I can't believe it's already been 1 year and 3 days since I started walking my Camino. That time period feels so distant, yet not long ago. I do not regret my decision to make this pilgrimage, and yet, I sometimes wonder about how much I've changed, or remained the same. Transformation is a process that does not usually happen in an instant. It requires perseverance, fortitude, and constant training. If we want to become the best we can be, growing our own, unique, and individual selves, we can't just assume that one gamble will pay off big. The odds are, it won't. However, the important thing is to make the best of each situation, seeing it as a moment of growth, and embracing whatever comes your way, doing the best you can in that situation.
After having worked at one headquarters for several years, I am still adjusting to a new consultant lifestyle requiring constant weekly travel on the road..I guess becoming a road warrior? There are some things I learned on the Camino, which I find very useful flying here and there, everywhere around the US, especially as a woman with a formerly very extensive closet (although, even with the culling I did after I got back from the Camino, I still have a lot of clothes):
-Travel light - week-long and even 2-week long trips stuffed into 1 carry on size luggage and rolling briefcase. Never check in a bag.
-Not minding wearing the same outfits on a weekly basis, as long as they're washed and clean
-Quality over quantity
-Fabrics that provide warmth in cold and cooling in heat! I love silk because it provides this in layers.
-Moisture - airports and planes are extremely drying - I've fallen in love with Kiehl's In-Flight Refreshing Facial Mist and 24/7 Activated Moisturizer...love the scent. Also, for lips, I feel like I've tried everything under the sun (L'Occitane Shea lip, Burt's Bees, Vaseline, Eucerin, Chapstick)...and my battle with dry chapped lips continued, until I met Murad Skin &b Lip Therapy, which has been discontinued, but I hold onto the sample (in the toiletry kit on the flight to Paris) for emergencies.
-Make up - I didn't really carry any of this on the Camino, except some chapstick, but travelling professionally, I personally think I've become adept at bottling items I need into the quart-size bag for carry on. Also, after using liquid tinted moisturizers- have come to love powders because I'm not restricted to TSA regulation-size bottles (BareMinerals Originalis non-drying and has become my favorite!).
Also - travelling for a living is TOUGH. Hopping on a plane twice a week, I really have come to realize that when you travel, it isn't really about where you're at, but who you're with, the journey, and living in the moment, striving to be fully engaged with those around you. However, nothing beats time with your loved ones.
