I Don’t Travel Full-Time — But Every Trip Still Changes Me

Travel doesn’t have to be constant to be transformative. Here’s how each trip changes me.

August 26, 2025

Let’s be clear: I’m not a full-time traveler. I’m a freelancer with structure, who happens to book plane tickets when life calls for a reset.

But every trip I take still changes me. Subtly, softly, but undeniably.

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Travelers waiting at Kyoto Station for the Limousine Bus, capturing a real moment of the Japan journey. — *Waiting for our Limousine Bus in Kyoto Station*

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The Story Part: My Rhythm of Leaving and Returning

Before any trip, I go full-on tunnel vision with client work. I frontload deadlines, tighten my calendar, and knock out deliverables like I’m training for something. Why? So I can travel with less friction. Less mental clutter. More space to actually enjoy where I am.

I don’t fly off to find myself. I fly off to remember who I am, when I’m not trapped in routine.

I still work. I still check Slack. But I also let myself slow down, wander, and work from places that feel more alive than my desk at home. Cafes with matcha lattes in Japan. A quiet seat by the window in a city that doesn’t know me yet.

I don’t travel to escape work. I travel to shift how it feels.

The Real Part: 3 Things Travel Keeps Teaching Me

1. Freedom doesn’t always look exciting. Sometimes, it looks like answering emails with coffee from a vending machine or editing a deck after exploring a new city. It's not glamorous, but it's still liberating.

2. Your environment affects your energy. A new space can change your pace. My creativity hits differently after walking unfamiliar streets or hearing another language all day.

3. I worked better when I remembered that I was a person first. Not just a service provider. Not just a calendar. A full human with seasons, shifts, and preferences. Travel reminds me of that.

Enjoying a favorite matcha drink at Starbucks Kyoto Nineizaka, Yasaka Chaya with traditional Japan views. — *Of course! Fave Matcha! Only in Japan. Starbucks in Kyoto Nineizaka, Yasaka Chaya*

The Reflection Part: Why I Keep Moving (Even If Not Constantly)

I don’t need to always be on the go. I like my home, my routines, my desk.

But every few months, I need motion. I need to shift. I need to sit in a different kind of quiet and let a new place show me what I’ve been ignoring.

And every time I do, I come back with more clarity. More calm. More me. More unforgettable memories that I will cherish.

So no, I’m not a full-time traveler. But every trip still moves something in me. And that’s why I keep saying yes.

P.S. If you’re building a freelance or remote lifestyle and need more than Pinterest quotes to make it sustainable, my ebook Remote Work Playbook: Travel & Thrive breaks down what’s worked (and what hasn’t) for me.