How to be grounded after being a Nomad (finding an authentic base)

Saturday // July 8 // 2023

 

Living and working remotely was a dream of mine for a long time. If you’ve followed my journey the last several years, then you may have seen that I have been a bit of a Nomad. I’ve lived in Australia, England, Amsterdam, and the East and West Coast parts of the US.

This desire to travel and create a unique lifestyle started in 2015 when I traveled around Europe and witnessed a new way of living that felt aligned with my soul. Content, blogging, and traveling for a living started to become not just a pipe dream, but glimpses of a reality. I went back home to Australia and several months later launched a festival for creatives and entrepreneurs; #RadLivin. This grew into creating content for different brands and building strategy and communities for companies who are creating a positive impact. I combined a lot of my travels with video projects, filming in Greece, Finland, and London.

The more I traveled and said yes to new opportunities, took risks, and went into the unknown, the more I realized that as humans, we are constantly searching for balance. When we have one thing, we crave parts of the other. This desire for balance is something I’ve been looking at more closely; Wanting to expand and feel freedom, while deeply craving a sense of stability, consistent community, and a home base.

Having an adventurous, nomadic lifestyle for so long made it hard to figure out how to have a base. Traveling and being remote became the norm, and so the idea of living in one place moved into a different territory. Staying still felt like the risk; the unknown. I wanted to find all of the parts that I loved about travel in one location.

I knew that finding a base was something that I wanted and was ready for, because while I have a deep part of me that loves to explore the world, I also love to be cozy, curate spaces, and expand into surroundings. One or the other never seemed to fit quite right for me. I would travel for a couple months, and then get a little tired and burned out and wanted the complete opposite – a grounded home.

Whether you’ve been traveling, vanlifing, working remote, or curious what it would be like to find a home base that feels authentic and aligned for you, here are a few ways that you can make a shift.

1. Making the (mindset) shift.

You aren’t stuck. I thought that if I was based in one location that I would feel stagnant. That it needed to be one or the other. On the road and full-time traveling, or home. I thought I would lose the adventurous part of myself who loves meeting new people, exploring new places, and trying new lifestyles if I was to have a consistent home base.

I’ve found that having a base allows me to curate travel intentionally; to go to places that I feel called to whether for work or a personal adventure. It’s also allowed me to look at being in one place differently. The more I am in my home base, the more I want to explore it. There are so many neighborhoods, coffee shops, nature destinations in this area. I treat each week like a new little adventure and feel that sense of synchronicity in daily life. “Who will be at this coffee shop today? I wonder who I will meet.” Having a home base that you enjoy feels like expansion in a grounded and fulfilling way. Each week continues to evolve, I make more friends, feel more aligned and supported.

There’s something about being planted that allows life to bring things to you, rather than feeling like you need to go out and search for it.

2. It gives the space for your dreams to catch-up to you.

I believe that when you declare a dream, whether it’s out-loud or to yourself, life wants to bring it to you. When you move around a lot, and are chasing external adventures, although they can be beautiful, when you slow down and stay in one place it makes it easier for the things that you want to catch-up to you.

When I was traveling, I realized looking back that a lot of my favorite synergies and connections with people were in places that I didn’t book the night before, but months before. It was as if life knew that in order to connect me with different people, it needed some time to work out my schedule and their schedules, so that we were in the same place at the same time. Something at the time that felt like a quick synchronicity, may have taken a lot of behind the scenes work.

I also found that once I settle into a base, my nervous system gets the chance to settle as well. There is a lot of excitement and new energy around being somewhere completely unknown and different. Our nervous systems like to feel as grounded and safe as possible before going for big things. By having a home base and experiencing familiarity, our minds and bodies can relax. This allows energy for us to focus on creating. I will say, this can happen while traveling if you are feeling really grounded in yourself, moving at a slower pace and feeling a sense of peace and safety within. Physically not moving around a lot has allowed my body to ground into my space and feel capable of executing new ideas in a harmonious way. 

3. Finding a Base.

Finding a location that feels right after traveling, or even if it’s the first time you’re considering a move, can be hard. After having experiences of different cultures, topography, and energies, it can feel like there won’t be a base that ‘has it all’.

