The trip to Thailand that changed my life

it was exactly 10 years ago that I quit General Practice and the NHS. What a full circle moment this year has been so far!

Back in April 2016, I was one year away from completing my GP specialist training. And I walked away.

Quitting the NHS was my first real act of defiance against the path I was supposed to follow. Pretty much everyone said the same thing:

'Just finish - you only have one year left, then more doors will open. You'd be foolish to quit now.'

And I get it, I really do - I tried to convince myself for so long. But I was utterly miserable. I cried every morning on my drive to work, and one day I just allowed myself to finally accept that this was no way to live. I wanted to be happy and fulfilled.

So I tuned into my intuition and I quit my specialist training spot. I didn't just quit without a plan - I've never been careless. I got myself a job with the Department of Work and Pensions where I'd still use my medical expertise but no longer practice clinical medicine.

I deliberately delayed the start of that job though, because I needed to re-connect with myself. So on 3rd May 2016, I set off to Thailand completely on my own, for a month, to travel and find myself.

My God am I glad I did.

Thailand was everything.

I arrived with a backpack and a vague itinerary in my head, but I hadn't even booked the first night in a hotel. The adventure had begun! I just trusted myself to figure it out day by day, and that's exactly what I did. And honestly? Not having a fixed plan was one of the best feelings of my life. I felt liberated.

I did so many awesome, fun, crazy, wonderful things that month. I met incredible people. I delighted my senses with the sheer beauty of the place. I laughed more than I had in years. I had a pretty wild time (some stories are staying in Thailand, let's leave it at that ;-)).

And somewhere between all of it, I started to hear myself again - what I actually wanted, what actually lit me up, who I actually was underneath all the pressure and expectation I'd endured for years.

I remember thinking: I want more of this. More freedom, more aliveness, more of that feeling of being exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I came home completely renovated and with a new sense of purpose. I just KNEW I had made the right decision.

That trip was the first domino. Every unconventional, slightly terrifying choice since then (there have been so many! lol) has led to this point.

Now, ten years later, I'm getting ready to become a digital nomad - and this time, I can travel for indefinite periods. I’m no longer travelling around a life I need to return to - this is becoming my actual life. Wow.

Even writing that feels surreal. But it also feels like the most natural thing in the world, in the sense that I feel like this is what I was supposed to be doing all along. It feels right.

I was re-reading some old journals recently - some from 10 and even 20 years ago - and there were so many clues: phrases such as slow travel, digital nomad, location independence, adventure and fun.... all appear in these journals repeatedly. I've clearly been craving this for most of my life.

I want to say something here, because I think some of you will recognise this feeling.

Maybe your version of this doesn't look like quitting the NHS or buying a flight to Bangkok. But I suspect you know that voice - the one that tells you there has to be another way.

That the path you're on doesn't quite fit who you actually are. And maybe, like I was, you're surrounded by well-meaning people telling you to just hold on, be sensible, wait it out.

If this is you right now, it's so important to learn to tune into your own intuition, rather than to listen to the people around you, who are speaking from their own perspective and through their own fears. Be mindful whose advice you take on board.

You don't need a master plan. I didn't have one. I just knew I couldn't keep going the way I was going. Sometimes that's enough to start. The map only reveals itself when we start taking action towards a different, more aligned path.

Since last week, I've had more time to think about what this new chapter will actually involve. I'm also still recovering from surgery, so I'm being intentional about building the right foundations first - like everything else in life, we need to build the invisible foundations so we can enjoy the visible results.

Here's what that looks like right now for me:

Therapy. My therapist Itzel is gold dust. She helps me get out of my head, connect with my feelings, and stay regulated. Now that I'm navigating this huge transition, she's become even more indispensable.

My health. I can't exercise the way I'd like to just yet, but I'm already thinking about getting myself battle-ready for everything I want to do. (I've already been looking up kitesurfing courses in Tenerife - that's the bar I'm setting myself lol)

Decluttering. So liberating! Having a really tangible, purposeful reason like travel makes it so much easier. My aim is to cut 50% of my belongings this year, and then another 50% from that.

Digitising everything. Documents, insurance, legal files - all of it. Tedious, but worth it.

Systemising my business. Working with my assistant to build out the processes and systems that mean my business doesn't rely entirely on me being present. The infrastructure that makes freedom actually possible. Thankfully I've already been doing this since beginning of last year, so I'm making good progress here.

Being more intentional with loved ones. Knowing I'm leaving has made me so much more deliberate about quality time with friends and family here in London.

The travel plans and itineraries come later. First, the foundations, just like in business.

I know some of you reading this are already digital nomads and I'd love to hear about your experiences!

And if this is something you dream about but haven't yet figured out how to make possible, please know there are so many ways to build a business that gives you freedom.

It doesn't have to look like becoming a digital nomad either - it can be whatever version of freedom is right for you. The point is giving yourself permission to build a life entirely on your own terms.

That's what I'm hugely passionate about, and I'm already helping several business owners move in that direction. I'm so excited for them.

Thank you for reading, and for being part of this journey.

As always, feel free to hit reply and write back. I love getting to know you and love to know what insights you take from these newsletters.

With love,

Marcela