indeed represent for me the process of moving from fear to love during the week. I will seek to do this in more places in my life now.

 

There is no substitute for experience. For most of my life I have known that things like walking, meditation, eating your vegetables, and being kind were ‘good things to do.’ Often my practice of those pursuits was limited to that widely accepted belief. But it wasn’t until I pushed past the ‘what’ or ‘how’ and into the ‘why,’ feeling the benefits through my own experience, that these ideas became understood and truly valued.

 

Balance is the key. From my yoga poses to this blog to how I live my daily life, balance is the theme that comes up again and again for me. And the thing I appreciated most about my ashram experience (besides finally nailing that headstand! :P) was that despite its strict schedule, its demands and required commitments…everything was presented with a loving, inclusive, and balanced perspective that left plenty of room for you to process, individualize, or even reject.  Balance.

The post What I Learned Living in an Ashram in India appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

If you’ve found yourself feeling overwhelmed or buried or dredging through your days, look closely at what you’re carrying. What are you allowing to stay in your life just because it’s there?

Whether it’s toxic relationships, bad habits, a noisy social media feed, actual noise, or actual things…find a way to say ‘no’ more often across several parts of your life. We become attached to fixed things that don’t really matter because we often associate part of our identity and security with them (I’m looking at you, third glass of wine, or tweets that demand to be read at 4 am.) It is incredibly freeing to let those things go.
Quite honestly, the best way that I’ve found to clear out your life and your mind and let go is to travel. It’s why so many people travel after a breakup, or when they’re feeling a lack of direction. We also seem to let go of the world’s (or at least our immediate circle’s) expectations or judgments of us when we’re on the road.

[quote] Travel looks  to be externally stimulating, but I’d argue that it’s actually much more of a focus inward. [/quote]
Here are some ideas to produce the same feeling at home. What from your life would you fit into your tiny suitcase?

Decluttering.
Gather all your “stuff.” Clear out what doesn’t just belong in your life’s suitcase. Examine what feels really heavy.
By now we all now about the Japanese notion of decluttering – if it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it. I like the idea of using your intuition when deciding what to toss. I make two piles (ok, three if I need a ‘maybe’) and I impulsively select either ‘keep’ or ‘toss.’ You can always review the toss pile before you actually throw it out.
One way I’ve routinely gotten better at decluttering something simple like my closet is through an event a friend throws called a ‘Grab and Give.’ Essentially each guest brings in all the items they no longer want, and the rest of the attendees gets to select what suits them. Anything that isn’t claimed is donated to Goodwill. It’s a great way to buy less and to sort through items to donate.
Other things to look for: old papers, old foods, old boyfriends (just kidding.) I also love clearing out old contacts, photos, or files from my phone or computer. You’re literally freeing up space.

Getting quiet(er.)
Turn on ‘airplane’ mode.
Embrace a little more silence and contemplate noise levels of:

• Your mind.
• Your social media feeds.
• Your overall media consumption.

Recommended remedies include: stream-of-consciousness journaling, meditation, your preferred form of exercise and/or a simple aimless walk outside.
As for social media, consider creating lists, filtering your feeds, unfollowing people who do not bring you joy, confining emails/social media/news to only certain periods of the day. Here’s a great short piece on How To Avoid Being Psychologically Destroyed By Your Newsfeed. Also note if you find yourself feeling more comparison than inspiration.
These are small changes that actually make a huge difference in the ability to remain calm and sane.

Sitting with the newfound space.
The other purpose of cleaning and clearing is to create space. What good does that do if you immediately find other people or things to do replace it? Like the person we all know who jumps from relationship to relationship (or the traveler jumping hastily from country to country,) there can be some fear or avoidance around just being. When we allow ourselves to sit for a bit, uncomfortable feelings we’ve been ignoring, a fear of loneliness or lack…these can all begin to creep in. Instead of ignoring them, why don’t we have a listen? (Travelers may recognize this opportunity in long flights or train rides, which are often pensive.) It’s when we clear space — and then have the patience to let it be for a moment — that we allow the right people or things to find room in our lives.