Finding the right location was the hardest part for me. After Australia, I tried Charlotte, London, Amsterdam, and Charleston. Amsterdam was the closest I had to a base because I found my dream canal apartment and built a community of close friends. I was close to other locations around Europe and so it felt like a good balance between having a base and the ability to travel. It was too far from my family and film production work, because after 2020 work really picked up in the US. I found I was balancing between two worlds of a ‘grounded nomad’ in Amsterdam and working in the US, and so I decided that the base would need to be stateside. Before choosing to move back to the US, I wrote down questions in my journal similar to the below:

What elements make you feel at home? What nature elements are non-negotiable for you? (Is it the mountains, ocean, forest). Do you care if it’s sunny, if it rains?

I thought the ocean was a non-negotiable for me after going to college in Southern California and living in Australia for years. I realized what makes me feel most at home are tall trees. As long as I can look out my window and see trees, I feel grounded. Where I live in Portland is close to a river and lake, and so I like the feeling that water is close by. The beach is only about an hour drive if I really need a fix. Deciding what elements make you feel at home can help you to find the location that fits best. 

What does your ideal day look like? If you were to wake up and have the most authentic day to you, what would you be doing? 

I realized that what makes me the happiest is quality coffee shops. Whether it’s working from one or meeting up with friends there, I could spend hours each day exploring different places. I also love being near family and friends who have known me for a long time. There’s something about meeting up with people where you can let go and just be yourself when moving to a new place that feels grounding. I’ve definitely lived in places where I moved not knowing anyone, and love to build a community from the ground up. For this move, it was important to me to have at least 1-2 close friends who already lived there. This has been so supportive and helpful with having a new home base. 

What do you need in a base in order for your career to be successful?

Are there specific industries or organizations that you work with? Clients that are more likely to live in a specific location? Do you need to be able to travel easily and live near an international airport or train system?

I usually travel to film for my clients, but being in a location where there are lot of freelancers, companies in a wide variety of industries, and nature as a beautiful commercial backdrop,  made Portland a great fit for me. The airport is easy to get in and out of and goes direct to Europe as well.

What does your future vision look like, and can you see it happening at that location?

When looking ahead at a base, one of the best things you can do is write out what your future vision looks like. Dream big and small. I like to write out dreams that I would love to happen, even if they seem a little out of reach in present day, but something to work towards.

Then step back and compare your vision with the location you’re thinking of. Can this happen there? It’s ok if you move or change your mind in the future, but at least knowing that it’s possible in the location that you’re thinking of living in will make the day to day steps feel like you’re moving towards your goal vs. moving towards something in a place that feels like it has a glass ceiling.

4.  Bringing the energy of the nomad life home: It’s not one or the other.

I’ve connected with so many people who moved to Portland after living a similar lifestyle to me and it feels nice to have like-minded friends who can relate to having that experience, and who I can see any time because we both live in the same place. I’ve also worked different aspects of traveling that I love into my daily life and seasons in Oregon. 

It was a couple months into winter, right after a big snowstorm, and I craved the feeling I get when I travel. I wanted to wear clothes that I used to wear in Europe, explore home and design stores, chic cafes, and feel inspired. My initial reaction was to look at flights to Copenhagen. Then I allowed myself to slow down and ask, what do I think I will get from traveling there? Who do I get to be there? What parts of myself do I feel like I could express there, and how can do I that here?

My whole energy changed. I started dressing differently and sought out boutiques, concept stores, and cafes that felt like I was getting that creative design inspiration I was seeking, but in Portland. It also made me fall in love with where I live even more because I realized there were other globally minded individuals who live here too – who have traveled or been inspired, and brought that inspiration to our town. 

5. Creating (evolving) a new identity

Something that can be hard if you’ve been remote or on the road for awhile is the identity that you held with it. The idea of being a Nomad, a Traveler, a Global Citizen, became so engrossed in my identity that I didn’t know who I would be to myself or my community if I was to be based full-time somewhere. Accepting a new identity can feel like a loss in some ways, and that’s ok and normal to feel that. Feel the feelings that come up when you think about letting go of an old identity to make way for the new evolved one – an integrated person who has had experiences and brings that to where they live today.

One of the beautiful parts about looking at my connection to travel, and how I felt that it was tied to my identity, allowed me to realize that I am so much more than where I live, what I do, or my lifestyle. Who I am as a person actually doesn’t have much to do with travel or being based somewhere; It’s in my every day being. How I spend my time, what I find joy in, and how I connect with people.

