WITH THE YEAR DRAWING TO AN END and taking advantage of the natural wind-down in activities and a break between companies, we decided to steal away for 30 on a road trip to the south of Chile. In a VW Kombi. We shared some unforgettable experiences together, as a family. And that is something that will stay with us forever. But I’d like to share what really matters: the lessons from this experience.
1. The time is now.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today meaning. Naturally, a 30-day road trip in a VW Kombi with a four-year-old generates a certain amount of concern, but we never let it get us down. And in the end, everything turned out fine. At Christmas, we got the news that a friend from university – a healthy, non-smoker, with a balanced lifestyle and who avoided all excesses -, suddenly died from a heart attack. And that just confirmed what I already believed: putting things off for later is never worth it.
2. Switch off.
In a hyper-connected world, it’s normal to say connected 24/7. The truth is, there were only a few instances along the more than 7,000 km that we couldn’t get a signal. Even so, we managed to detach from our lives in São Paulo, from the daily hustle and routine. And we got Nico to do the same. We went off the grid and it was incredible!
3. Give yourself space.
Don’t script everything, don’t over plan things. Otherwise, there’s not enough space to allow chance to take over and bring amazing things into your life. Maybe not even that amazing, but unexpected, at least.
4. Be yourself.
One of the most important parts of this experience was allowing us to be ourselves over these 30 days, without having to worry about anybody else. And we encouraged this in Nico, giving him the same chance. Most importantly, he got the opportunity to experience a different side of his parents; a deeper, more natural, intense and real side. There is nothing worse than our own children only ever getting to know versions of our real selves, right?
5. Let go.
From flying over a volcano to the smell and energy of the Pacific Ocean, stumbling through a completely blacked-out cave, cooking outdoors and sleeping under the Milky Way. These emotions, this excitement and state of inner spirit only make sense when you let go of body and mind. Becoming light, open and free of preconceptions and bias.
6. Live real experiences with those you love.
Obviously, traveling is one o the most incredible things we can experience; and traveling by car is even more so. In my opinion, at least. But the most important thing is real, deep, intimate and personal experiences with family. And it doesn’t matter where, or if you travel by car, on foot or by bus. What truly matters are those real moments you share. Everyday I hear: “I regret not having spent more time with my children”. That’s really sad.
7. Show (and live) the other side.
We live in a world ruled by “cans” and “cannots”, “rights” and “wrongs”, and we force our children into this “system” from an early age. One of the most important things I want to leave behind for my child is showing him the other side: how a simple life, without all these rules, can also work. Like the quick pasta whipped up by Bia at the campsite under a star-lit sky, with nature and animals as our neighbors. Even though the grated cheese was mezzo Parmesan, with improvised bacon and a stove with only one hot plate, it was by far the best carbonara she has ever made!
Originally published at Linkedin.
