Decentralizing My Identify

Small chaotic note on thoughts about my identity and how I’m planning to shake things up.

Identity Components

What are the components of my identity?

  1. Think: curiosity, trivia, info-dumping, books, systems, rabbitholes
  2. Tinker: programmer, builder, indiehacker, automation
  3. Travel: backpacker, nature, hiking, trail, nomad, adventures

#1 & #2 are identities I’ve held since childhood. #3 is relatively recent.

Identity & Negative Self-talk

I remember how self-identifying as a nerd - I used to excuse away my lack of social skills as “hey this is who I am”. It took me a long time to realize what I was doing and to get out of that thinking.

Dissecting Travel Identity

I suspect that the travel identity may be actively hindering certain parts of life. I wonder if I’ve been to dogmatic about it or maybe i’m just hitting diminishing returns from this lifestyle.

The last few years - the mindset has always been - travel as much as possible - visit home as less as possible.

But lately, I’m introspecting about the downsides of this all or nothing approach to travel. Some of the cons of living this lifestlye has been:

  1. Not enough space for my other parts of the identity.
  2. Focusing on health is tough.
  3. Adulting experiences that I may be missing out because I’m never in one place.
  4. Skills / experiences that I can pursue in cities that I’m blocked by current lifestyle.
  5. Travel friends (ilyall) are homogenous in their own way. Want like minded people along all axes in life.

Current plan

Travel seasonally? 5-6 months only, as opposed to 8-10. (Apr-May-June, Oct-Nov-Dec) Build base in BLR.