Stepping outside your door.
Similar to any trip, the packed bags or minimalist life are simply a means to an end. What matters is the steps you take once you’ve organized and decluttered. The purpose of packing light is to move more freely. It’s like when in transit you’re able to drop your bags off at a train station locker before heading out to explore a city. You suddenly feel light and free! What actions will you take now that you feel lighter and freer?
The purpose of packing light is to move more freely. It’s like when in transit you’re able to drop your bags off at a train station locker before heading out to explore a city. You suddenly feel light and free! What actions will you take now that you feel lighter and freer?
It is important to get quiet and declutter. It’s even more important to selectively choose what comes next. Once you’ve sat for a bit with the silence or space you’ve created, it’s up to you to mindfully fill some of it with experiences that cannot come from solitude or quiet. Travel forces us to do so; it can be more difficult to seek these fulfilling experiences with the same wonder at home. Still, it’s up to you to seek fresh patterns or behaviors once you’ve taken the time to reflect, or you’ll just end up back where you started.

Being open.
To continue with travel as an example, if you pack your bags and go, step outside your door, and then become too afraid or shy to interact with others around you…there is really no point. We must stay open by engaging with the world, by challenging our sense of security that, while comforting, can lead to staleness. After a rinsing away of the people or things we realize we do not need, or  that bring stress or baggage, it can be easy to close yourself off.  The important thing to remember is that you’ve also become clear on what really matters to you, and you should be able to more easily distinguish whether what you let into your life deserves to take its place.

The point of all of this is to create more space, time, silence. Most people are terrified of one or some combination of the three. As human beings, we tend to resist change and cling to security. We want to know what’s next before we let go of any grasp on what we have in our hands now. So often we are afraid of the in-between.
The space “in-between” is uncomfortable almost every time we allow for it, but I’ve learned…this is where the magic happens. This is where you find yourself. It’s where the good stuff finds you. Whether you’re traveling or not.
Are you willing to create the space to allow that to happen?
I don’t know about you, but I feel lighter already.

The post The Art of Packing Lightly… appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

Or, unintentionally cozying up to a new Danish word.

Hello, friends! You may have noticed I’ve been a bit absent from the blog lately. I’ve always strived to share with transparency in this space, so perhaps I’ll start today by telling you that it hasn’t been an easy year for me with regards to writing. I do still write full-time for a living, but it has been challenging for me to write the personal pieces I often share with you here.

Many times I’ve pointed to the block that is still haunting me — yes, you guessed it — telling the full story of my robbery at gunpoint and bus hijacking in Colombia at the end of last year. There’s so much I want to say, but so much pressure (from myself, mostly) to get it right.

It’s fitting I should mention that event now, because that was the beginning of the self-care practices that inspired this post. After the hijacking, my sense of security, my view of the world, my ability to trust myself…all of these things came into question. I suffered from PTSD and sought treatment when it began affecting parts of my life. And while I’ve learned more from it than I can begin to write, perhaps the simplest way to begin to share is to tell you how I learned to take better care of myself.

When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. “

More recently, like so many of us, I was devastated by the outcome of my country’s election. Not only did some people not share the belief that certain qualities are absolute deal breakers when it comes to a leader, but enough did not that now I am forced to recognize someone I do not respect (in the slightest) as the head of our country. (I find tiny comfort in being a Californian, and in knowing that he did not win the popular vote.) Once I again I return to these principles of self-care to make it through my daily shock, disappointment, and deep concern about the country’s future.

And though it seems minor in comparison to the aforementioned events, I do admittedly sink into a bit of a funk when I return home from extensive travels. I’ve learned this about myself and tended to take 7-10 day trips this year as a result. I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to extend my time in France (more on that later,) so I felt the familiar post-trip blues when I returned home after nearly one month away (one week before the election.) Bring on the self-care yet again!

I know I’m not alone in the challenges we’ve faced in 2016. And even if we don’t share the same political engagement or views, or if you’ve never been a victim of violence or trauma, I know enough to know that everyone has their story and that we all face difficulties. Here’s what works for me when I need that little extra self-love to make it through the day/week/month/year. As always, take from it what works for you…and leave the rest.

oo << those are two hugs for you.

Simple Principles for Self-Care, Grounding, or Recalibrating

(Can be particularly helpful during the holidays, times of political stress, and personal trauma or drama.)

—

In one word: hygge. (It’s Danish, and you should check out what it means.)

In a few words: Get out of your head.

At my best, I’m thoughtful, insightful, and purpose-driven. At my worst, I’m prone to anxiety, overthinking, and indecision. We all have qualities that define us, those that swing from our best to our worst. At times the variable that does this is external, but often it’s internal.

