A little background first: I wrote this while I was backpacking in Australia during December 2008 and January 2009. I had been traveling alone for the last 2-3 weeks of my trip and had been forced to acclimate myself to a foreign world and culture. Although Australia is far from atypical America, there are some significant differences inherent in Australian culture (and/or perhaps backpacker culture) that have significantly affected me. On January 13, 2009 on my flight back to America, I wrote a letter to reread someday when I need a bit of clarity . Here’s an exerpt:
I realize now that the person I was before is not the person I want to be anymore. I feel this way very strongly. I’m afraid that the excitement of day to day business life and exclusively being around others who feel the same way has distracted me from a superior alternative experiential life. So, whenever you feel like ‘hey, things aren’t so bad at all, this is fun…I’m enjoying things now that I’m back…I URGE YOU…’
Please. Read your travel notebook, mainly “things I’ve learned” and the “key tenets to experience life.” In the past– I have been too fast, too careless, too impersonal, too IGNORANT. Caught up in “the american way”. I want something different out of life. Something better.
7 Key Tenets to an Experiential Life
- Language – poetry & literature
- Sounds – manmade (music) and natural (nature)
- Human mind – conversation, philosophy, things that challenge the mind to think and respond intelligently
- Nature – sights and sounds
- Body – things that challenge the body (adventure, different physical experiences, excercise, sports) but new versions—not the same ol’ same ol’
- Community – relationship building
- Exponential Rhythm Equilibrium – do NOT rush around in life in anything. Why, though? Everyone says dont rush, but what is the reasoning? You need to allow yourself to find the activity’s equilibrium within the environment you are in. Otherwise, the experience is lessened, if not totally negated!

Real world examples of the rhythm equilibrium:A) Walking the city with Annika (from Estonia): I expected a short, 15 minute walk, but she kept leading. And I kept following, fighting my ingrained urge to ask to part ways. The expected walk with a stranger who I had just met in a hostel in Cairns, Australia turned into a three hour physical journey and bonding adventure with a new friend, Annika.
B) In the city, sitting under a tree eating ice cream and drinking coffee at St. Kilda’s with Evelyne (Switzerland), Dagmar (Switzerland), Leslie (Scotland), & Dorian (France). My instincts told me to extinquish the experience much earlier than it actually ended. Interestingly enough, I realized that I was the only one that wanted to extinguish it. Keep in mind, I was having a wonderful time, but it was just my inclination to think “NEXT!..” After that point in my travels it was fascinating to take note when I mentally had the urge to encourage a shared moment to be over. But I made a special effort to no longer ever be the first one that suggested a change of scenery or going to a new place. It made me realize that, not only did I have the urge to suggest change to the group much earlier than the rest of anyone, but that when I did not, the activity continued many times 4x longer than I expected. The AMAZING and startling realization, though, was that at that 4x time mark, the experience was about 20x greater.
C) Common examples that you may have experienced too: longer than normal dinners, longer than normal runs, longer than normal conversations, etc. After experiencing each one of these there is a higher level of personal fulfillment than if you had cut off the moment sooner.
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Full-Time Entrepreneur, Health, Interconnectivity, Note to self, Personal Stories, traveling, zen