The Art of Returning Home: Navigating Life After Travel

carolefrey
May 12
6 min read

I’ve been traveling abroad since I was 14. Whether it was playing soccer in Holland, studying abroad in Spain, India, Cambodia, attending yoga training in Nepal & India, or leading retreats across the globe—every journey has shaped me. These experiences awakened a deep sense of presence, wonder, and connection.

And yet, no matter how expansive the trip, the return home has always been the most challenging part.

I remember coming back from three months in Spain in 2012—weekends spent hopping countries, checking dream destinations off my list—only to land back in my college town, feeling uncertain and out of place. I wasn’t ready to let go of what I had just experienced. I didn’t know how.

I felt it again after five weeks in India for my 300-hour YTT in 2018. I came home and felt disconnected. I had just experienced one of the most profound training of my life, but instead of integrating what I learned, I left it behind like a suitcase I never unpacked. I forgot that the real work begins after the trip—when the teachings meet your everyday life.

This pattern repeated after some of the most transformative experiences of my life, and I knew it wasn’t a sustainable or fulfilling feeling—especially since this was just the beginning of the life of travel I had always dreamed of.

Over the years, through traveling, teaching, and leading 27 retreats, I’ve come to understand something that has helped me—and my students—tremendously:

Integration is a practice.

In yoga, we often focus so much on the postures that we forget how to be present with the transitions between the poses. But the transitions are just as—if not more—important. That space between is where awareness, grace, and growth happen.

Returning home from travel is one of life’s great transitions. If you rush through it, you miss the magic. But if you move through it with intention, you’ll bring the best of your journey home with you.

Here’s what I’ve learned, and what I now offer to my retreat participants and fellow wanderers:

1. Everything is Temporary—And That’s the Gift

When you return home from travel it’s natural to feel off, uninspired, or even a little lost after a deep, life-changing experience. Remember, it won't last forever.

This isn’t failure. It’s biology. It’s energy. It’s your nervous system recalibrating. We often grieve what we just lived, especially if it felt sacred, expansive, or connective.

You’re not broken.

You’re not lost.

You’re navigating life.

Let the tenderness be part of your return. It’s okay to miss the magic—and it’s okay to not know what comes next. There’s wisdom in this in-between.

Simple practice:

Name what you’re feeling—without judging it. Write it down. Speak it out loud. Let it move. Then, gently ask yourself: What do I want to carry with me from that experience? Not everything, just one thread. A feeling. A practice. A truth.

Start there. Let that one thread anchor you back into yourself.

2. Don’t Rush Back Into “Normal”

One of the greatest gifts of travel is the chance to step away from your routine—to break patterns, shake something loose, and truly live. That space away can offer powerful clarity: what’s working, what’s not, and what may have quietly expired without you realizing it. Giving yourself time to reflect before rushing back into your usual rhythm helps you re-enter with intention, rather than falling back into habits you may have outgrown.

Give yourself a buffer.

Even a day or two of slower mornings, lighter to-do lists, or extended mealtimes can be powerful. Re-entry is not just about catching up—it’s about carrying through.

Simple practice:

Draw three columns in a journal:

What do I want to start doing?
What do I want to continue doing?
What do I want to stop doing?

These are questions I return to again and again—after retreats, big decisions, seasons of burnout, or even just when I’m seeking clarity.

Pull from what felt good on your trip:

Did you wake up with the sun?
Did you journal before bed?
Did you eat more intentionally, move your body more often, or connect with strangers in meaningful ways?

Even one small shift can ripple through your whole life.

3. Bhavana: Cultivate the Energy You Want to Live In

In Sanskrit, Bhavana means to cultivate, develop, or bring into being. It’s the energy we choose to plant, water, and grow—daily, consciously, and with care.

After a retreat or meaningful trip, it’s not about chasing a past version of yourself. The version that danced barefoot, spoke your truth by the fire, or sat in stillness with the mountains—that was you. That is you. They haven’t disappeared; they just need to be welcomed back into your everyday life.

Let this be your practice of Bhavana: Instead of trying to recreate the moment, remember the

feeling. What was alive in you? What were you in touch with—peace, presence, connection? That energy is still available. You can nurture it, again and again.

Daily integration ideas:

Choose one word to live by this week. Write it on a Post-it. Put it on your mirror, fridge, or phone background. Let it guide your decisions.
Revisit a retreat mantra or meditation. Say it in the car. While cooking. During your walks.
Set aside 5–10 minutes to just be. No goal. No phone. Let your energy settle.
Let yourself feel without fixing. Journal it out. Cry. Dance it through. Rest.

You don’t have to do everything from the retreat—you just have to remember how you felt, and find small, meaningful ways to bring that frequency into your daily life. That’s Bhavana.

4. Self-Care The Free Spirited Wanderer Way

As we cultivate the energy we want to live in, we also need to care for the vessel—the body—that carries us through each day. After travel, your nervous system craves stability and grounding. The excitement and changes you experienced can leave you feeling unsettled, but with the right self-care, you can navigate the transition back home with more ease and joy.

True self-care comes from the simple, nurturing practices that reconnect you to the earth and your body. These are the subtle pleasures—feeling the sun on your face, walking barefoot in the grass, moving your body through a walk or run, focusing on your breath, reading, journaling, or engaging in a creative hobby. Eating nourishing foods and drinking plenty of water also play a huge role. These gentle practices are rooted in nature and help calm your nervous system, making you feel more like yourself.

While overt pleasures like chocolate, alcohol, or watching TV can still have their place, they should be approached with self-awareness and moderation. Enjoy them without guilt, but stay rooted in the subtle pleasures that bring you lasting balance.

By prioritizing these simple acts of self-care, you’ll support your body and mind through the transition and feel more grounded as you move forward.

5. Return to Practice—Return to Yourself

What we cannot get from the outside world, we can give to ourselves in our yoga practice. Your yoga, meditation, and breathwork practices are tools that exist beyond location—you don’t need a retreat setting to access them. They are always available to guide you back to yourself.

Even if your mind resists—show up.

Even if it’s just five minutes—show up.

Even if it looks different than what you experienced away—show up.

Ideas for returning to practice gently:

Set a 7-day challenge to roll out your mat, no matter what.
Recreate a favorite sequence or class from your retreat to feel grounded and connected.
Light a candle, sit in silence, and reflect on why you came home—remember the essence of your journey.

Your practice is your home. Return to it daily; it will never leave you.

Coming home is a sacred return; a practice of yoga.

It asks us not just to visit something beautiful, but to embody it.

Not just to experience something new, but to integrate it.

This is what I teach.

And truthfully, it’s what I have to practice—over and over again.

Because if I didn’t pause to process, nourish, and remember...

If I didn’t take time for stillness between movement…

I couldn’t lead seven retreats a year and still feel grounded, energized, and at peace.

(I obviously don’t always feel this way, but these are the practices that help me embody it as much as possible.)

This is what keeps me from burning out.

This is what keeps the magic alive.

This is what helps me stay connected to myself and my purpose.

So take your time.

Honor the space between.

You are not meant to return as the same person. You are meant to remember who you truly are—the version of you that walks this world with confidence, purpose, love, and joy.

In yoga, we call this Smarana—the remembrance of your Highest self, the part of you that is always connected, always present, and always ready to live with intention.

If you need support...If you want help integrating, remembering, or staying connected to that version of you that felt so free, open, and clear—I’m here (get in touch via one of the ways below).

Much love,

Carole the freespiritedwanderer