It's Tuesday morning. Back at my desk after an epic 11 hour flight back, an overwhelming sadness grips me.
After 13 days of discovery, magic, nature, and sun, its hard to re-integrate.
I was actually really irritated with Istanbul the first two days. Previous visitors called it 'magical.' I found it dirty, crowded, hot, and very commercial. If I saw one more KFC or Popeye's Chicken, I was going to scream. Sitting in taxi's, the traffic rivalled LA, but on streets dating back to the 13th century and not designed for the load.
Where was the magic?
It came the last night.
We had no dinner reservations at Michelin star restaurants. No art historians leading us on a historic tour of a mosque. Matt and I wandered the city until the sun set. It was Sunday, and all of Istanbul was out, walking on foot. Modern women in hijabs and Converse sneakers, walking with purpose. Women in full black abayas in 90 degrees walking slowly.
By nightfall, we were crossing the Galata Koprusu bridge. I was eager to get back to the hotel, the weight of an 11 hour flight awaiting. Fishermen bent their long rubbery poles over the sides of the bridge, patiently waiting for catch. Some set up makeshift tables for conversation and cigarettes. The silver flecks of fish visible in gallon water bottles sawed in half and off to the side.
I was engrossed in my phone. Google maps is my north star when traveling, offering directions back to our hotel in the Old City. I looked up, searching for Matt, who was busy photographing the fishermen. Something had happened in the interim. The entire city had lit up. It was like looking at the inside of a glittering jewel box, like the ones I had as a kid, with the ballerina tinkling music inside. The Blue Mosque with its six minarets, floodlit at night, held its own against the Hagia Sophia on the other side of the square, both standing high on the hill overlooking the Bosphorus Strait and Golden Horn.
As the driver brought us to the airport the next day, I was really emotional. I didn't expect Turkey to impact me so deeply. If you are seeking ways to keep pieces of vacation in your routine once back, here are a few things I do:
1. Write Down Realizations
Often you come back with a renewed sense of what is actually important. WRITE THAT DOWN. For example, I came back knowing I needed to figure out some way to better manage reading and learning daily. Out to sea, my mind was like a sponge, soaking up stories and habits of 7 figure founders. Rather than watch TV, I wrote down that I will reserve one hour each night to read. And be kind to myself. Implement one new idea each week. Not all at once.
2. Use 5 Senses to Connect to Being Present
I'm surprised at how many connections my brain made while quietly paddle boarding. New ideas bubbled to the surface while looking at fish. I wasn't making decisions, code-switching, being on sales calls like the typical work day. I can't be on a yacht forever, but I each night, as I journal, I record
Effectively be present to the sensory experiences I find in my own home and neighborhood.
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