It’s December, and that means its time for me to reflect on the past year as part of a larger process that I’ve put together over the years. This begins with reviewing the vision I’ve created for my own life. A vision that’s formed by answering this single question:

Travel acts as the great intensifier of all experiences. Instead of just having fun I can be in a state of bliss. More than a feeling of control, I often realize the total freedom we have in life. And on the other end of the spectrum—instead of getting sick, illness brings me to a halt. Loneliness elevates into a complete disconnect, and jadedness is overshadowed by simply not giving a shit. Of course this isn’t unique to travel, but during my solo journeys especially, I often find myself in…

Dealing with NGS syndrome can be a tough one. You could be a having a great week not long before, but then it happens—you find yourself with zero motivation and wanting to give up on it all—because you really do not give a shit. This doesn’t happen out of the blue though. It isn’t a random phenomenon. While NGS can be triggered by a major event (such as spectacularly failed expectations in yourself or others), it slowly builds up inside of your system long before any major symptoms.…