A couple of weeks ago, I was wandering hand in hand with my wife along a cobblestone harbour in Copenhagen. No phone in hand. No tasks pinging. No running checklist in the back of my mind.
Just walking. Exploring. Laughing. Watching people ride bikes in suits and heels like it was the most normal thing in the world.
It felt… light.
Not because the schedule was slow (it wasn’t). We were on a whirlwind hockey tour through Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Playing local teams. Exploring between games. Travelling with a group of teammates who I usually only see lacing up in sweaty locker rooms (or maybe enjoying a cold brew after the game).
But even in the busyness, I noticed something: I didn’t feel weighed down by the usual productivity anchor I drag around back home.
I wasn’t worried about getting things done.
I was just being. And it felt damn good.
Identity is contextual
One of the most fascinating things about travel is how easily it grants us permission to try new things; not just a new environment and different foods, but new ways of being.
I was more open. More social. More playful. Not because I tried to be, but because the environment pulled it out of me.
That’s the thing most people don’t realize: your identity isn’t fixed. It shifts depending on your surroundings. And when you step into a new one, it can unlock versions of you that rarely get airtime.
Hockey and headspace
Now, this was still a hockey trip. And if I’m being honest, our line got worked over a couple of times. We got absolutely lit up in a couple of games.
But there was one particular game where everything clicked. Our line was flying. I found myself on a breakaway, just me and the goalie, a defence man on my heels – and I buried the game-winner.
It felt incredible. Not just because I scored, but because I remembered something I often forget:
When I’m present — not stressed, not angry, not overthinking — I play better.
Whether it’s on the ice or in life.
Routines matter. But so does letting go.
As the trip wound down, I craved my routines again. I missed them. I like my rituals.
My systems.
My coffee just the way I make it.
My walks.
My writing.
But the contrast was a gift.
Because sometimes we forget why we build our lives the way we do until we step outside of them.
Sometimes we need to loosen our grip on who we think we are… to rediscover who we could be.
Try the reindeer
One night over dinner, I realized something else: many on the trip were sticking to food they were used to. Burgers. Chicken. Pizza.
Me? I wanted to try it all. I wanted to taste the culture. Eat things I’d never eat back home. So I ate bear. And reindeer. And some very different fish.
Not just for the flavour, but for the experience.
That’s what so much of personal growth is, isn’t it?
Trying the damn reindeer.
Taking the breakaway shot.
Saying yes to a different version of yourself, even if it’s only for a little while.
What does this mean for you?
You don’t need a passport to try on a new version of yourself.
You just need permission.
A little curiosity.
And a willingness to loosen your grip on the identity you’ve built out of routine, responsibility, and expectations.
So here’s your reminder:
- You are not fixed.
- You’re not stuck.
- You are an evolving experiment.
And the more you’re willing to step outside of your usual environment, the more versions of yourself you’ll discover.
Some of them might just surprise you.
You don’t need to cross an ocean to explore who you might become. Sometimes, becoming the next version of yourself is to let go of your to-do list, and commit to one bold, weird little “yes” to trying something new.
Quotation I’ve Been Pondering
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” — André Gide
Journal Prompt
“What’s one version of yourself you’ve been curious to explore, but haven’t yet given yourself permission to try?”
Until next week!!
Work and live well.
Tim
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