The Quickest Hack to Fix Your Mental Health (That No One Talks About)
Plus an Update 1 Month into My Solo Travels
Hey friends,
Greetings from Madrid!
If you told me one year ago that I would be in Spain and out of college, I'd be in complete disbelief.
Another thing I can't believe: I've already been solo traveling for a month. It's been fun, challenging, and an adventure of a lifetime.
For the last 30 days, I've dropped almost all routines and habits. My days are spontaneous, and I pick my next destination only a few days in advance.
My traveling routine has looked something like this:
Book a hostel for 3 or 4 nights
Explore the city by myself or with others
Travel between cities via BlaBlaCar (shared rides) or bus
If I like the city or meet someone cool, extend my stay a few more nights
Check out cafes, bars, and restaurants but also cook meals with friends in the hostel
I've tried a lot of things:
Fried shark
Making friendships fully in Spanish
Getting lost on walks without my phone
Going to my first bar and discoteca (club)
Pushing my introverted self to talk to everyone I can
I've said yes to almost everything (except cigarettes and drugs).
In the past, I was much less open-minded and loved my routines, but being spontaneous and saying yes more has been life-changing.
50 days ago, I booked a one-way ticket. I'm writing this adventure as I go, and I still haven't booked a return ticket yet.
However: there's one thing I said "no" to before I left the United States.
I didn't bring headphones on this trip.
Airpods might be the coolest invention: you can listen to music and feel like nothing is in your ears (hence the name, Air).
But at the same time, headphones and music can be just another distraction.
Another way to bury the difficult thoughts, decisions, and feelings you know you need to confront.
While I love Airpods, I made a hard decision before I left for my trip: not bringing them.
Why?
A few reasons:
To get out of my comfort zone
To experience every detail of language, culture, and cities in Europe
To confront thoughts, feelings, and psychological patterns that I've buried in myself
When I felt lonely or bored, I would be forced to get out of my shell and talk to people
Technology is amazing. The fact that you can work anywhere in the world and make a living is incredible.
But it's a double edged sword:
While technology allows us to experience the world without leaving home, it's now possible to leave home without truly experiencing the world.
(Shoutout to the travel-writer Rolf Potts for the idea in this interview.)
Consider this: if I put my headphones in any time I got bored on my trip, there are countless things I would've missed out on:
Observing how Spaniards talk with each other. They talk loud, passionately, speak with their hands, and it's quite amusing to watch
Meeting a local who showed me around Granada and took me to a secret flamenco show (see the pic below)
A conversation I overheard that I ended up joining (and making two friends)
Live music: the incredible voice of an opera tenor brightening the streets
These small experiences (and many more) made my trip.
I want to be clear: I'm not being judgmental and saying that headphones are evil. All I'm saying is that sometimes, you have to remove inputs.
To truly experience the world and figure out who you are.
It's easier to jam your headphones in instead of listening to your own thoughts.
But it's essential.
“If we’re never alone, we can never really understand who we are” - Jack Moses
If you want a hack for improving mental health and growing as a person, unplug and listen to your own psychological processes.
But don't take my word for it.
As Matthew McConaughey writes in his memoir Greenlights, he famously goes on walkabouts: days or weeks of time to be alone with his thoughts.
Completely unplugged from sensory input, his alone time shaped him into the person he is today. As he advises, we need less sensory input in today's world, so we can hear the signal of our true self.
"We are forced to confront ourselves, and this is good." - Matthew McCounaughey
Microsoft founder Bill Gates does a similar thing: he retreats cabin for two weeks every year to read, think, and unplug.
Spend more time alone. Write down what you're thinking. Go on a walk without headphones. Next time you get into your car, don't turn on the music.
Listen and observe your own thoughts.
I've felt happier and more present because I've realized something: these little things are the foundation of the human experience.
The sounds of the city, overhearing funny conversations, talking to strangers, and the faint ring of live music somewhere nearby.
Little things we might be missing out on in our overstimulated world.
I'll be honest: I really miss the hell out my AirPods, but I'm happy, because in my travels, I've been able to leave home and truly experience the world.
I hope you can do the same, near or far from home.
Un abrazo,
Baxter
Geez can’t believe it’s already been a month, sounds like a banger of a time! Definitely getting me inspired to do some travels.