Inspiring nomads, it’s a term that can mean so many things. But on the journey to becoming a nomad there is so much that one learns and one learns to let go off. Today, we invite a different type of nomad to the blog floor, a weekend nomad.
Gareth is a teacher 5 days a week, but for 2 days a week – for the weekend, he is free – he is a nomad, he cycles, he photographs and he writes. For this week’s Inspire Series, Gareth has put pen to paper to describe his life, his dreams and aspirations, his reasons for doing the things he does, his love of nature and cycling. Read on.
It’s about time I did something for myself…
After spending the majority of my life, thinking too much of others and working in ways that only seem to just drag me down. I decided to follow a new path. A path where my inner creativity could come to the forefront and the only person I’ve really become answerable to, is myself.
In last few years, I’ve purposefully moved away from the things (in life) that don’t bring me happiness and positivity and begun to focus more on the things that I actively enjoy or perhaps allow me develop something I’m naturally good at.
I’ve lived and worked in the United States and now reside in the Netherlands and with those Nomadic tendencies, it has led me to search for things that are of course only beneficial to me and my future aspirations.
In my life (beside loving the people I love), those simple passions encompass nothing more than the outdoors, travel and photography. With that said, I took the ambitious approach to stop reading about what everyone else has got to say about their wonderful lives and attempt to write something from the perspective of me, just being me. A regular guy, with his feet firmly planted on the ground.
You see, I’m a teacher and naturally, my job requires me to educate, lead and inspire. My career path so far has lead me to some amazing places, not only teaching abroad, but to senior positions, where my influence was deemed as important.
Sometimes though, if truth be known, climbing the ladder changes you into becoming someone you’re not and it was that point where I decided enough is enough, and this is really not my thing.
To be retelling a disjointed and often sad story for the rest of your days is not good. It’s like that ‘bloke down the pub’ who sits at the end of bar, just waiting to tell you of his lost love or his failure to do anything constructive with his life. It inevitably brings you down and others too.
Therefore, using words as a form of expression can be delicate at times, but it comes easy to me, as my job naturally leads to talk a lot, through a wealth of stories that tap into my creative and imaginative mind, together with the life experiences of a well-worn man.
To incorporate those thoughts into blogging on the weekend, often seems daunting and worry I do. Truth be known, I’m actually not the most confident of people (in public). I tend to keep myself to myself. But… within me I have a desire to do things right and feel the importance of sharing, is one of the finest things in life. As they say ‘it’s better together’ or ‘two heads are better than one’.
Gradually entering the ‘world of blogging’ on the weekend has led me to believe that perhaps my story is worth telling after all. I’m mean there is so much already out there, where others tell you of being experts at this and experts at that, but in my life, I regard anything is possible, and to use words effectively, you have to also back it up.
I’m very upfront and honest and I like to say it ‘like it is’. That way you know where you stand. If you like, you stay interested, if not, you should just walk away. After all ‘actions speak louder than words.’
When following my dreams, I realise I still have a full-time job and a beautiful family to support and the inevitable constraints of this can be tricky, so my active mind works constantly, dreaming up ideas and new concepts (while often out on my bike on the weekend) and I only then write when I can. That way the balance is equal, the better half of me is almost 100% happy and my thoughts are then expressed and written, at the right time, in both a positive and constructive way.
As a result, when writing to an audience, of course you are faced with the ever-changing challenges, which in turn builds character and certainly then drives me on to achieve even greater things. As my ambitious mind looks to face those inevitable peaks and troughs, with positivity and a huge amount of self-reflection. Without that, how can you strive to keep improving?
On this journey, some become my critics, some will support me and some definitely won’t. So…to be wise to that is important and know your audience is the key element that will help you to inspire and work towards your achievable goals. For me, it is to start as a weekend nomad, and grow into a regular nomad.
To be quite honest though, the one thing I’m learning, more and more is that I’m actually much stronger, more focused than I actually give myself credit for and maybe given that one chance, you also might emphatise with me and actually begin to like what I’m trying to do, mature from a weekend nomad to a full-fledged nomad.
Subsequently, I’m not trying to be someone I’m not. After all, I’m just who I am, and I’ll continue to follow my dreams, in the hope those dreams will follow me too.
About the Author: Gareth Mate
Gareth is Englishman who made his home in the Netherlands. He teaches on weekdays and travels on the weekend. Although he doesn’t consider himself a photographer, he has amazing shots on Instagram. You can also read more of Gareth’s blogs here.
Are you too striving to find that balance between regular life and the life you aspire to? Do you identify with Gareth? How are you balancing your love for freedom and adventure with your present situation? Comment and let us know.
Other Inspirational Nomad Stories
I can Find alot of myself in you. I have a full time job and blog in the evening and weekend. I liked reading your post. You gained yourself a new follower
Thanks Sarah for the positive words. That is kind of you to say and thanks for the follow. Appreciate that. I’m trying to juggle things between life and blogging and for the most part I’m doing well out of it. Would just like to focus more on it, as it is something I really enjoy.
Good luck with your blog!