I often ask people I meet. 'If you had all the money in the world, what would you do, how would you spend your time?'
The answer I most often receive is:
"I would travel the world!"
"Great!" I would say. "Then What?"
"Well, I don't know."
And neither did I...
Why I Traveled
I've spent my last 7 years (6.5 out of my home country) living in 5 (for ~1 year) vastly different countries and traveling to over 40. I was 'searching for something', at least, I thought I was... I enjoyed the rush of a new culture, constantly a chameleon as I attempted to relate to the new worlds, new languages, and new loves.
One of the most powerful aspects for me was the ease and ability to re-create myself. I love reading. Whenever I learned about new human behaviors, modes of thinking and methods of relating I wanted to acquire; I simply applied them and moved to another place. I realized it's our relationships and environments that ground us, that hold us accountable to "who we are" which is, in one sense, a wonderful idea (if we're not trying to transform ourselves). I was constantly morphing, experiencing the world through various egos. One move 5 years ago was based on my desire to become a 'player' I wanted to 'hook up' with more women, but I had already established myself as a 'shy' and 'introverted' person. So when I moved to a new continent, I immediately adopted the 'extroverted', 'charismatic' behavior that I wanted from the beginning. That way all the relationships I had made expected me to behave that way and reinforced the change in me. It worked, and after having my wish met, I realized it wasn't who I 'really' was. Over the years I began finding out traits deep within me that felt more real to me than the ego-driven attributes I had been dressing up in before; as they did not provide me with any authentic joy.
So, I kept moving and morphing. Country after country I absorbed information about human behavior, culture, desire, and needs. I found out the main things that were universal across our world was how much our culture's and our environments dictate our behaviors. How they dictated my behavior. Not only was I trying to change myself each place I went, but I literally felt like a new person with a new environment, diverse loves, various desires, and random stories. When I look back at my life it's like a series of different sitcoms with different characters and plot-lines, even the main characters changed...
Then I realized something. I kept traveling because none of the cultures I was experiencing were my culture. I realized as I transformed myself that I didn't belong to any of them. I had fun, the stories were ridiculous, the pictures amazing. But, the joy stopped coming. My internet avatars, my online aliases looked great; but I was left wanting inside. My last bit of traveling I was living in a van in New Zealand driving from waterfalls to beaches, mountains to lakes just taking in the most amazing natural landscapes. Then something happened. It wasn't working anymore. I wasn't getting that same 'fix' of new places that I used to. The excitement had worn off. I had progressed as far as traveling would allow me to. I realized that it was time for a change. But, what change could possibly work when I have changed everything about me so often?
Where do I go now when I have no home, and I'm an outcast in every culture...
My chameleon skills had improved, I could fit into just about any culture, I had done it time and time again. However, this time was different.
I didn't want to anymore.
Designing Realities
For the past several years before this moment, I had been having this idea, this little flame of a desire to create a new society. It's what drove me to experience so much variety. I would guess a part of me was searching for a way to not have to create one. An out. That maybe, I would just find the right society for me, a place that felt like home. My tribe. A destination I would never find outside of me.
There is a saying 'home is where the heart is'. I look at this expression as, home is where my passion is, my bliss not some destination but a process of creating. I realized my passion was in designing myself, experiencing cultures and evolving through various realities. I find myself continually grateful for the experiences I have had and yet, I felt a sense of obligation that I needed to do something in return. The world had provided me a great gift and it was time to gift the world back. That little flame has erupted into this insatiable drive to take these experiences and create a model that would work better; for not only myself and my future direct-family, but for as many people as I could, my whole family! My tribe.
I decided it was time to create a new society. For as many societies as we have on this planet I still think we're desperately lacking in diversity. How many of you feel as I do? As outcasts in your own society? Where we have transformed our perspectives so drastically that we're unable to enjoy our cultures anymore. Not depressed, but longing for more. More meaning, more relationship, more authentic interaction, more gifts, more moments of bliss, more awareness, more compassion. A world where our societies prime directive was making the world as beautiful as possible and helping each other meet our needs as effortlessly and playfully as we could! Having seen such a diversity of models, I knew this was something we humans could do! I turned to online communities to find my tribe, it worked. Almost...
So, I realized the point of travel for me was to show me different realities in which to open my mind up to the infiniteness of possibility in human interaction. To realize that our worlds are based on the environments we are in an if we want to transform ourselves we transform our environment! I believe this is why it's so difficult to adopt new routines and habits if we keep the same environment, it's why humans so rarely change. We are rarely changing our environments. It's what so many of us long for. But, the ultimate change of environment is not to go and experience ones that have been designed before. But to take part in the co-creating of an entirely new one. One built entirely by its participants with the powerful knowledge we have access to today.
Now What
So, here we are. You've traveled the world. Maybe you've been living in other cultures playing from your laptop. You've been there and done that. But it still doesn't feel right. Our dominant cultures are still progressing on dangerous paths.