Letting go of the need to have a certain job, location, or lifestyle in order to be seen for who you are and trust that who you are on the road, is who you are at the grocery store. How you interact with people in a hostel, is how you interact with the new neighbor next door.

You are a whole, complete being no matter where you live. Let your authentic self shine through and bring that to where you are. 

6. Be the invitation – people come to you. 

One of the things that I love the most about being grounded somewhere is that people from different parts of life have been traveling to Portland. I’ve spent the last several years traveling to visit friends, and meeting up with community in different parts of the world. It has all been amazing, but a lot of planning and execution goes into it. It’s been such a lovely shift to have a home base that I love, and to have a space that my community can visit. Traveling to me is about the people, and having visitors from different parts of the world in Portland feels like I am traveling and experiencing something new at home. 

7. Intentional travel – it’s not one or the other.

One of the biggest things I’ve been integrating is realizing that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. It gets to be both – a home base and intentional travel. I used to drop everything to get on a flight to explore a new place. I now savor doing researching and feeling into the places that my heart would absolutely love to go to. (Japan I’m coming for you!) By making your whole life more intentional, slowing down and grounding in one place, it also allows synchronicity for trips and new experiences to come about. You’re able to better listen to the whispers of places that you would love to go to – maybe there is something magical waiting for you there.

You can be a traveler, and have a home base. Letting go of all of nothing allows growth, community, and expansion to happen holistically… and if you ever get tired of being in one place, you always know that you can go on the road again. Human beings crave balance, and sometimes getting that balance means diving into one space or the other. Whichever you decide to do, is right for you at the time.

 

Photo credit: Chad Miller

What is authenticity, and how do I find it?

Thursday // April 6 // 2023

What is authenticity, and how do I find it?

 
Authenticity. You know it when you feel it, and when you’re feeling lost and off track, you’d do anything to find it again.

I used to think that when you’re doing what you love, being true to yourself, and saying yes to the things that light you up, you would arrive at being your full, authentic self and it would stay. I thought you would find true authenticity and it would be yours to keep, enjoy, and that would be it.

There have been a lot of times in my life where I felt completely aligned, and other times where I felt so far off track and disconnected that I didn’t know if I’d find my way back. It’s been in those tough moments where I realized there isn’t something to go ‘back’ to in order to be your true self and live an aligned life. We’re constantly evolving, and the you that you’re looking for is a combination of who you are now, what you’ve learned and been through, and where you are headed.

Authenticity can feel like total freedom; that feeling you get knowing that exactly where you are is where you are not only meant to be, but you’re fully enjoying it. Other times, authenticity can feel like speaking your truth, saying no, walking away, being courageous, doing the hard but needed thing. To me, authenticity is a feeling of being fully alive; being who you are at your core and, sometimes bravely, sharing that with the world around you.

When you’re in your flow, you usually don’t think about authenticity; You’re just living in it. When I feel like I have gotten off track, or not aligned with what I’m doing, the moment comes when I seek to find myself again. It seems that every time this happens, I feel like I’m starting over.

Who are you again? What do you like to do? What’s aligned for you?

It starts off with little things, not really noticing that I’m not feeling like my full self. Maybe I made a couple choices that felt not totally aligned, but right at the time. When I’ve gotten off track, there comes a time when I consciously become aware of it and it clicks; ‘this isn’t me’, but then I feel so disconnected that I don’t know the next step, or so I think in the moment. 

If you’re feeling lost, out of sorts, not knowing which direction to take or how to feel like your truest self, know that’s normal. Authenticity is not a destination to arrive at, but a constantly evolving state and process.

Authenticity feels like an internal compass that knows your ‘yeses’ and reaffirms your ‘no’s’.  It’s doing the things that feel honest to you, even if there’s fear behind it.

Authenticity is in moment to moment choices.

Knowing yourself.

Self-inquiry.

Does this feel right?

What would my highest self choose?

Should I walk away from this?

Does this light me up?

Does this give me joy?

Even if this feels hard, would I grow trust within myself?

If I made this choice, would it be me having my own back?

 

A few ways that you can bring about your authentic self are….

 

How can I do something in the way that would be unique to me?