The middle ground can often be found by quieting our minds a bit. For me, that’s when I can see things more clearly, can make solid decisions from a deeper place that’s truer to myself. For me, most self-care includes reconnecting to parts of myself that are not my overly chatty mind.

So, how to get to this place, or at the very least find more balance? Here are my ten favorite simple self-care tips, inspired by hygge:

Engage the senses to be more present. // Candles, tea, and playlists

Lighting a candle or making a cup of tea are two simple actions I used to overlook or take for granted. They’re nearly cliche, no? Yet whether alone or combined, I’ve found they have the ability to alter scent, sight, and warmth in a way that is calming to me.
Sound can also be powerful. I have found great comfort in creating playlists that soothe, energize, or even prompt me to write. To me, these are small changes that ground me in the present moment when I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

Another exercise in engaging the senses: cooking. If you have the time, slowly savoring a glass of red wine, cooking something comforting (soup is a favorite,) and even fresh flowers have that same effect.

Unplug. // Commence Airplane Mode.

No matter your profession (or personal life,) it seems the pressure to be and stay connected is higher than ever. The worst work days, for me, are those when I feel like I just bounce from one notification to the next, tending to each alert or ping like it’s the most urgent thing that ever happened. Unfortunately, some people will expect you to be “on” all the time — even outside of work hours.

It’s important to me to acknowledge anyone’s communication with me, but I also know that limiting it when necessary is essential to my sanity. Establish a boundary that you cannot be contacted during certain hours. If you need to, use airplane mode or ‘do not disturb’ to create the boundary for you.

I laugh looking back at the days where not having a wifi connection used to give me anxiety. Now I’m like…please take me to an island where no service is standard — brain break needed. Sometimes you have to create that for yourself.

Collect compliments. // Create and refer back to a “smile file.”

This might be the cheesiest thing someone ever suggested to me, but it might also be the wisest.

Write stream-of-consciousness. // Get it out.

A ritual that has only recently begun to change my outlook, I came across “Morning Pages” while searching for tools to help me with writing. I’ve found that it has much farther reaching benefits for me.

The idea is that somewhere in your morning routine, you sit down to handwrite three pages (confession: sometimes I only do one) of freeform flow. You write as fast as your hand can write, without internal editing or even re-reading. I have found that this not only jumpstarts creativity but also clears the mind and helps you find your voice. It also allows you to get the barrage of thoughts that crowd your mind onto paper and out of your way.

Practice letting go. // A bit of yoga + meditation.

It’s simple: practice yoga and meditation. They’re proven ways to clear the mind and connect mind, body, and spirit so that you can face the day with strong intention. To me, the best part about both (aside from the way they make me feel,) is that they can be performed either in solitude or in a community, depending on what you need at the moment. Enough has been said about the benefits of both that it to me it’s a no-brainer (pun intended.) I truly don’t know where I’d be right now without my yoga practice. Whether part of your daily routine or used as needed, it should be regarded as essential for wellbeing.

Slow down. // Take a bath, read a book.

It’s not really about fixing your cuticles or detoxing your skin, ladies. It’s about taking the time to do activities that might seem indulgent, but really just are forcing you to slow down. Speak more slowly, walk more slowly, sip more slowly, read more slowly, kiss more slowly. Sanity –> regained.

Pamper yourself. // Comfort + confidence.

Envelop yourself in a soft fabric. Take a nap. Sit in the sunshine. Take care of your skin. Ladies, put on some lipstick (lingerie works, too.) Or if you’re male (hi, guys) or not feeling fancy, a pair of slippers or even changing into a favorite shirt can do the trick. The simple act of doing something small to improve not just to your environment but your comfort or confidence…is not to be overlooked.

Make lists. // Collect words that resonate.

Another form of getting out what’s on your mind, making lists can be an incredibly therapeutic exercise with a wide range of possibilities. I keep a notebook on me at all times, in which I collect thoughts ranging from to-do lists to quotes that resonate or even just words that I like.  Lists are your friend.

Go for a walk. // Just do it.

The simplest, most obvious solutions are often the best. There’s nothing like taking a long walk to energize your spirit and, yes, clear your mind. I also tend to have the best ideas when I’m walking. Getting lost or going for an aimless stroll (à la flâneur) is most recommended (Google maps will guide you home if you cannot. Just make sure your phone isn’t still on airplane mode ;)) I also use walks to call people I have been meaning to catch up with (remember how we used to call people?) or simply be outside and enjoy the world around me.

Surround yourself with lovely people. 