Now what?!
I'm developing a new model. A new way of being, a new society for the 21st century. If you feel as I feel, I invite you to collaborate as we open-source a new reality.
With Love,
Rieki
Check out my proposal for a new society (Our NeighbourGood), it is just a brief overview to lay the ground. I will be sharing more in depth about it as I translate the designs onto Steemit.
Word-Smithing A New Society
@rieki thank you! This couldn't have come at a better time in my life. I am currently abroad and have been off on many adventures the past few years doing exactly what you explained. Looking for myself, looking for something better, looking for experience and a few good stories and pictures to go along with it.
But there has been this underlying disatisfaction behind it. My desire to travel and have all these experiences was to escape to run away, not only from myself but from the environment I come from.
I am truly interested in this idea you are proposing. It is my greatest desire to contribute to the following generations in the most meaningful way possible.
I think modern civilization is reminiscent to a sinking ship. We are on a path towards entropy. If we are to harbor the species into the future we need to radically propose and agree upon new paradigms to implement.
I will be looking forward to future posts because this is important stuff!
Glad to have connected with you!
Unequivocally agree! Hopefully, in the future, there will be countless alternatives to the one I'm proposing! As people get together and designs systems that are unique to them and their ecology. My goal is to develop an underlying framework that can support this diversity in culture. A system that we can employ now in our present paradigm to help us transition towards a new one.
A lot of people when speaking about the problems of the world talk about sacrifice. All the things we need to 'give up' in order to save ourselves. I would rather talk about all the amazing things we'll gain by switching to a new system. When I look back on my past lives that were all too consumed in my previous cultures, there is not a single thing that I miss, we can do (are doing) better in every conceivable way!
Likewise brother! Since our culture seems to be at the crux of our issues to me, it only makes sense that we redesign it from the ground up! Creating an amalgamation of all the best from the past and future! Our survival depends on it, however; I realized that I'm not even doing this out of the biological imperative to survive. I'm doing it because it's fun, engaging, exciting and I feel like it's all play. Sure, I may have started on this course out of fear and necessity but what drives it now is passion and excitement :)
Awesome! I look forward to collaborating with you. I attached the initial proposal and would love any critique or feedback you can offer!
Absolutely man. I'll give it a discerning look and lots of thought!
Perfect, I would love to know what you think! :)
Hey @rieki, thanks for sharing! I definitely loved how personal this was and I hope you keep writing; you're an excellent writer.
A question: I have always loved the IDEA of doing long-term travel, but I worry about loneliness and the ephemeral nature of the relationships I'd build.
I grew up between two countries and six different locations, and never really experienced "belonging" to any one place. None of the cultures--from Southern hospitality to Flemish adventurism--are perfectly "me," but the thought of abandoning ALL hard-earned roots is terrifying. How did you deal with that?
Either way, I've upvoted and followed. I'm really looking forward to hearing about your ideas and learning about your journey.
Thank you!! :-)
For me, the time in my life when I was traveling I didn't have any roots, the knowledge I was gaining and my passions were evolving so rapidly that people (including myself) could scarcely recognize my past versions. This naturally led to a 'falling out' of old relationships as we weren't able to connect anymore. The things I used to enjoy, didn't satisfy me anymore. For example: Where drinking and vapid banter was once enough to excite me, I now felt uneasy and restless in these situations. I often found myself craving to read or build a better me and avoid these interactions altogether, this also contributed to the dissolving of old relationships. I decided the person I wanted to become, the person I believe I am here to become and I devoted my time to that.
The thing is, I always wanted to retain the relationship. In almost every case it was the other person who felt like they didn't relate to me anymore. So, in that sense it wasn't really my direct choice to 'abandon those roots', it was an unintended consequence that helped me along my path.
I didn't 'deal with it' in the sense that it was difficult. It wasn't. I loved the process of being untethered to recreate myself. That was a time in my life where I was undergoing radical changes in who I was. It would have been nearly impossible to retain-close ties with anyone. This was an aspect I cherished. However, once I got to the point where my changes were less drastic and I had found my baseline I began creating relationships again. This was natural, and the relationships I formed at that point have been the deepest and most meaningful in my entire life. These relationships have helped propel me down my path, supporting the new person I am and helping make life more beautiful.
So, to answer your question, I found that when I followed my heart and passions I didn't feel like it was a sacrifice as the gain always outweighed the loss. :)
I hope a bit of my perspective is able to help you to better understand your path. :)
Hi @rieki, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads and I included it in my Steemit Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here.
Great! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :) Thanks for spreading the idea! We need to reach a critical mass of people creating new societies!
Great post. I undertand how you feel. I spent my teen years travelling and living with different cultures. When I returned home I wasn't sure where I belonged. I love your idea of a new way of living. Perhaps it is already halfway there now that so many are stepping outside their own borders? Looking forward to see how we evolve. 😊
That's exactly how I'm feeling. On top of that, I don't even want to belong there anymore. It's a culture that has never provided me with happiness.
