HOW TO BEAT POST TRAVEL DEPRESSION // Advice from an aspiring digital nomad

Updated: Feb 7, 2018

There is nothing worse than the hard-hitting sadness of reality after returning from a life changing experience away.

The weirdest part of travelling is coming home, feeling as though you’ve changed, and everything at home being exactly the same.

These are the methods and tips that have gotten me through the past two months since returning home from Bali, and I hope that they help you too.

1. Recognize the sad feelings, and let them fuel your future plans.

The reason we feel depressed after we travel is because of the intense and character shaping experience that we had during our time away. Take these feelings and allow them to help you fuel your future plans and create the life that you truly desire. Sad feelings can be really powerful if you know how to channel them correctly. Ever gone through a gnarly breakup, and channelled all of the energy into creating success in another area of your life, like school or your career? It’s exactly like that.

2. Apply what you learned while away to your life at home.

On my trip I learned a lot about myself, what I value, happiness, friendship, and living a more minimal life. I’m trying my best to live my life through this new lens, and I feel so much happier and whole.

3. Reflect, reflect, and reflect!

This is the best time to think about what you really want, because your life is currently under your own personal microscope. Set goals, whether they be career or travel related. One of my favourite parts about travelling, especially when travelling solo, is the sheer amount of cool people I get to meet. I always return home with a more defined idea about how I want my life to look, because I meet such a diverse group of people all living unique lives and doing careers I wouldn’t have otherwise heard of.

4. Plan your next trip or the life changes that you desire.

Travel is really good at helping you realize exactly what it is you want in life, and the motivation you have immediately after returning home is the best way to realize it. You will be at your most motivated and productive after returning from a life-altering trip, so take advantage and strike while the irons hot!

5. Remind yourself of the adventure and greatness you’re capable of.

This could be anything from planting memory inducing photos and souvenirs around your apartment, to continuing the adventure journal you were keeping as part of your daily routine. For me this looks like having a ton of greenery and plants in my apartment to remind me of Bali. When I got back from my Europe trip, I had one of my favourite photographs enlarged onto a canvas to hang up- and I constantly get questions from my friends about where I got it!

If you’re feeling the post vacation blues right now, I know exactly how you feel. It’s really easy to feel alone in this, and it’s also easy to feel like you need to just wait until it passes. What I suggest most is to manifest the sadness and missing your adventure into creating a plan of action. My trip made me realize that I don’t feel like I fit right now in western society. It made my hunger to be away permanently far greater. It made my research on digital nomadism turn into a motivated chase for the lifestyle.