Travel, Perspective, and the Love Story of Life: Finding Clarity Through Travel
A story of living by experience: trial, error, and the determination to keep going.
If a story isn’t a love story, it’s a tragedy.
This thought stayed with me as I reflected on my travels through South America. Travel, at its core, feels like a love story1—a mix of moments of discovery, connection, and transformation. Travel shows the impermanence of things, reminding us that arrivals are as fleeting as departures. As I enjoyed another long plane ride to this incredible continent, I couldn't help but feel the weight of this truth—but also its beauty.
A Journey of Trial and Error
When I boarded the plane that night, nobody could have predicted I’d be here. In fact, if you’d told my younger self that I’d one day be watching the moon rise over South America from 35,000 feet, I would have not believed you. I wasn’t supposed to go very far in life; nobody really expected much from me. And yet, there I was, in one of those rare moments where life just makes sense for a little while.
It was as if the universe had paused, allowing me to savour everything that brought me to that seat—a story of living by experience: trial, error, and the determination to keep going.
Unlike most, my books aren’t about flaunting successes—they’re celebrations of failure. They share the good, the bad, and the ugly, offering an always honest and sometimes entertaining look at the journey. By sharing my experiences and mistakes, I hope you can carve your own path with greater clarity and confidence. These stories aren’t about me—they’re about empowering you to write your own.2
The Birdseye View on Life
Flying has always offered me a unique perspective on life. From my usual window seat, the world below shrinks into patterns of light and shadow, rivers and roads—and even the chaos of the biggest cities dissolves into something small, almost manageable. Everything down there—the stresses, challenges, conflicts—is reduced to ants. Problems that once felt monumental somehow feel lighter, less pressing, when viewed from a plane. Or it may have been the wine… but either way, it’s a perspective I try to carry with me long after the wheels inevitably touch the ground again.
Arrivals, whether they’re at a destination or a personal milestone, have a way of awakening something within us. Each arrival is an opportunity to reset, to reframe, and to reconnect with who we are. Standing in Lima, Peru, I felt this vividly. From the colonial architecture to the tangy bite of ceviche and the endless coastline kissed by ocean mist, it wasn’t just the place that was new to me—I felt new. Travel has a way of peeling back layers, exposing the core of what we value, and teaching us what we’re capable of.
Life is a Mindset
This trip also reminded me of something I both struggle with and believe deeply: Life is a mindset. How we approach each day, each moment, and even each challenge determines the story we’re writing for ourselves. I don’t mean that in a toxic positivity kind of way. Travel often magnifies this truth: you can’t necessarily hide behind a mask anymore when you’ve removed everything familiar. There are moments of discomfort—long flights, getting lost, language barriers—and then, moments of magic. But whether the story reads like a love story or a tragedy is entirely up to us.
As I watched the moonrise from my window seat that night, I felt overwhelmed with real gratitude. Maybe even a little happiness. Travel has given me so much more than memories—it’s given me perspective, growth, and appreciation for the gift of this life. And while every arrival marks the end of one journey, it also opens the door to the next chapter.
What’s Your Story?
As I’ve shared in my travel hacking course, The Travel Revolution, these experiences don’t have to remain unattainable. My stay at a luxury property in Lima was made possible through strategies I teach to travellers who want to see the world without breaking the bank. They asked me to not disclose the rates I get, but nobody said anything about teaching the method to my madness 😊
Beyond the logistics of travel lies the heart of it—the stories we create and the mindset we develop along the way. Whether you’re chasing sunsets in South America or simply stepping outside your comfort zone, remember: every arrival is a chance to write a new chapter in your love story with life.
Let me leave you with this question: What’s the next arrival you’re working toward, and how will you make it a love story?
Related posts
My first book in the Freedom Project series was about travel hacking, but it was followed by one about Happiness, and then Love. The third book in my Freedom Project series, Love 2.0 is not just a book about love; it’s a guide to how we relate to others, and ourselves.
If you’d really like to write (and share) your own story, check out a free preview of my Write a Book in a Week course today.