**I wrote this blog and never posted it until now - right as my trip is coming to an end this weekend. Enjoy!
What a wild five weeks it’s been!
I distinctly remember sitting at home and visualising my days working from quirky cafes, opening my bedroom door onto a poolside terrace, spending days at the beach, eating the most delicious well-presented food and watching this new dream of mine unfold into something beautiful.
This exact moment, I’m currently grinning from ear to ear whilst writing this blog and sitting in a place called Cafe Coach, drinking a tasty Chai latte and listening to the most beautiful slow jams on my headphones.
What is my life?!
I wanted to share my thoughts with you as I have learned so much already since being here and I know that there will be some curious business owners and free-spirits who would love to experience something like this.
Listen up, this is totally possible for you!
Before I arrived here, a lot of people thought I was having some kind of mid-30’s crisis and that I was losing my mind - because why ELSE would I want to go to Bali? And honestly, I found it to be a really difficult thing to explain, it was more of a feeling than anything. I guess we all have urges and pulls that guide us to different chapters in our lives and this was one of mine.
According to social norms, I had no business to be doing this. I’m in a relationship, I have a business, I have family and friends close-by, I’m approaching my mid-thirties so I should be settling down and leaving my wanderlust years in my twenties. I’m not here to find myself or go off-grid, I just wanted to be here…and there was a window of opportunity to do it, so I did.
Now that I’m in Bali I can’t imagine NOT having this as a chapter in my book of life. It’s full of colour, adventure, connections and has brought back a lot of confidence in myself that I didn’t realise I’d lost.
Here’s a handful of core memories so far…
Getting on a scooter
Day 4 being in Bali and I attended my first scheduled meet-up. Getting from A to B over is a little bit hectic, but the apps Grab and Gojek make it all so much easier. Just like Uber, you can book a ride via the app, and your driver will come collect you and take you wherever you want to go. The twist: You can book a ride on the back of a motorbike or scooter. My first ride was pretty epic and terrifying at the same time. The driver weaved in and out of traffic, rode on the pavement and didn’t check his mirrors once. I’ve now come to realise that everyone drives like this on scooters! They’re easily the fastest and most efficient way to get around. (Disclaimer: I highly recommend that you always ask the driver for a helmet. If you are planning to ride your own scooter out here, I also recommend scooter lessons)
Meeting people who instantly “get me”
I thought it might take me a little while to meet people over here, but I dived headfirst into Black In Bali’s monthly brunch event and ended the day watching the sunset on the beach by La Brisa with a bunch of people who felt like a slice of home. We laughed, we connected, we shared stories and exchanged phone numbers. Ever since that gorgeous night, I’ve always had someone to talk to, plan adventures with and share sunsets with. What I love about meeting people here is that I don’t have to explain my reasons for coming to Bali - they just get it. Meeting people and having this unique shared experience with them has somehow created a really special bond.
Watching my vision board come to life
You guys will know the amount of photos of Bali that I have recreated before coming out here. But everything that I stuck on my vision board and visualised in my head turned out to be a tiny fraction of what I actually got. My mind couldn’t fathom the electric connections I’d have with the people I met, or the delicious taste of the food that I’d get to indulge in daily, or the scent of the incense in my hotel reception, or the brightly coloured flowers in every cafe doorway. My mind could only bring me so far, and seeing that unfold into what I get to experience now goes beyond my wildest dreams.
Going with the flow
I’m a planner by nature (and I always will be) butttt, having four months to play with out here has allowed me to let go of planning. Most of the things I’ve done so far have been as a result of spontaneous conversations, messages in group chats with someone asking “who’s in Canggu today?” and shared posts on social media. If I had planned everything to the finest detail, I would have missed some of my favourite experiences yet.
I know how easy it is to see people ‘living the dream’ on social media and feel so disconnected from that ever being your reality. I’m not a yoga practitioner, or an Instagram model, or a six-figure retreat host, or one of those barefoot babes that I always saw living it up in Bali.
But that doesn’t mean that I can’t create my own unique ‘Sherilyn Experience’ out here.
So that’s what I’m doing, and honestly I’m loving every second!
I’ll try to keep you updated along the way, but I’m also consciously choosing to be in the moment. And if that means digital detoxing or posting quick story updates, then I guess my digital diary will have to wait until I’ve organised my thoughts.
I’m so excited to share this journey with you, so be sure to stay connected, and reach out any time to talk all things Bali and bringing your big unwavering goals to life!
