I have decided that I am done with traveling. For a while.
For a very long while.
This will be weird and different since right now I go places to teach (or to recover from having just gone to other places to teach) at least once a month.
Since I started my business over five years ago, going places to teach has been one of the things I do.
Done with that. And yes, there’s stuff I’ll say about this. In no particular order.
Timing.
I’m thinking mid-2012 is when I’ll start planning stuff again.
But until then? No business travel. No personal travel. Except for driving to the woods to visit my favorite uncle.
What this is about.
Since opening the Playground in June, I have experienced over and over again how much more awesome it is to teach in an truly amazing space.
At the Week of Biggification in Asheville, there were all these things I missed having. And it is so much more pleasurable to teach in a place that is magical and filled with wonder.
With toys, costumes, stickers, a pirate ship wheel and a nap room.
I want to be in the Playground, with the Playground, at the Playground.
And so that’s where I’m going to stay. Within walking distance to the grilled cheese bus, because that’s important.
As with everything, I reserve the right to change my mind as many times as I want.
Because running a company everything I do is an ongoing creative experiment that exists in a state of flow and change.
Like writing a blog or going through a day or learning more about your relationship with your stuff. Things move.
So I do not expect to know how I’ll feel about this in six months or eighteen months. We’ll see how it feels. I will check in.
The part of me that is uncomfortable with this.
When I quit sugar (in February of the year 2000), the idea was to wait and see what would happen after a month. Still waiting. Because I can’t go back. My body got used to not being hyper, and it likes it that way.
When I went on email sabbatical (two years ago this January), I was hoping I could get away with it for six months.
Every single aspect of my life improved so drastically that nothing could induce me to return.
So here I am. I really love traveling. I mean, not the traveling so much as the being places.
Love the yearly teaching trip to Berlin. The green chile stew in New Mexico. Getting to see what crazy, wonderful things my students and clients in San Francisco are up to.
There is a part of me that says “if you stop now you’ll never get to go anywhere again!”
But that voice is a fuzzball monster who loves me and wants to know that I will not lose out on things that are meaningful to me. So I will talk to it and we will find a way to make sure we both get what we need.
The parts of me that are overjoyed about this.
Oh, mostly those parts that are constantly exhausted and in recovery mode. Like irritable-me. And my head.
Also, loving the idea of getting to devote Drunk Pirate Council to working on other things in the business instead of spending half the time on travel logistics.
And I am hugely relieved to avoid the mental, emotional and physical stress of having to avoid certain airports or generally encounter the new “possibility of inappropriate touching for your safety” procedures.*
* Which we at Hoppy House have been referring to as: “Would you like freedom fries with your liberty groping?”
Anyway, I have more than enough real life opportunities to work on my victim narratives and my sovereignty practice.
And since I am that person who invariably gets pulled out of the line at airports, I can skip that for now. I can work on my stuff in a less trigger-filled environment. And report back.
A funny thing. Well, mostly just to me.
At the last Rally (Rally!) in October, my plan was to use the time to work on my schedule for the year.
But I kept not working on my schedule for the year. I got all sorts of incredible things done instead. Like the content for the Week of Biggification. And the planning of several workshops. And a variety of fabulous epiphanies.
I also processed a ton of information about the qualities I wanted in the coming year:
Ease, rest, support, silliness, possibility, play.
Just no schedule.
So here it is. No schedule.
Spaciousness. Lots and lots of spaciousness.
What will be happening instead.
Rallies! At the Playground!
Also a new afternoon-at-the-Playground thing that is called wishstorming. More about that to come.
I will still be doing a Week of Biggification and a Week of Destuckification this year, also at the Playground.
Which will be even better now that we have a giant hammock.
And one last workshop that’s not in Portland.
Yay! So if you want to see me outside of the Playground, your last chance until mid-2012 is this:
On Friday, December 3rd I will be holding my very last non-Playground event. In Sacramento, California. Yes, that is soon.**
** Actually, my official very last non-Playground teaching event is Sunday, December 5th — Selma and I are teaching biggification skills at a yoga teacher training, but that’s not something I get to invite you to join.
There are two ways to do this.
1. Come to the fabulous three hour shivanautical destuckification workshop. The moments of bing will be worthy. And there will be much hilarity and goofing off.
2. You could be the one lucky person (or possibly one of two or three lucky people, depending on how this goes down) who gets an entire morning of me.
I will take you out to breakfast (with Selma) and I’ll work with you on your business or your thing, or your idea for what might eventually turn out to be a thing. For three hours.
In a sweet, loving, non-stressful way. With fairy dust. But we will destuckify like mad and we will get stuff done. And you get to join the afternoon workshop as well.
If this is something you are interested in, all the details are here.
Obviously, I would love to see you there. But I like you just as much either way.
If not in Sacramento, then at the Playground. And if not at the Playground, then whenever I return to traveling. It will happen.
In the meantime, this is where I am. Both emotionally and literally.
In Portland. With the trees and the green and the grilled cheeses and Hoppy House.
In the hammock in the nap room snuggling with butt-monsters. That’s what I need right now.