When all else fails, surround yourself with good people. Throw a dinner party. Invite a friend out to that restaurant you’ve been dying to try. Reach out to someone you miss or want to get to know. This is my favorite remedy of all, and even if you’re alone, seeking human connection might be a stressful initial investment — but it’s one that pays off the most in the long run.
Make a list of your five favorite humans, and initiate plans or conversations with them. Done.
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Combining any of the above activities, or planning a whole day full of them, seems like such a luxury at times. Yet I do my best work and, most of all, I am the best version of myself to the people I care about when I care for myself first.

This world is speeding up by the day, and false connectivity through screens only seems to be increasing. Isn’t it lovely to return to the core of who we are in the simplest of ways?

I’ll close with this simple definition of the Danish word hygge: the art of building sanctuary and community. 

Hallelujah.

just some of my simple daily hygge.

P.S. The best items depicted above are free. But here are a few luxuries I have come to love and rely on in this difficult past year:

lip balm 1, 2 // face spray 1, 2 // candles // notebooks  // hand cream // french body oil // lipstick // masque // tea 1, 2

SaveSaveSaveSave

The post Simple Self-Care (and the Art of Hygge) appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

This is the story of a travel writer (aka not beauty blogger) who like many, loves visiting Paris and goes as often as possible. It’s the story of choosing a different arrondissement for each visit and making a point to discover the neighborhood as much as possible. The mode of discovery is  always the same: wandering aimlessly on Parisian streets and through alleyways (see also: flâneur) and trying (or not trying, because how very Parisian) to do so with an air of calm (read: not wide-eyed and smiling.) This latest visit is the story of an accidental French love affair…with the pharmacy.

The arrondissement in question for this visit was Saint Germain-des-Pres (6th.) I knew that I would be roaming towards Le Grand Epicerie (just do it, people) for its food and wine. I wrote down the restaurants and cafes I wanted to sit for hours in, and had a few names from new local friends as well. I had a few museums and parks to see. I’d bike by the Eiffel Tower and walk along the Seine, because…Paris! (Already failing at proposed Parisian coolness.)

Normally I would do my best to avoid any obvious area of Paris that draws in a crowd. Yet on this mildly sunny day, slowly walking against a brisk wind, a horde of people at the corner of Rue Bonaparte and Rue de Four caught my attention. Swarms of women elegantly exiting…a pharmacy? Sans health issues requiring a prescription, I popped my head in to take a closer look.

Suddenly the elegance and refinement seems to have dissipated from the air. Women clutched to green plastic shopping baskets as they frantically wove in and out of narrow lanes. These weren’t just Parisians running errands. Puzzled, I stepped aside and asked myself: what were all these people, tourists even, doing buying medicine?

After more than half a dozen visits to Paris, apparently I was the last woman to hear about the magnificent draw of French pharmacy beauty, in this case specifically City Pharma (26 Rue de Four.) There was something more to this — there had to be! Overwhelmed by this new discovery, I did what any good travel writer would do — I went home to do some research alongside my friend Google.

In all my trips to Paris various themes had emerged: art, architecture, food, wine, (bread!) These are the beautiful pursuits that the French have mastered and that I have always sought to learn from. How had French beauty, which is really skincare…illuded me all this time?

As a traveler, I’m fascinated by the routines and daily lives of people in countries other than my own. How does another culture do things differently, and sometimes, better? The answers may surprise us, even in something as simple as how we take care of our skin.

Illusion no more. I sought out to explore armed with the knowledge of many, still not quite sure what I’d find delving into the shelves at City Pharma.

Two hours there and four months since then, I have a solid staple of new skin care obsessions that I feel compelled to share.

Many of the products I discovered have a cult beauty appeal, but for me I am just glad to have found such a sensible approach to skin care, especially for my sensitive skin. I’m already planning my next visit to France for when the supply runs low (any excuse, non?)

French Pharmacy Skincare Favorites

A few quick notes:

• The names below are clickable, which I thought could be helpful as most can be a bit tricky to find in the USA.
• Brands such as Nuxe and La Roche Posay (two of my favorites) have even started selling at Target! <3 (Keep in mind, you save at least half and sometimes more by buying in France.)
• Many products are also available on Amazon now (at that same higher price point. But still!)

