As a last minute sanity break, I journeyed off to Hawaii or should I say, escaped Miami, for a little calmness and reflection. I know… far place to escape to. Luckily, my incredibly sassy best friend, Meghan, lives in Maui so it seemed like the perfect place to be.

I’m always a bit more attracted to the west coast of the U.S. because of the general vibe. Green juice is not a scarcity, local grocers are a norm and outdoor activity is a must. Maui did not disappoint.

However excited I was about my plans, my get-my-head-clear-and-chill-out-trip did not quite turn out that way. Clearly I had some lessons to learn! To start, I missed my original flight because I misread the day (ugh, felt like an irresponsible teen again). Then once back on track, my flight to Maui from Dallas was cancelled. No offense to Texans, but this South Florida girl does not mesh well with the Lone Star State, so I hustled my butt on the next flight to LAX eventually rerouting to Maui.

Finally, two days late, I touch down in Maui. On my second day, I wake up with heaviness in my chest and difficulty breathing. Meghan explains that there is Vog which is causing my breathing issues. Vog, a very fancy version of fog :). After having the most uncomfortable feeling with this Vog, I get knocked straight on my butt with a fever. I could not move for 48 hours! Thanks in part to Elderberry Syrup, I got back on my feet quickly. Check out Elderberry Syrup as a flu remedy, it really works!

Fortunately, once better I was able to experience Maui. I can only interpret my unplanned setbacks as the universe’s way to say “SIT DOWN!”.   I took the next several days slowly and simply tuned into the energies while going with the flow (I know, that sounds terribly cheesy. Like I took that straight from Pintrest!).

My “clarity-vacay” in Maui unveiled a few little lessons which is exactly what travel does to you: it takes you into the unknown and leaves you with some reminders to bring back home. Here’s a few!

1. Don’t overthink your appearance. You’re gorgeous just the way you are.
   

In comparison to Miami, Maui is very casual. To paint this picture more clearly, shoes are optional and when I say optional, I mean it. Don’t be surprised to go grocery shopping with a majority of shoe-less patrons. While I need a little glam in my life, I certainly love how being natural is normal. It was so nice to spend a week in shorts, sandals, ocean-drenched hair and zero make-up. We live in an InstaGlam society. A land of contouring tutorials, fashion “inspo” pages, and countless beauty product guides infographics. Sometimes a little “beauty-enhancer” detox is just what we need to really enhance our beauty. Try it, give make-up, hairspray, and/or nail polish a rest for a week. And guys, try not shaving, go wild! It can be very freeing.

2. Let Loose, Play More.

In Miami when you ask an adult to play more, that would be synonymous with hitting up a few pool parties in South Beach or night-time outings which can sometimes lead to horrible hangovers. But playing in Hawaii takes on a whole other meaning! One of the coolest things we did was visit Olinda Forest. This is not on the usual tourist track so you can actually sit in the solitude of nature for hours. The forest brought the kid out of me. Kids think less, love more, and play till they drop. We begin to decline from these behaviors right around adolescence when friends can be mean, boys start to be of interest, and acne creates insecurities. Then, out of no where, adult life hits and we welcome stress, panic, and wine. Yes, there are lovely things that happen as we enter our mature selves but the point is, we forget the beauty and essence of being kid-like.

Back to Maui, all I wanted to do was hop around and climb trees at Olinda. There are incredible caves which Meghan encouraged me to explore. After putting the fear aside, I crawled up, in, and through them.

I frolicked, rolled around in the leaves, and danced. This place was magical and enticed the inner fearless 6-year-old out to play.  So refreshing and liberating!

3. Say Hi to Strangers. Get connected with others outside of Social Media.
   

It may be an island thing but I noticed people would randomly say hi while walking. It’s foreign to me because if that’s happening in Miami, it may be followed by a date request. Meghan’s friend Levi, a sweetie pie and a local, inspired me to do the same. I’m thinking we all share this planet together and there is no sense in not treating every person you pass with a little kind smile. Who knows? You might make a difference in someone’s day. When I got back to Miami, it certainly was awkward and I can’t say I have kept this practice since some people perceive a hello as something more, but it’s a nice way to make the world more connected that does not include a “like” on someone’s Instagram photo.

4. Go with the Flow. The Universe has plans for you and much grander than yours.
   

I had every expectation to experience, experience and experience some of the beautiful nature I traveled so far to see. That, however, was not quite the plan life unfolded for me as I was knocked out with Vog, flu or whatever else the universe so graciously served up. The point is, it wasn’t quite in my path to do what I wanted.

So… practice picking up on the most subtle to the most obvious clues and just deal with it. Even if it is not what you want. Next time your baggage is lost or your rental car stalls, you’ll be much more equipped to handle it as long as you know it is part of your “travel flow”.

 

5. Embrace differences

Miami may have a different vibe than most other places, and a lot of us could not imagine living elsewhere , but we owe it to ourselves to wonder beyond. Oh, the places we’ll see! Travel expands you, challenges you, evolves you. You return to wherever home is for you recreated, pushed to another dimension, a new you – in ways only you will know after you set forth on your journey and experience it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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