And comment zen for today.
We all have our stuff. We’re all working on our stuff. It’s an ongoing experiment that involves curiosity, sovereignty and play.
We let people have their experience and we don’t give unsolicited advice. We play nice because it’s the easiest way to take care of ourselves (and each other).
We are allowed to be silly. We do not have to be right. We pause and breathe. We feel what we’re feeling.
We take responsibility for our stuff. We try on costumes. We twirl, on occasion. At least I do. Sovereignty cheering is always appreciated.
Follow
Things I love about this:
-You remind me that what I think is impossible to say no to is actually totally possible to say no to.
-Portland! Green! Grilled cheese!
-Freedom fries with your liberty groping (this I do not love, but the phrase makes if funny).
-Schnuggling with butt-monsters.
Yay! Can’t wait to join your class in Sac in a couple weeks. But also very supportive of the no travel policy!
Oh my, yes. Hooray for being home!
Yay for decisive mouse!
And I am totally going to be hoping for a liberty-groping on my trip to Seattle/Portland next month.
Because, yes, I am one of those people who has NEVER been pulled aside. Or had my bag opened. Maybe because I often get pukey + cryified at airports? And traveled so much as a kid I just have that I’m-sorta-lost-and-lonely-look automatically.
Liberty groping a puffy-eyed 10 year old who just puked down her dress is a little less fun, yes?
I understand the little tugs of uncertainty and am delighted for your choice. Here’s to all kinds of happiness. For yourself and for what gets created for others from the place of Being Home.
So I can’t believe my luck. You are coming last but not least to my neck of the woods. I am super-intrigued. But I have a small confession.
I only found you a couple months ago. And most of the time I’m not totally sure what you’re talking about. But I am drawn none-the-less. And SO…
Is this whatever you’re doing in Sac REALLY for brand new beginners who know you have something very cool going on but are a bit apprehensive about what it will be like but want to come anyway?
Just checking.
Four years in Portland and still no grilled cheese bus. Must remedy.
I institute no-leaving-the-house policies (well, not literally, I have to walk Atlas and buy food) occasionally when I feel like I’ve been running around way too much and I need peace and quiet for a while. It helps ground and center me.
Yay for being home!
I may or may not travel, but I’m definitely not flying anywhere until the TSA stop sexually assaulting passengers. Perverts.
i just signed up for sacramento! it will be my first time trying shiva nata. i feel excited and curious and nervous.
Kim, me too! I’m glad to know there will be another newbie there. 🙂
Yay for you not going anywhere, and yay for us getting to visit you in Portland! 🙂
Remember, Havi, how you told me the Grilled Cheese Bus was about the only place in Portland you weren’t sure I could get a vegan option? Well, I happened upon their menu online a few days ago, and they do indeed offer vegan grilled cheese! I really need to get myself back to Portland – and more specifically, the Playground – soon!
“Would you like some freedom fries with your liberty-groping?”
LOVE. SOMUCH. <3 Thx for cracking me the hell up this blehhh afternoon.
Also hell yeah to no travelling… I've been wondering what to do abt this myself when it next comes up.
This post is shining a light for me on something I’ve been thinking about a lot – the power of the environments where we do things – I get so powerfully the awesomeness of teaching and learning and experiencing at the Playground.
Creating an environment does so much to create the experience. I’m fascinated by both doing it and experiencing it. And it’s worth note that I learned this from a mouse, Mickey Mouse to be specific – and the care with which the Disney park environments are constructed to create a place that is *primed* for the experiences they want to create.
And also, congratulations!
Andy
Hey you guys!
@Andy – that is such a perfect way to put it. Yes!
@Josiane – oh I cannot even tell you how happy I am to learn that you can get vegan food at the grilled cheese bus. Surprised? Not terribly. But happy. Overjoyed. HOORAY. Cannot wait to see you again next time it works for you to be at the Playground. Kisses!
@Kim – wheee! So excited and happy to meet you there. And Jillian! And really it will be fun and we will laugh and it will not be as weird as thinking about it is. Though yes, thinking about it is legitimately terrifying. 🙂
@Elizabeth – I can hook you up. Mmmm, cheeses. They’ll even cut the crusts off on some of them. Oh yes. Personally I adore the crusts, but it makes me happy that it’s an option.
@Jenny – YES! “brand new beginners who know you have something very cool going on but are a bit apprehensive about what it will be like but want to come anyway” sounds perfect. Frankly, I’d be kind of worried if people *weren’t* apprehensive when I warn them about the moments of bing. Or really, in general. I have a duck AND a Schmoppet. You should all be kind of worried.
Anyway, it would be a delight to have you there.
@Mahala – thank you, sweetheart. That means so much to me.
@everyone – thanks for spreading the word. Last I heard from the First Mate, we had 13 people signed up so will be closing this soon. Appreciating the support! Thank you. Freedom fries for everyone!
“butt monsters”? they weren’t in the coloring book!