Freedom often gives authenticity. When you do something the way that you would do it if you didn’t know how something was ‘supposed to be’ done. When I look to what others are doing, I feel boxed in and start to believe that I need to do something in a way that has already been done before, even if it feels out of alignment with the way that I work or how I like to live. There is validity to that in some ways, and learning from others is an important part of growth, but when you start to think creatively and open up to the power that is you and do things in a way that feels natural, magical things start to happen.

I believe this is because when you stay in your own lane, focus on your goals and dreams, and pursue them in a unique way to you, you open up space for the right things to come in that fit who you truly are. When you show up in your own unique way, it shows who you are at your core, and the people who align with it are often those who like to live an authentic life too. You’ll also give others the inspiration and permission to do things in a genuine way to them too.

Whether it’s deciding where to live, how to curate your lifestyle, where to work, what job or career to pursue, ask yourself, what would I do if I had the most fun? What would bring me the most joy? What would feel the most natural? If I didn’t need permission, what would I go and do now? 

What would I do if this was created uniquely for me?

Then work backwards.

 

Be around people who lift you up and feel like home.

It can be hard to find your authentic self when you are surrounded by people who don’t totally feel aligned. When you feel lost or disconnected to your path, a way that you can find yourself again is by being around people who feel positive; a true reflection of you and your dreams.

People who reflect back to you that it’s safe to be yourself where you’re out of your head and in your experience, and enjoying life.

You can start small. It can be reaching out to just one new person this week, or reconnecting with an old friend. You don’t need to find a whole new group of people at once, and it’s ok to start where you’re at. Even having one or two aligned people in your community, can allow you to shift into your true self.

 

Going somewhere new

Going somewhere new can be a blank slate to connect with yourself again, or in a new way; A new way of doing things, style, energy, community, and friendships. 

Sometimes going somewhere that is completely unknown is the perfect space for your true self to show up. It’s a platform to try on new parts of yourself and express them in the world.

Even finding new places in your local community can open up the possibility of being your true self. When I first moved back to the US, I was in a place that felt far removed from my authentic community and lifestyle that I was used to. There was a coffee shop about 20 minutes away from my house, in an area that I never thought I would feel the energy of a creative community in, and as soon as I sat down at a table I felt the buzz of the cafe and the indie folk music blasting. I could’ve been anywhere in that moment. I wrote in my journal and came up with new creative ideas, just as I would have if I was back in Australia or Amsterdam.

Getting out of my comfort zone, and going somewhere new brought back feelings of true authenticity and new energy into my life. You don’t need to go far to find a new adventure.

(I wrote a blog post about being comfortable wherever you are if you’re looking for some authenticity inspiration for an upcoming trip or new adventure).

 

Joy leads to authenticity.

Start to sprinkle in things that you enjoy that are aligned with where you’re at right now, in this moment. It can be overwhelming if you decide that you want to go on a big trip, but maybe you need to save first. Can you explore your local town and try new things? Can you start to integrate the cuisine into your life?

I have a dream of owning a house out in nature and decorating it completely authentic to me and my style. I started to deny myself of experiencing the joy that I have for interiors and home styling because I don’t have the dream nature house yet. In the last two weeks, I’ve felt so connected to my joy and authentic self because I’ve given myself permission to start my ceramic mug collection. I love coffee, and enjoy drinking out of a colorful, handmade mug. Whenever I think of my nature house dream, I always see myself in the kitchen making coffee using ceramic mugs that I love. I can live out that feeling now through intentionally sourcing cool mugs and making coffee where I live now.

It might seem like it won’t have a big affect, and that’s what I thought as well. I didn’t think that purchasing a ceramic mug and using that in my daily ritual would make up for the fact that I didn’t already have the dream house – but it did.

We build up scenarios in our head where we think, ‘when I have the dream’, then I will feel how I want to feel – but that isn’t entirely true. You can experience all of the feelings your dream will give you in daily moments. My ceramic mugs can vouch. 

 

Where can you start to create ways of having your dream now, through experiencing the joy in exactly where you are?

 

Accepting chapters: the process of authenticity

I have had chapters of pure authenticity – of knowing exactly who I am, feeling like I have true purpose here, and following my dreams. Then after some time, the dream starts to feel a little off. What I once thought I wanted, doesn’t seem to fit like it used to.

Sometimes we get lost and off track, as a very normal part of being a human. It’s ok to acknowledge that what was once a dream, now doesn’t feel aligned anymore. 