Essentials:

Bioderma Micellar Water: When I first heard that French women don’t like to wash their faces with tap water, I thought it was quite silly. After trying this French favorite in place of my face cleanser, I get it. For one thing, it is so much easier and more convenient to wash your face this way (no sink required!) Micellar water consists of tiny little oil particles in water that draw out dirt and oil from your face. Best of all, it’s gentle for sensitive and acne-prone skin (like mine!)

Simple brand sells micellar water in most drugstores for a very reasonable price (I use their face wipes) but this Bioderma bottle is a favorite for a reason. I love using it as a makeup remover as well. No residue is left on your face, and it just feels incredibly fresh. It’s also perfect to take on the road (many pharmacies sell mini-bottles, which I will definitely be picking up next time.) Who knew!

Embroylisse Lait-Creme Concentre: Another cult classic I had never heard of, this is, quite simply, the best moisturizer I’ve ever encountered. It works with all skin types and for many different uses. I picked up the one made with orange by recommendation from the pharmacist and I love it, but I’m looking forward to getting a tube of this classic original.

Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse: This might ‘take the cake’ as my favorite product of all. Made of a blend of several different natural oils, it’s incredibly soothing and somehow still light. Best of all, it smells like pure heaven. I don’t love scents and hardly wear perfume, but I can’t even believe how much I love the way this smells. Use on hair, face, or body (best of all right after a shower or bath!)

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk: Well known to many in the States, it’s the only dry shampoo I use. Get a big bottle for a big discount when in France. Another beauty fix that saves a lot of time, and is great for traveling when showers are less accessible.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: This is tough to list as an essential because it’s a bit pricey, but I picked up a small bottle of this and it’s my favorite little luxury. It works as a toner and refresher, similar to a thermal water, but with essential oils it just smells lovely and acts as a pick-me-up when I’m feeling sick or tired (often when traveling, especially for long journeys in a plane or car.)

Avene Thermal Water Spray: Again, the skeptic in me thought: why would I buy and carry around water to spray on my face? First I can’t wash my face with tap water and now I have to spray it with special water from a can? Alas, I bought a tiny bottle to try — and fell in love. It’s literally adding moisture to the skin, but there’s something else about this water that soothes, smooths, and softens my face and calms my sensitive skin. I love to spray it on after cleansing (and while on a plane!) or if my face feels particularly dry.

Other favorites:

• Caudalie Instant Detox Mask: my favorite face mask. Feels indulgent and cooling. (All Caudalie products are available in the US, but so, so much cheaper if you buy in France.)
• Klorane Shampoo with Oat Milk: Like the dry shampoo, but the real deal. Gentle but clean feeling.
• La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo: Incredible treatment for troubled, acne-prone skin (available at Target, but keep in mind  the European formulation is different from the product sold in the USA.)
• Caudalie Vino Source Moisture Sorbet: Discovered this at home but bought at a discount in France. Very, very light yet effective moisturizer.
• Luxe Reve de Miel lip balm: A bit pricey in the US, but a delightful matte lip balm with a huge fan club.

Cytol Nat Centella cream (not pictured): I can’t find this for sale online anywhere other than Amazon, where it comes in at $30. I bought it for around 6 euros, so I’m going to have a hard time replacing it at home for that price but it’s essential for me. Heals scars, sunburns, inflammation, or my case, redness and spots from acne. Incredible stuff. (Update: I recently bought La Roche Posay Cicaplast B5 and I also love this for soothing troubled skin!)

Lucky for many of us, most of these products are available outside of the French pharmacy (decent availability in US and UK.) They run about 50% less if you buy them in France (especially at City Pharma, which has significantly lower prices than other French pharmacies,) so it may be worth holding off if you plan to buy and have a trip coming up.

Before this accidental discovery, the only product I’d really taken to while traveling was Tiger Balm (best thing ever.) So even if you have never considered shopping or foreign beauty products an appealing part of travel, the French pharmacy for me was a lesson — in the discoveries we find even when we think we know a city or a culture. With an open mind, there’s no telling what we might encounter when wandering on any given afternoon.  And if you’re not planning a trip but wish to discover a bit of the self-care and sensuality of Paris, this is a small window into bringing that experience home.

Ever since the incident in Colombia, I’ve come to value small acts of self-care and luxury no longer as frivolous or indulgent but as little acts of kindness to ourselves. Things like scented candles, long walks, soft fabrics, and healthy skin care awaken our senses and enhance the quality of life in ever-small but significant ways.

With my French pharmacy favorites, it isn’t so much about the products themselves (though I’ll admit, I’m a convert for life) as the experience of discovering them, and the memories they bring to life each time that I use them.

