What I learned in San Miguel
I fell in love upon arrival!
This hidden gem I had not known about in all my years of travel. San Miguel De Allende was voted by Travel and Leisure #1 travel destination in the world and #1 place to retire and now I know why…
I found it at the perfect time and it was everything and more than I could have wanted in my unexpected 4-month adventure.
Did you know I spent part of 2022 living abroad in San Miguel De Allende for 5 months?
I fell in love upon arrival!
Here are the things I learned in my time away that I will keep with me always:
Trust your gut: I saw a vision of San Miguel in my meditation when I was asking where I needed to go next, but had no idea what I saw, however, I felt the nudge to go to Mexico. I had no real reason but I trusted it anyway and it was a gift for 4 months that forever changed me.
Be a yes to what feels good! Don’t hold back – life is a short. That saying, don’t put off what you’re being called to. It’s so true. When you do, as Elizabeth Gilbert states in her book Big Magic, the moment, the inspiration, the intuitive nudge, the idea, the invention, the creation, the words, the expansion – will pass you by and you will be left wondering…”what if I’d…”
Life happens by saying “YES!” Yes’s create opportunities. They create life experiences, new memories and a growth you otherwise would not know – Yes’s allow for connections and expansion.
Don’t be afraid to try – I did not know how to speak Spanish but I got a tutor my first week, having no idea how long I would stay, and committed to learning the language and I was fearless in speaking and practicing without worrying what anyone thought. As a result, I learned and can speak Spanish conversationally.
Try things you’ve never tried – at least once
Let go of stories of who you think you are or have been – I told myself I’m awful with languages – NOT TRUE at all. I am good at learning languages and speaking. I was a quick study. That was a story I had from high school and college that had been blocking me from learning Italian years before BUT NO MORE!
Stop living into old stories – allow for the new! I also told myself I am not an artist – as in a painter – because by technical standards I have not been, however I did Intuitive Painting for my birthday and now have a huge canvas that i painted that is really good and my instructor said – you are really talented and a natural artist. Again I had a story – had I not been a yes to my hearts desire to try to paint without rules (i.e. the way I live my life) I would never have known my talent or love for painting.
Put yourself out there. Before arriving I basically wrote a personal ad for myself knowing I would not know anyone in SMA. I posted it in 4 Facebook groups I joined that were filled with people who lived in SMA and fellow entrepreneurs from all over the world. This FB post resulted in me meeting lifelong friends, new biz colleagues and team members as well as being invited to women entrepreneurial masterminds and events while I was there. Within 1 week I had a full social calendar with coffee and breakfast dates as well as biz events.
It’s never too late to begin anew or learn things about yourself. Or to start life again.
Be a YES until you’re a NO. This is an MK term I live by and tell everyone to apply to their life for social events and more. It will never steer you wrong. Be a yes to go out, to invitations, to dates, to collaborations or vacations, until you are a no.
This results in you never having any regrets.
I did this with SMA. I told myself I may only be here for 1 week. I am a YES until I’m a NO. And the whole time I was there I applied this to workout classes, Spanish, horseback riding, art classes, tango lessons, you name it, i tried it and was a YES until I was a NO.
Now on the plane – I have not one regret or “wish I’d done that before I left…” thought.
I am complete, proud and ecstatic with the soul’s expansion, heart fulfilling, soul satisfying, experience and life I lived for the past 4 months.
Whenever I travel somewhere – I research the top things that destination is known for and I make sure to do the ones that interest me and usually even the ones that don’t – there’s a reason they are known for them.
Also – my MK travel rule of thumb – I travel as if I am never going to return again – because chances are you won’t.
So I do everything I want to do. I see all the sights, do the adventures and fill my days with new experiences and signatures of the place I am visiting – from the food, to workouts to their culture, the language, and more.
For example, I saw the top things in San Miguel, several were foods, mezcal – they drink tequila a very specific way – and it’s sipped rarely taken as a shot. Like other European cities and Japan, alcohol like sake and wine, port in Italy and Mezcal in San Miguel – it’s an art – a joy and pleasure to be relished in a small amount, not slugged back in excess.
Hot air balloon rides at sunrise, horseback riding through the desert, the Mayan ruins and pyramids nearby, wineries and 4 course Mexican meals are just a few of the things I did in my time there.
FYI – I have only been on a horse 2x in my life and I rode in canyon for over 4 hours in 90 degrees ( this was one of the times I was questioning my sanity during but was so happy to be a YES and to have tried it) up and down mountain sides – it was not for beginners and I thought I was going to die – slight exaggeration but not really.
I am adventurous but this took it to a whole other level. Of course my friend who I went with apparently had been riding her whole life – she too was petrified which made me know i was not exaggerating in my very clear questioning of the lack of helmets or knowledge of how to ride as we were led by real deal cowboys who had spurs, lassos and holsters – for realz.
All My Love,
Melissa