#21 – The Imperfect Travel Writer: Pre-Retreat Reflections

In this spontaneous travel episode, I’m coming to you from my princess bed in Ubud, Bali – surrounded by jungle sounds, mosquito nets, and the soft swirl of pre-retreat solitude. This is my little “retreat before the retreat,” and after weeks (okay, months) of go-go-go, I’m finally landing in myself, in the truth of what it means to be a writer who’s also very human.

I share a few raw reflections about the pressures we put on ourselves when we travel — to be present, to be productive, to document it all perfectly. But what happens when the words don’t come easily? What happens when you don’t write the book you planned to write? Can we still call it writing when it's quiet and private, when it’s healing, when it’s just for us?

This episode is a voice note to my community — with the hum of the jungle behind me and total honesty in front. If you’ve ever wrestled with creative guilt, or felt unsure how to hold space for yourself while chasing your dreams, this one’s for you.

Let’s embrace the imperfect writer. Let’s remember: you don’t have to turn every beautiful moment into a story… sometimes the real magic is in living it.