5 Tips for Finding Center on the Road

One of the best parts about digital nomad life is the freedom and variety. Each day can look radically different from the last as you explore new places, live in different homes, dine with new friends and shift around your work hours to make space for new adventures.

The flip side is that for some people, the transience can leave them feeling uncentered or maybe even a little discombobulated.

I recently went to California to do some snowboarding in Lake Tahoe before the season ended. Other than a few weeks in September, it was the first time I’d left Mexico in a year. Given I haven’t stayed anywhere longer than 3 months in over 7 years, a year in one place feels like a really long time.

The plan was to stay in Tahoe for only two weeks at a ski share with friends and family, but as our last day approached the snow report started showing a storm coming our way. With no airline change fees it was obvious what we should do, stay another week and get some powder days in of course! Yet, I had this uneasy almost panicky feeling inside at the thought of staying, I wanted to go HOME.

HOME? What does that word even mean after 8 years of digital nomad living? The feeling was so foreign. What’s happening to me? Am I losing my veteran traveler mojo?

And then I realized what was going on. It wasn’t that I needed to be in a particular place, or bed, or country. I needed some alone time. I’d been sharing a house with friends & family for two weeks straight and while it was amazing, I was socially overwhelmed. So I gave myself permission to take a time out, not do all the things, slow down and have some quiet “me time”. And I’m so thankful I did because the next week’s power days were epic!

Here are a few tips to help you stay centered no matter where you are.

1. Get to Know Your Sense of Center

How do you know when you’re centered or grounded? And how do you know when you’re “off”? Start to pay attention and observe yourself, like playing anthropologist studying this unique and magnificent creature…you! Take notes when you feel uncentered. What sensations do you feel in your body? What is your breath doing? Your thoughts?

By learning to sense when you are starting to feel off center you can identify when you need to employ some centering strategies or add some more structure to your life.

2. Create Routines & Anchors

Routines can help create a sense of continuity when you are moving from place to place or feeling overwhelmed. Morning and evening routines and rituals are a great way to anchor your day. Maybe you start each day with a 10 min stretch or meditation, a coffee ritual or a morning pages journaling practice.

3. Create a Portable Sense of “Home”

I often put the same things on my nightstand no matter where I’m staying to create a sense of “home”. No matter where I stay my bathroom kit hangs on the door organized with all my favorite toiletries. I always travel with a bar of Dove soap, essential oils and English Breakfast Tea. Pay attention to those little things that feel “homey” to you, that act as calming constants.

4. Learn To Calm Your Nerves

When we’re feeling uncentered it often comes with overwhelm and a revved up nervous system. First thing to try is to slow down, and find your breath. Breathe in 4 counts, hold 4 counts, breathe out 4 counts. Repeat until you start to feel yourself calming. There are many techniques you can learn to calm your nervous system such as mediation, or mindfulness practices such as anchoring your attention on one of your 5 senses. Find a few techniques that work for you and start practicing so that you have them available when you need them.

5. Slow It Down

Travel doesn’t have to be go go go. Staying somewhere for months or even a year can be a beautiful way of connecting deeper with the soul of a place and it’s people. If you’re feeling stressed and uncentered maybe it’s time to slow down and stay awhile.

Remember, this is your life so design it to work for you.

Have your own tricks for staying centered? I’d love to hear them! Shoot me an email at hello@rebelxlabs.com.