The post The Beauty of the French Pharmacy appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.

It’s as if you’re jogging… (let’s be honest, it’s been awhile – but bear with me) and the view is great, the wind is in your hair, a pulsing energy flows through you. For a minute, you can feel it: complete freedom.

There are also those moments when your knees begin to ache, the wind feels like it’s slapping you in the face, and your lungs are having trouble keeping up with your legs. Each step weighs you down more than the last. The pain and the doubt sets in, and you ask yourself, why I am doing this?  Why am I still running right now…and when is it going to be over?
…
I calculated the days I’ve spent on the road in the first half of the year. For a person with part-time travel as the goal, it wasn’t pretty. There was a period of three months when I was home for a total of 2.5 weeks time.

I started to feel like an out-of-shape jogger.
For those of you aching to travel more, this might seem like an odd complaint. Yet I’ve promised to remain transparent with you here. And while there is absolutely a thing as not enough travel (I feel you)…turns out, at least for me, there is such a thing as too much travel.

Ever come home from a trip and need a vacation from your ‘vacation?’

You know what I’m talking about, then.

I did that for six months.

Many of us travel to break up monotony or say ‘sayonara’ to routine — to get out of stale patterns, pursue adventure, and rejuvenate our lives with fresh air and fresh perspectives. But what happens when travel…becomes your routine?

There is such a thing…as too much of a good thing.

After settling (as in settling down, NEVER SETTLE) in San Francisco and not traveling for about a year’s time (to balance out a year of travel,) I began to feel like it was time to hit the road again. But for a good 365 days or so (and I was going through a ton of transition and change,) I honestly did not have the desire to travel.

Fast-forward to now: we’re halfway through this year, and I can feel my life slipping out of balance. And my friends, this blog, if nothing else, is dedicated to the pursuit of balance.

So what happened? I once heard that if you’re bored or unsatisfied with life, it simply means you’re not saying ‘yes’ enough. So about six months ago, when I decided it was time to start traveling again, I began saying ‘yes’ to everything.

It's so easy to just go-go-go when we're traveling…it's important to remember to pause and take in the moment.

A post shared by Anne // Part-Time Traveler (@anne_elizabeth) on Apr 16, 2015 at 1:37pm PDT

When I’m coming, going, and boarding a plane every other weekend, life is grand. On top of that, as a travel writer I can literally feel my career taking off when I’m on the road. I meet kind people, experience new food and fascinating places, and feel as if I’m living life to its fullest. Yet when your passion is your career and your career is your passion, it can be difficult to not let it be all-consuming. And I have learned that travel alone does not fulfill my life. (As the Little Mermaid sings, “I want mooooore.”)

When you’ve been saying ‘yes’ for so long (Yes! I’ll take that trip. Yes! I’ll write that piece. Yes! I will help you plan your entire vacation) the natural response when life is out of balance is to start saying ‘no.’  I began instead to say ‘yes’ to staying home. I spent more than a few nights at a time in the apartment I’ve created a home in.  I slowly began making coffee dates and happy hour (and actual) dates that weren’t rushed or consumed with conversation about where I was headed next. I reveled in home-cooked meals and cups of tea by the fireplace.

Yet in pausing to take a break, in between all the excitement and the noise, a new silence arrived — one I wasn’t comfortable with.

I am familiar with the restlessness of wanting to go someplace new or feeling the itch to get on an airplane. This was something different.

Dear SF, This is what summer is supposed to feel like. Perhaps you could give it a try, just for a few days? All my love, Anne

A post shared by Anne // Part-Time Traveler (@anne_elizabeth) on Jun 15, 2015 at 11:24am PDT

Have you ever just felt off? Call it a funk, call it a lack of normal levels of daily enthusiasm, call it whatever you like. If you’ve felt it, you know what I’m talking about. I know it because I’ve been in a funk before — one that lasted around three years. So now when I feel it setting in, I’m like “I see you! We’re going to fix this.”

I equate traveling to listening to my favorite piece of music. When I need to hear it, it is the best thing in the world. I’ll play that song on repeat. I’ll wear my headphones all day. I’ll turn it up and dance around the house.

But at some point, it just becomes noise.

Kauai, you're magnificent.

A post shared by Anne // Part-Time Traveler (@anne_elizabeth) on Feb 25, 2015 at 8:56pm PST

And you know what happens when your music is too loud? You can’t hear anything else.

