Changes in our external environment can force changes in our habits and priorities. Travelling around South America taught me the importance of being able to adapt priorities, to be okay with letting habits go, and to welcome change. This article describes my experience and aims to help you become a little more comfortable with change.
On 14th January 2020 I was lucky enough to begin an adventure in South America. With a decent pot of savings and 5 months at my disposal, I was indescribably excited.
Unfortunately, an early end was soon to be forced upon the trip by Covid-19, but I count myself fortunate to have had the incredible experiences that I had in the two months my partner and I spent in South America. By all definitions, it really was a journey. Covering around 3000 miles of South America, reaching Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, it was an unforgettable concoction of shenanigans. I learned a great number of lessons from these two months, from the complexity and excitement of Latin American Culture, to living in close quarters 24/7 with a loved one. However, one lesson of great value to me, one that was learned early on in the trip, was the importance of flexibility and being able to adapt priorities to the needs of my environment. But let’s rewind a little…
In the run up to my travels, I was living at home and working, trying to save as much money as possible. Despite working long hours I still found myself with a decent amount of free time and, me being me, I wanted to ensure I spent it productively. Having just finished a degree in medical physiology and having been interested in nutrition and fitness for many years, (plus I finally had a full fridge & pantry and a nice kitchen to work with – thanks mum), I saw it as an opportunity to see how “perfect” I could get my diet. Over the course of about 5 months I went from a student diet primarily consisting of chips, tinned fish and gin, to a super-foods diet packed with diverse vegetables, plant proteins, healthy fats, plenty of fibre, balanced meat & dairy consumption, all the works. Also, at this point I was trying to put on a little weight, so I was conscious of my caloric intake – not overeating but consuming enough to generate an appropriate caloric surplus to facilitate muscular hypertrophy blah blah blah. Basically, I was smashing it.
I was trying to be as healthy as I could, so by its very definition it was a healthy obsession. And since the goal was health itself, not weight loss, or something else that does not always square with health, it offered nothing but a benefit to my physical wellbeing.
However, it was still an obsession.
There was no real problem with this, until I arrived in Chile. My external environment was about to change so dramatically – I would no longer have a any way of storing food, let alone a fridge to keep things cool, I would have a budget that allowed two, maybe three, small meals a day, and I would have a lifestyle of near-constant change that demanded spontaneity and flexibility. This was obviously going to clash with my strict healthy-eating mindset, but it was so influential that I let it remain a priority going into the trip. I was naive in estimating the ease with which I could keep up these healthy habits, and the sacrifices I would have to make to do so. Continuing my style of eating would have meant spending my hard-earned Pesos on vegetables and protein rather than fiestas and panoramas. Similarly, my precious time for experiencing these things would be cut short to make room for buying, prepping, and eating this food. Whether in the form of an unnecessary argument with my partner, or an internal downward panic spiral, this rigid mindset about what I could eat, when and how was a major source of unnecessary stress.
I needed to realise that I did not come all this way to do things I could do at home. I needed to let go of thinking about when the next meal was going to be, let go of making sure I had a perfectly balanced plate… essentially let go of being 100% conscious about what I ate, in order to fully embrace the once in a lifetime opportunity in front of me.
This was difficult for me. More than you would think.
However, gradually, I came to accept (and not get spooked by) the idea that I might not have breakfast, and that lunch may only consist of a cardboard bread roll with a plastic slice of ham, and a bruised banana if I was lucky. I was soon able to give a comfortable yes to fries at 4am and not stress about it disrupting my circadian cycles. Doing this enabled me to open heartedly dive into the insane experiences headed my way… Dancing with penguins, surviving Rio Carnival, jumping out of a plane and climbing a volcano, to name but a few.
Simply put, I would not have been able to live these experiences to their fullest if I wasn’t able to simply “let go” of this habit of thinking and adopt a relaxed, flexible frame of mind. So, whilst the obsession I had was by its very definition healthy, it would have limited my ability to enjoy the trip and appreciate the value of my experiences.
As a result of this learning curve, I now believe I can comfortably adapt my priorities and habits to the needs of my ever-changing external environment. Too much rigidity and stability can be a bad thing in a world where change is the only constant.
For me, it was diet, for others it may be exercise, work, cleaning… who knows. What you’re doing may be fine, healthy and in no way damaging. But your circumstances may change, and you may have to change your habits or onboard new ones. That’s okay. These healthy habits haven’t gone anywhere, they’re still there, just on pause, ready for when your environment welcomes them back. But for the moment, welcome the change and be sure to learn from the experiences that come with it.
I give South America 10/10
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