Discovering Your True North Through Travel and Self-Reflection
- Girl Let's Go, LLC
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Flight Log: T-46 012526 M00
Moment With Mesha — Alignment Series #SomewhereElse Navigation Tools for Life’s Journey
Travel often gets framed as a way to escape, a break from life’s demands or a chance to run away from ourselves. But for me, travel has become something different: a tool for self-alignment, a way to reconnect with my inner compass and find my True North. After spending more than 90 days in deep focus, pulling together years of ideas, projects, and vision, I’ve come to see travel not as a destination but as a journey inward.
This entry is part of my ongoing series, Moment With Mesha, where I share reflections from my life and travels as a woman living in Bangkok. I hope these stories resonate with women who are evolving, rebuilding, healing, or rediscovering themselves.
The Myth of “Somewhere Else”
When I first started traveling, I believed in the idea of “Somewhere Else” as a physical place — a city, a country, a new horizon that held the promise of transformation. I thought if I could just get there, I would find clarity or happiness. But over time, I realized “Somewhere Else” is more than geography. It’s an identity, a mindset, a way of being that lives inside us.
“Somewhere Else” is the feeling of wanting to be different, to live differently, to become the person we imagine ourselves to be. It’s a restless energy that pushes us forward, but it can also keep us from fully inhabiting the present moment. The challenge is to bring that energy home, to find the alignment between who we are and who we want to become.
Travel as a Tool for Self-Alignment
Spending over three months in focused solitude gave me the space to sift through years of scattered ideas and dreams. I wasn’t running away. I was coming back to myself. Travel, in this sense, became a mirror. It reflected my fears, my hopes, and my true desires.
Here’s what helped me use travel as a tool for self-alignment:
Slowing down: Instead of rushing from one place to another, I stayed longer in each location. This gave me time to observe, reflect, and feel grounded.
Journaling daily: Writing helped me untangle my thoughts and track my emotional shifts. It was like having a conversation with my inner self.
Creating rituals: Simple acts like morning meditation, mindful walks, or lighting a candle became anchors in unfamiliar places.
Listening deeply: I paid attention to what my body and intuition were telling me, not just my mind’s endless chatter.
Through these practices, I started to notice patterns — what truly mattered to me, what drained my energy, and what sparked joy.
Finding calm by the riverside in Bangkok at sunset
Finding Your Inner Compass
We all have an inner compass, a True North that guides us when we listen closely. For me, it took time to quiet the noise and distractions to hear that voice clearly. It’s not always loud or dramatic. Often, it’s a gentle pull toward authenticity, meaning, and balance.
Here are some ways I found my inner compass:
Asking honest questions: What do I want my life to feel like? What values do I want to live by? What am I willing to let go of?
Noticing resistance: When I felt stuck or uneasy, I asked why. Resistance often points to areas where growth or change is needed.
Trusting small nudges: Sometimes the compass points through small signs — a feeling, a coincidence, a moment of peace.
Embracing uncertainty: The path isn’t always clear, and that’s okay. Trusting the process means being open to detours and surprises.
Creating a Life by Design, Not Default
One of the most powerful lessons from this journey is the difference between living by default and living by design. Default means reacting to circumstances, following routines without questioning, or letting others define your path. Design means making conscious choices that reflect your true self.
After months of reflection, I started to see how many parts of my life were shaped by habit or expectation rather than intention. Travel helped me break those patterns and imagine new possibilities.
To create a life by design, I began:
Setting clear intentions for how I want to spend my time and energy.
Prioritizing what nourishes me emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Saying no to things that don’t align with my vision.
Building routines that support my goals and well-being.
Allowing space for creativity and rest without guilt.
This process is ongoing. It requires patience and kindness toward myself, especially on days when old habits creep back.
Reflection as a Compass
As I write this, I invite you to pause and reflect on your own journey. Where do you feel pulled? What parts of your life feel out of alignment? What would it look like to follow your inner compass more closely?
Travel doesn’t have to mean a plane ticket or a faraway place. It can be a journey into your own heart and mind. Sometimes, the most profound discoveries happen when we slow down and listen.
May you find your True North, wherever you are. With Love & A Suitcase, Mesha
Here are the tools I promised
Remember this recipe. Alignment comes from:• Slowing down • Paying attention • Trusting your inner compass • Staying grounded through the turbulence. That's the work.
The Flight Plan Manifesto exists for this exact moment — Your personal journal to help you ground your thoughts, reconnect to your purpose, and stay intentional while you navigate your next season. If you’re ready to move with clarity, start there.
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