Biggest takeaways from my time in Costa Rica

Just like that, 4 weeks in Costa Rica has come and gone and it’s time for me to go home.

Only for a little bit, don’t worry.

I cannot believe how fast time went by.

I’m so incredibly grateful for my time here, for all that I’ve taken from this experience and for all the absolutely unforgettable people I’ve met along the way.

I came into this trip having no expectations. Hell, I didn’t even know I was going on the trip until like 5 days before I went.

So I really didn’t have much time to think about what I hoped to get out of this adventure.

But man did this trip far surpass anything I could have wished for.

I’ll share with you some of my greatest takeaways from this adventure…

It’s really hard to say what I feel is #1 top takeaway from this trip. I feel like I had so many realizations and learnings about myself and others.

If I absolutely had to choose I would say my greatest takeaway is realizing how content and happy I am with my life right now.

I am so grateful to live this life and am so fucking proud of myself for all the inner work I’ve done to get to where I am today.

I truly feel so free in every way. I built this life for myself and I just feel so at peace with what I’ve accomplished and who I am as a person.

I’m so excited for this year and all that it will bring me. I’m so grateful for this trip, I’m so calm, relaxed, happy, centred. I’ve never felt better.

Something that has really been reassured by being on this trip is to live in the moment. Be present. Be open.

To go with the flow, surrender to life’s intentions for you even if it’s not what you thought you wanted or what you thought would happen. Pura Vida, as they say. Simple life. Just relax. All is good. Todo bien.

Now, to say “go with the flow, surrender, everything always works out” is one thing, but to actually live that way is another experience.

Like when the day tour you booked gets cancelled and you end up having a magical day to yourself walking hours down the beach instead.

Instead of getting caught up on things that don’t go “my way”, I’ve really learned to trust that life knows what’s best for me. Who am I to think I know what’s best for me or what’s meant for me?

What is for me shall not pass me. And if it passes me by, it was never for me.

This travel experience has also taught me or I guess allowed me to realize what I want to do with my life this year.

Now, whenever I make plans for my life, I’m proven time and time again that the universe knows what’s best and I don’t know shit. So I’ll take this with a grain of salt and a shot of tequila…

But I’ve realized I really want the best of both worlds for my life this year, and I’m in a position to do exactly that. I can come home and work for a few weeks, make enough money to leave again and catch the next flight to who knows where.

As of right now, that’s my intention for the year. Tips and trips baby $$$

Something huge this trip has given me is more confidence in who I am and what I do. I’m really practicing letting go of what people think of me in a whole new way.

I used to be nervous to talk about what I do for a living with new people. When someone would ask me what I do (which is a totally normal question to ask someone when you first meet), I would get awkward and tense, and beat around the bush.

Because I assume people are going to have an uncomfortable reaction to me saying I’m a stripper, you know? I’ve been projecting my assumptions onto these new people I meet.

And this is based off experiences and judgement I’ve seen from others in the past. All of the people I’ve met on this trip have been so open minded and accepting, it’s really allowed me to let go of my past experiences and be more open when meeting new people.

Being able to confidently say “I’m a stripper” when someone asks what I do with my head held high is fucking LIBERATING. Oof.

Their reaction is not my responsibility. And who am I to assume they’ll think less of me? I would never want someone to assume I would think less of them based on what they do to make money.

Another lesson from this trip and staying in hostels with people from all over the world… There’s so much diversity out there and there’s SO much more to the world and to people than what you see and experience at home.

People from around the world are so different in so many ways, how we eat, how we go to school, how we work, how we live… but at the same time we’re really all the same. We all have the same dreams, aspirations, feelings, and love to give.

I could go on forever about how enlightened I feel after this month long whirlwind of a trip…

But I’ll leave you with that for now.

I’m incredibly excited to get home and start to implement all of these new thoughts and ideas into my life.

I have many ideas and intentions for improving my life at home, although I don’t plan on being there for too long.

I feel that these gems of wisdom and growth will stay with me forever no matter where I go.

I’m truly so thankful to have had these experiences and to have met the most inspiring, amazing people on this trip. My life is forever changed.

Pura Vida 🤙🏼