I absolutely agree with you. Today with travel being as convenient and easy to do. People's realities are expanding, more and more people are coming to the realizations that our cultures aren't the only reality and that we can change them! It's amazing to be a part of this transformation, I believe I will be able to walk in both worlds in my lifetime :)
"The best way to predict the future, is to create it" -Abe
:)
I completely agree. I have zero interest in fashion, tv shows, what celebrities ate for dinner etc... When I talk to some of my friends about important world issues they think I'm crazy. Fortunately though my partner and I are on the same wavelength and I am finding some great people to connect with lately. 😊
Amazing :) It's wonderful how quick it is to connect with people on this platform. I think the sheer fact that they know and are on Steem makes it a more likely chance to have an interesting interaction!
Likewise. Probably the only thing that has kept me crazy after all these years :) I may have turned out normal without her! Haha
P.s. there's a good chance you're crazy!
I'll tell you a little secret though...
...all the best people are! Said Alice to the Hatter! 😁
We're now friends forever :)
Hi Rieki, thanks for continually sharing inspiring, heartfelt content with us here. I think a lot of your concepts are key to changing the world around us, obviously that is what your intent is by posting them and it warms my heart to be in your midst.
XO,
💜2💜
It warms my heart that it warms your heart 💜 :) Your Heart to my Heart ;)
I'm glad you enjoy them! Thank you for continually bringing a smile to my face!
Fascinating, so true that we are often grounded, encapsulated, and struggle against the determined and fixed nature of the often synthetic culture that surrounds us. I've normally been more attracted to foreign friends and perspectives, to escape the sense of being on the periphery of my own culture, and it is a huge question about how many are born in the wrong culture or the fact that authentic culture is always forced to the margins in a world of competition, hegemony, and monetization of all. peace and gl, our cyber connections are a definite way of forging and maintaining our links to personal freedom, growth, and liberty of the mind.
Powerful!
I am beginning to feel that it was all part of the transition for humanity. We see these cycles of change that occur throughout our recorded history. Where fringe cultures creating a new paradigm slowly propagate larger cultures until the old paradigm is what is fringe, propelling us onwards in our evolution as a culture.
This is why I believe that our coming transition will be more complete, widespread, and rapid than any before it!
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beautiful way to understand the lack of meaning you find when traveling always looking for something and not finding it. My husband and I spent the last year on the road searching for something we couldn't exactly put our fingers on. We are back "home" now and have found that a balance between travel (impermanence) and home life (permanence) is helpful for us. But having our permanent spot where we put down roots that is within a community we love is a very important part. We enjoy where we live now but there are always things we look at and think ... this could be a lot better. I think working together with other people to create on vision for everyone is a hard task to meet. I've been reading Adam Brock's book "Change Here Now" looking for new techniques to interact within groups, with others, and within bureaucratic structures in order to create change in interpersonal relations using permaculture principles. It's hard work though
Yes! I absolutely agree with you in the need to create that balance. That is where I had been lacking for so long, a community with roots and a place to call my home. I have finally tasted it, and it tastes great! A few more steps and I'll hopefully have created a Our NeighbourGood to raise my kids in :)
I believe that is why we're here. To create, and to make 'better', more beautiful, more life affirming!
However, I will probably disagree with you on the "hard work" aspect of it. With a good dose of hindsight on my journeys the last few years. I have found that each time I was "working hard" I was merely laboring on something that ended up being inconsequential at best or a complete failure at worst. Anytime that I fully enjoyed the effort, the labour (easy "work" if you will, though I call it play) then it ended up bringing the greatest value and reward!
We have this idea that it's going to be hard, and I believe it is only that idea that makes it so. We choose to make things hard because we have been taught to believe that they are. Or, some idea that hard-work is to be idealized. Having not 'worked hard' at a single thing the last 2 years I can without a doubt in my mind, state that I have accomplished more of my goals and am far happier now that I ever was when I was working hard at it.
So, this is all to say. What is it that you would like to play at creating? What is it that you would jump out of bed in the morning in excitement to dedicate energy into?
I think we might be interpreting the term "hard work" differently. I don't think working hard at something you don't like is the answer. I think working hard because you love it, more like consistently wanting to give your time to the idea you are pursuing is the "hard work" I'm talking about. I felt aimless and purposeless on my travels much like being at a festival with no goal or mission or thing to accomplish. I say work hard as in having that passion, goal, and purpose that I want to give my effort to. But for me I find that consistency is hard, but produces amazing results when i "work" at it. I figure we're along the same lines ( :
Same meaning, different words :) You're definition I would call play (regardless of the energy input) I call work, something that is begrudgingly done. Like, going to work, or 'working' out, etc... While very similar actions with better outcomes can be play...
But, it seems we have the same idea. I get a bit pedantic about word choice sometimes :)