Authenticity is an ever evolving thing, just as we are. It’s built in chapters, and through self-inquiry. Sometimes it comes through new experiences and people. Sometimes it’s about leaning deeper into yourself, and other times it’s about getting out of your own way.

It’s ok to lose yourself. To feel like you don’t know how to be your truest self. Acknowledging that is the most honest, authentic thing you can do. From acknowledging it, that’s where the magic can flow in. 

 

Don’t Tell Summer’s Travel Guide: Mallorca, Spain

Thursday // March 30 // 2023

 
One of my favorite things to do is curate experiences that bring together people who have never met before, but who can quickly become close friends. I was living over in Amsterdam, and reached out to new friends that I had met that year – along with a friend I met years prior in Ios, Greece who was traveling around Europe – and asked them if they would be keen to explore Mallorca for the week. We all worked in creative fields, and so we packed up our laptops, cameras, and best linen (jk, I wore the same thing every day like usual) and headed to Spain. 

 

Sóller 

The Garden House 

We rented a house in Sóller and this became our base for the rest of the adventure. I eyed this place for months and was thrilled when it happened to be available. Locally owned and run, the ‘In My Garden Sóller ‘ spot is unlike any vacation rental I’ve stayed in. Beautifully and eclectically decorated, it felt like we were actually staying in a friend’s home. Each room and piece of furniture told a story and allowed us to sink into the experience in a deeper way, feeling like a local. 

Exploring the town of Soller

There is so much to do and see in the town of Sóller. We often strolled right out of the villa and found delicious restaurants, authentic shops, and places to people watch. 

Tip * There’s an adorable trolly in the center of town that will take you to the Port where you can swim and enjoy food and drinks overlooking the water.

re Organic

One of our favorite coffee and breakfast spots in Sóller was re Organic. It was perfect for a healthy meal and relaxing in their beautiful garden. It also doubles as an organic general store. 

Restaurant Tip

The Red Fort II – Indian Restaurant in Sóller

Unfortunately (well, fortunately) I was so enamored by this restaurant that I didn’t even take photos. It was one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve ever been in. Very casual – you can grab a table outside and watch the world go by while digging into the tastiest meals. I got the butter chicken with garlic nan – yum!

 

Estellencs 

If you’re looking for an authentic, local experience, Estellencs really did it for me. It’s located on the coastline of the Tramuntana mountains. It’s quiet, peaceful, and allowed us to connect into the slow pace that we were searching for. 

We stayed in an old village house right in town for two nights called Ca Na Miret

The restaurant at Maristel Hotel is delicious! We ended up dining there both nights because it was that good. They have local selections of wine from Mallorca (our favorite was from 3.10 Celler) and a wide array of options for dinner. I recommend making a reservation in advance for their outdoor deck seating. You can look up at the stars while you dine! 

As you’re heading out of Estellencs and going towards Sóller, there’s a coffee shop with the most amazing view of the water; Cafè Bellavista. 

 

Deià

The drive from Estellencs to Deià was absolutely magic. The mountains and terrain made it feel otherworldly. It’s the perfect place to walk around and explore different restaurants and shops while still feeling connected to nature. 

Continue Reading…

Watch the Film: Eskayel’s Founder, Shanan Campanaro in Brooklyn for MGBW

Friday // March 25 // 2022

 

Discovering someone’s creative process; the ideas, passion, and inspiration that goes into it, is one of the things that we love the most about filmmaking. We had the opportunity to meet Shanan Campanaro, Brooklyn-based artist and Founder of Eskayel.

Shanan created a line of wallpaper for Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’s first wallpaper collection that was inspired by US cities, nature and plants as a nod to the fact that both brands are made in the US. Her passion for sustainable creative practices and making something unique and authentically from the heart drew us right in. We hope you enjoy. 

“Being an artist and making things from your own painting sort of guarantees that what you are offering people is going to be unique and from the heart.” 

 

Check out more of our videos here

Watch the Film: At Home with Brigette Romanek & Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Tuesday // March 1 // 2022

 
When we got the call to come to LA to film Brigette Romanek’s new collaborative collection with Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, we were ecstatic. Seeing pieces come together and all of the work and inspiration that went behind it was something we wanted to dive deeper into. 

This is one part of a video series with Brigette for MGBW. We hope you enjoy!

Check out more of our videos here