Nomadic Thoughts: Two Month Mark

There’s something about the two month mark into a nomadic journey. It’s the point where your mind shifts from seeing the adventure as some sort of extended vacation to it being life. For the first several weeks, there are adjustments – but it’s easy enough see them as temporary. Then, something around 2 months happens – either the lifestyle feels right and you want to move forward with it, or it’s time to make plans to head home. Those new to nomadism are advised to give it a trial run with a bit of a safety net (ie. allow for return to a stationary home) for a few months first.

I remember it pretty well last year on our seven month trial run with nomadism together. Two months was a definite shift point for me. After catapulting across the country, staying in different places every night and arriving in a new community on the west coast – I had a bit of a re-evaluation (ok, some might call it a flip out). On top of all of the change, there were also traumatic challenges that added to the stress.

I had been given a heads up from [info]andrew_koransky about the two month phenomenon, and this allowed me to feel it and move through it. There were moments where I almost booked a flight back to Florida, but [info]radven helped me through it, as did others. And sure enough, when I emerged post-Burning Man around the three month mark of our adventure, nomadism was in my blood.

The following months were more relaxed, but there was still an impending schedule. As I suspected I needed major surgery and my health insurance only covered it back in Florida. Time was ticking, and I needed to get back. And I also knew that the surgery recovery and housing market would keep us in Florida for an undetermined amount of time. When we arrived back in Florida, we were mentally prepared to be there for perhaps a couple of years. It turned out to be for about 8 months. But enough to put substantial pause in our nomadism and plant roots, as it were.

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And now here I am, at just about that two month mark since we left Florida in this non-trial version of technomadism. There are no safety nets – I have no home of my own to return to (although, I know I have several folks that would welcome me with open arms into their homes.) Orion is my one and only physical home (and an awesome home it is).

I had tremendous trepidation before we set off about this. Was last year my one shot at technomadism? Was it a phase that had already been explored and I was wanting for something else? What it new relationship energy driving the passion for it?

This time around, things are so much different mentally for me. I’m not worried about a mortgage payment to have to be making while I afford travel costs, and my trust in nomadic serendipity (or ‘the universe’) has grown tremendously. I look forward to new adventures, am more in the moment when I’m somewhere and more apt to changes in plans.

Instead of trying out nomadism along with a new relationship also in trial mode – [info]radven and I embarked on this adventure as committed life partners. Now almost 2 years into our relationship, the new relationship energy has blended into something even more beautiful and lasting. That makes a huge difference as well.

I find myself less rushed, less stressed and with less worries on my mind. I’m not on a trial with an expiration date. I really feel I’m on my path, and I don’t feel like I’ve been in an extended vacation state of mind these past two months. I’m not even particularly feeling the intense desire for minimal kinetic energy post-Burning Man that I anticipated I would, and am entertaining thoughts of deviated plans from our intentions.

So at two months into full time, no safety net, nomadism – I believe I have fully arrived.

I am a nomad.