It’s so funny, the travel thing… here I am on a major trip, and I’ve realized that I don’t even want to do the wandering and sight-seeing stuff. I’ve found a guest house I really like, and I’m totally ready to just settle in and make a temporary home for myself (laughing, just a little). I have the opportunity to see some amazing sights, but every time I do any major travel, it just wipes me out for days and I don’t feel up to doing any sight-seeing (or anything other than sleeping and journaling really).
I can only imagine the hard that would come if I had to turn around and teach through that 🙁
I’m still a little sad to be unable to join for the Sacramento fun… but Portland is still close enough for me to play! You know, once I get home 😉
But yay! for home time! Plus, the Playground is so awesome, it totally deserves lots of love and attention and fabulous people in it’s amazing space 😀
<3
I had a feeling this was on the horizon. There were clews. I am happy for you, and I definitely want to make my way to Portlaand and the Playground someday!
Traveling for work…I do it on a different scale, but driving 120-odd miles three days a week is becoming a bit…wearing. I used to drive similar distances five days a week and think little of it, but, well, things change. More and more, I find myself wanting to change the way I work so that I can do more of it at home. A still, small voice inside me whispers that this *is* the direction my work will take, somehow (I don’t need to know how yet) sooner or later.
And then there are the moments like yesterday, which was one of the days when I *was* at home, when my daughter and I were being silly together — richly, gloriously, inventively silly — and she said, “This is why I like having you at home! Because we get to do things like this!” Moments like that, I find myself thinking about making the shift sooner, rather than later.
Thank you for all the trails you blaze, and all the light that you shine.
Heidi, totally with you on the sightseeing. I just went away for four days, and the best part about holidaying alone was that I didn’t have to DO anything! Mainly I slept. And ate beautiful food at the restaurants across from my hotel. And I looked at the scenery. It was bliss.
I am seconding @Kylie 100% here:
You remind me that what I think is impossible to say no to is actually totally possible to say no to.
Wishing you the best of everything, Havi, in your last travel to Sac and in the next however-many months of homefulness.
Big, big, big Yeah for your decision (despite, I can’t help admitting of course, a “Sigh, she won’t be in Berlin any time soon”)!
Three big cheers for not travelling.
Even though it means I won’t meet you any time soon because you’re over there and I’m over here and I decided long ago not to travel like that.
This may change, but so long as the big angry dog of total mental and physical exhaustion growls at me even for planning a one hour flight, I think I’ll be staying on this side of the ocean, and this end of the continent, by and large.
I was starting to wonder how you do it, Havi. I hope the not-travelling will be wonderful to you.
I must admit I had some secret hopes you’d come to Europe next year & I’d finally get to see you… But nevertheless I really admire your decision to take care of yourself first, in whatever way is best for you.
And one day, one glorious day, I’ll fly over the big pond and visit the playground, I promise 🙂
My TV died 2 years ago. I got the shakes. I LOVE TV. But we decided to see if we could live without it for 2 weeks. I haven’t gone back. I can’t see ever going back, especially not with very young children around.
I understand how these changes are scary, and also how they can make things so much better. I hope the not-traveling has that effect for you. 🙂
so excited to be part of the sacramento group! looking forward to meeting all the new people and hanging out at the studio – new friends = yay!
so excited for your stayput in 2012 policy. definitely teaching in your own space makes a world of difference. some day i shall experience the magic of the playground.
Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Yummy.
Yes.
Everything about this ost makes me smile–makes every part of me smile. Color me hopping about gleefully celebrating play, sovereignty, and business (and lives) that fit just-right.
Now, another reason to make sure I get to Portland.
heh heh.
“Freedom fries with your liberty groping.” This phrasing may make me snort then sigh sadly for the rest of the afternoon, so true.
And I find it is not limited to the States. In India there were several times I thought the female [always female in India] security guard should have at least offered me a cigarette after wards.
It is enough to make one not want to fly [or in India also not enter a museum] *pensive sigh*
Yay Havi,
thank you so much for this post!
The whole year of 2010 I spent thinking and worrying about going to spend a year of work&travel with my boyfriend in Canada or not.
Belly says: Forget it, we did the same in Australia and had the 3 worst jobs ever. By the way we felt homesick all the time without having a home to return to. And we could NOT do some regular dance or music or Yoga classes. And we had no money to do all the great stuff that you can do when you’re a normal tourist in Oz.
Actually, the most relaxed thing to do is nap in my hammock at home in Germany, where everyone speaks my language and you know where to get what you need. And it’s a good place to finally find out, what I want to do professionally and can go on to make things happen.
Head says: Wait, wouldn’t it be great to travel the Canadian wilderness with your love? And didn’t you say once upon a time, you would rather choose traveling than being together with someone? And now you can have both!Wouldn’t it be nice seeing your sweetheart more then every 3 months somewhere on this planet?Aah, you can find out about your professional plans next year, don’t worry. Maybe this detour turns out to be a great experience!
To hell with all these doubts.
I feel like staying in rainy old Hamburg because it feels good and I just started making friends here.
Whenever I am at airports I wonder where all these people come from and why they are all so busy going somewhere else.
Yay for being at home!