While our nomadic spirit is constant, our desire to be in actual motion waxes and wans. We go through periods of constant motion, a new place every night or two. And then we crave stillness to absorb what is around us and concentrate on momentum in other areas of our lives. And when the nomad is still for too long, she eventually craves motion again.
It’s a nagging feeling that you’ve learned all you can for now at this location and you’re meant to be somewhere else, experiencing something new. It’s not a reflection of the current place at all – as great as the people are, as great as the scenery is, as perfect as the climate may be – it’s simply time to move on.
We’ve come to call that feeling the Nomadic Itch.
And its cure doesn’t come in a creme or pill form. When the itch hits, it’s simply time to move on. The nomad designs their life to be mobile for the ability to scratch that itch when it calls.
Nomads always know that nothing is permanent in their lives, and we must really appreciate the now. That’s why we sometimes feel compelled to fully embrace where we’re at, for we know the itch may flair up at anytime and we’ll be heading on down the road. Sometimes the feeling of unfinished business just doesn’t override the feeling of being still too long.
Some nomads may get the itch after just a couple days. Others may thrive best with several month long stays. Some have a lot of variability. There’s no formula for how much motion one must have to be a nomad. The trick is being able to listen to yourself and find your own unique balance between motion and stillness, of routine and of change.
What’s your balance? How have you designed your life to respond to the itch when it hits?
Heh. Many RoVers call it Hitchitch.
.-= Lew Johns´s last blog ..jan’s test =-.
The itch has been growing wildly every since high school, but alas, I am still in the same town doing the same thing. Perhaps someday my courage will grow to the point that I will have to strike out.
I’m not sure yet how this is going to play out for us, but it’s interesting trying to come up with a rough budget with that uncertainty – particularly as it relates to fuel. Are we going to drive 1,500 miles this month? Are we going to park in a friend’s cornfield? In the desert? At a campground? On the street? (We’re pretty much assuming / hoping that it’s all going to smooth out over time.)
.-= Jay Horowitz – OurTakeOnFreedom´s last blog ..Okay, Deep Breath… We Have An RV =-.
A little tone poem inspired by my paleotechnomadics:
http://microship.com/resources/other-woman.html
Feeling the urge now, that’s fer sure… the ratio of preparation to adventure has moved into the red zone.
Steve
.-= Steve Roberts´s last blog ..The Tools of Extraction =-.
Yep, I have it bad right now! We love resting in sunny southern Spain for the winter, but now I can’t wait to get back in the RV for more roaming the world!
So excited that this year we will start the trend of total circumventing the globe each year so that our child can immerse in her 3 language Mandarin Chinese & we can still enjoy Europe and new continents.
We love to mix longer stays with shorter stays.
.-= soultravelers3´s last blog ..Travel Book Review: Every Day in Tuscany by Mayes =-.
I haven’t found the right balance yet. I have a rash at the moment, but we’re working on it. The process is in design now, and has gone through many iterations. I am enjoying the process as well as the possibilities, though.
.-= James Schipper´s last blog ..Apple’s iPad: Can it Work for Digital Nomads and Teleworkers? =-.