soul · place
noun
- a special site or spot where we experience unique feelings of belonging, empowerment and energetic rejuvenation. In finding that place, we also find our true selves.
- anywhere you feel a greater sense of harmony and ease. There might be many such soulful places on the planet that inspire you, and open you to a new sense of freedom and joy. You feel rested, you can breathe more deeply, set down your burdens, let go of cares and concerns that occupy the mind.
When I think about somewhere I've always wanted to travel to, the place that effortlessly rolls off my tongue is Spain. When I read about this place or watch travel documentaries about it, I experience goosebumps. It's easy to blame the INFP in my nature, because I connect with so many places, settings and various states of mind that make me have a similar sense of fulfillment. Like taking a spring hike in the Oakland hills or when I experience runner's high.
But there's almost this overwhelming sense of emotion that comes over me when I see, hear, or think about Spain, like my soul is calling for it. Anyone could admire Spain and its beautiful landscapes that mimic the sunset, but I can't help but feel something deeper. A true sense of belonging.
I've found my soul place.
I feel extremely fortunate to have come across 2 soul places in my lifetime - The Grotto in Portland (which I touch on briefly here) and my current home living in Los Angeles.
There was a photo my mom showed me when I was little girl of her grandfather, a very faint photo of a tall, full blooded Spanish man.* I honestly don't know much about him, but this photograph (which I haven't seen in years) is still imprinted in my mind. This photo has not only evoked this strong curiosity about Spain, but also a deeper sense of knowledge and understanding of my culture. I wasn't at an age to remember any experiences with my grandparents on my mom's side and like a lot of people with Filipino ancestry, comes Spanish roots. These are the roots that still remain a huge mystery to me.
This month's mood board is my attempt to capture and reflect on Spain, which includes the dreamiest of settings and places throughout the country. These are sights and smells I hope to experience which breathtaking views of villas, beaches, and hotels in Barcelona and Ibiza. Other photos included were ones that I admired for their heavy Spanish influence.
I've written countless times about how trusting my gut had led me to make a huge, life changing move. What immediately followed was my move to Los Angeles, which ultimately was one of the greatest decisions I've ever made for myself. To reflect this, tucked away in the corners are typical LA things like palm trees you can spot almost anywhere and photos of notable downtown hotels. Also depicted are places that represent some of the Bay Area in its current tech-influenced state.
This August, I plan on making some huge lifestyle changes in order to finally step into this soul space. With this newfound #inspo, I hope to make Spain 2018 a goal within my grasp. First things first, I hope to pursue freelance gigs to earn extra money solely for traveling. I'm also going to do a major cut back on going out (see ya night life), extra expenses (sorry, Topshop), and creating a travel budget (ugh). DISCLAIMER: I'm horrible at planning things and even worse at saving money, so that means I will fasho be reading up on travel blogs, vlogs, and getting advice from my friends.
Though, the power of having this mood board and something I'm able to visualize everyday, will serve as a constant reminder to get real about what I want. I anticipate that these lifestyle changes will be tough and tedious, but if this pursuit is anything like home, I already feel that the reward will be so much greater than I can ever possibly imagine.
xo
A
P.S. Here's some advice that might help in identifying your soul place(s).
*Has been confirmed 75% Spanish. Her great grandfather was 100% Spanish blood.