Sometimes we have to get lost for a while to live found and free. For many, the pandemic has shifted priorities, forcing us to choose change. In April of 2020 when the world was on lockdown, I checked in with old friends who are masters of reinvention and growth. Their heads and hearts push me to press on, live by my core values, never settle. Born from that first conversation and reflecting on my own expat adventure was this piece and a new podcast/YouTube series, Travel People: Living Authentic Lives, Finding Kindred Spirits, Fulfilling Dreams.

Here guests share how they and their part of the world are navigating the pandemic and how past challenges led them home to the people they were created to be. The literature teacher and writer in me asks them to describe their trajectories using Joseph Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey as they followed their bliss. Each describes being called to a different life, crossing the threshold into a new world, meeting mentors, handling testing, and whether or not they find what they were seeking. They give insider tips on where and how to take timeouts in their beautiful backyards. They inspire and empower us to plan our next adventures… or next life.