I arrived in the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan feeling like a hollowed-out shell of my former self. Just weeks before, my world had been shattered by heartbreak - a relationship I thought would last forever ending without warning. I was emotionally battered, my sense of self-worth in tatters. In desperation, I booked a solo trip to this remote Himalayan nation, longing to get away and find space for healing.
Those first few days were a blur as I numbly wandered the ancient dzong fortresses and fluttering prayer flags, trying to escape the incessant negative thoughts swirling in my mind. Why wasn't I good enough? What was wrong with me? How could I have been so naive? My body was physically present, but my mind and heart were still trapped in cycles of self-doubt and sorrow.
Slowly, however, something started to shift. I began to sync up with the slower, more intentional pace of life in Bhutan. Each morning I started my day with meditation, feeling grounded as I crossed a footbridge over the thundering Paro river to join the Buddhist monks in prayer. The sound of their haunting chants and the fragrance of juniper incense helped quiet my restless mind.
I trekked ancient footpaths into the majestic Himalayan mountains, climbing ever higher into the crisp, rarified air. The sensory overload of being surrounded by massive, snow-capped peaks, emerald green valleys, and traditional dzong fortresses helped pull me out of the vortex of my own thoughts. I was simply present with the grandeur of my surroundings.
In the remote village of Laya, I stayed with a traditional Bhutanese family, helping them with daily chores like milking cows and tending to their crops. Despite vast cultural differences, I was struck by the simplicity of their lives and how rich they were in spiritual nourishment, community, and connection to the land. Their way of being helped me realize how out of touch I had become with my own essence.
Bhutan's ancient Buddhist traditions and philosophy of Gross National Happiness seemed to pervade every aspect of life. I started to view my heartbreak not as a scar, but as a catalyst for growth and self-discovery. The woman I had been was being shed, and a truer, more resilient version of myself was emerging from the ashes - emboldened, self-assured, and in awe of her own strength.
On my last day, I participated in a Buddhist fire blessing ceremony at the revered Tiger's Nest monastery, perched impossibly on a cliff's edge. As I sat amidst the wisps of juniper smoke and watched the crimson-robed monks chant and twirl their ruddraksha bead malas, I felt an profound sense of rebirth. The old me was being seared away by the ritual flames, and I was emerging renewed, reborn with clarity and wholeness.
Travel has an unparalleled power to put you back in touch with your true essence when you've lost your way. By removing you from the familiar and immersing you in new environments, beliefs, and ways of being, it awakens parts of yourself that may have fallen dormant. You're able to step outside your patterns and rediscover your authentic self. The woman I became in Bhutan was the woman I always was, just temporarily obscured by pain and self-doubt.
If you're feeling lost, stuck, or like you've drifted from your core, travel can be a potent reset. Let the transformative power of new landscapes, cultures, and spiritual experiences be the catalysts to reignite your fire and remember your magic. Lose yourself in the beauty and wisdom of this world, and you'll inevitably find yourself again.