In my quest for the external I had been neglecting my internal needs. As an extrovert, it’s easy for me to do. With writing as my career, I have had to learn how to tune into my mind and spend quite a lot of time alone. As a result, I tend to turn to constant external stimulation: being busy, staying social, skipping town, running around.

And we’re back to the running.

I’ve heard it said that full-time travelers are running away from something. While I don’t necessarily agree, to me the idea of traveling full-time is a bit like the prospect of running several marathons: that’s cool, do your thing…but it’s not for me. I’d rather enjoy a speed walk or a simple 5k from time to time.

The good thing about running, though, is it has a finish line. You know where you’re going, and the end is in sight. So no matter how much you’re suffering, you know when it’s going to be over. You can push through.

But this is my life. There’s no arrival. There’s no finish line. And there’s no need to suffer. There are times in life we need to push through to reach a goal, or sacrifice. Sometimes, we need to keep going. Other times, we need to slow down.

Can I stay forever? #InCostaBrava

A post shared by Anne // Part-Time Traveler (@anne_elizabeth) on May 7, 2015 at 12:34am PDT

When we have this desire to see the world, it can be very tempting to pack in as many countries, cities, sights as possible. I understand that, I’ve done it myself. It’s especially difficult when we have limited time in a place or away from our “normal” lives at home. Yet it is only when we do slow down, when we linger, when we explore aimlessly and stop to listen…that we can hear and know the subtleties that enable us to really know and fully appreciate a place. It is the same with our own lives.

When we’re part-time travelers, we don’t always get to travel slowly.  No matter the length of the trip, the lessons of travel continue to teach us how to live better at home. Just as slow travel gives us the chance to pause and reflect on the internal, so does slow living. And if we find ourselves in the lucky position of being able to both travel and maintain a home, we need to do a better job of savoring the slow moments of both.

Time and time again travel (and writing,) has allowed me to step back from my daily life and learn something I might not have otherwise. It comes down to this: speed.  The speed at which we’re traveling and living affects us on so many levels. The irony is, of course, the faster we’re going the less likely we are to even recognize our own speed. Traveling at a fast pace for the past six months, with so many obligations both professional and personal, left me out of breath.

I’ve now likened this fast pace to running and noise. In simple terms, being home with no plans to leave…is sitting in stillness. Sitting still can be difficult for an ambitious person living in our modern world, even more so for a traveler. But how can we find meaning without the time and space to reflect on it?

Throwing it back to one of my favorite travel memories, ever: a solitary sunset in Bagan, Burma. (Longyi, thanaka, jade, and flip-flop tan included!) #tbt

A post shared by Anne // Part-Time Traveler (@anne_elizabeth) on Feb 5, 2015 at 4:24pm PST

In my recent moments of stillness, this is what I’ve learned: outside of your comfort zone is always going to be where the magic happens. It’s where growth and experience and everything that is worth anything originates. Yet I’ve come to realize that getting out of your comfort zone isn’t as one dimensional as it seems. Sometimes, staying home and not having any plans is uncomfortable. This applies whether you’re traveling or not — in our culture of ‘busyness’ and our ever-increasing pressure to do, be, see, and be seen. Can we sit with that?

Let us challenge ourselves to take some a handful of moments and simply be. Perhaps it’s in that stillness we find the illusive balance we seek.

Life is not a race, it is a journey meant to be savored at each step of the way.

It might not be as exciting, but it will be worth it.

Tips to Slow Down (On A Trip or In Life)

• Cook your own food. Take your time.
• Dine outside – either at a restaurant or on a patio in a home. Eat slowly, savoring each bite.
• Take thirty minutes and read a book (not a Kindle, a book) or…
• Go for an aimless walk
• Meditate for 10 minutes << trust me, just do it.
• Enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine with no distractions
• Turn off the wifi for a couple of hours << big one.
• Sit, close your eyes, and take in all of the other senses around you
• Spend time with someone who makes you laugh, perhaps to the point of your face hurting
• Spend time with someone who agrees not to talk about work with you for days, even weeks at a time. You are not your work.
• When someone talks, try to listen fully and not interrupt. Do not look at your phone. << Who else terrible at this?

PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE. << I know, I know…it’s hard. Do it anyways.

Where in your life or your travels are you feeling out of balance? Could it have to do with the speed at which you’re living? How do you balance travel and home? 

The post The Delicate Balance of Travel and Home appeared first on Part-Time Traveler.