Ikigai Traveller
Alright then, but... who on earth is behind this blog?
myworldaround
Well… who do we have here? Either you’re a hopelessly curious soul, or you’re genuinely interested in finding out what kind of person is behind these words — someone calling herself an Ikigai Traveller (whatever that means!) and mad enough to drop everything and take a bungee jump into the life she actually wants to live.
Some people say finding your Ikigai means discovering your life’s purpose.
I’m working on it—and that’s exactly why you’re reading this. ヅ
Whatever brings you here, it’s totally valid.
This space is for writing, but not judging — and I genuinely hope to offer something to each and every reader, even if you’re just passing through.
→I have to say, this diary was mainly created and inspired by my grandparents.
They raised me — they’re truly like parents to me — and instead of sending them the kind of letters they used to write to each other when they were young, I thought I’d do it this way.
I know the idea of me travelling alone terrifies them, but I also know it’ll bring them a special kind of joy to be able to follow along like this. ←
• Bits and Pieces About Me•
I’m not going to bore you with my full life story — I’ll leave that to my therapist — but I’ll try to give you a quick glimpse of who I am and what’s brought me here, in case you’re curious.
My name’s Tamara, I’m 31 (at least at the time of writing), I was born on 1 January 1994 in Madrid and yes — for all the astrology fans out there, I’m one of those wild little goats they call a Capricorn. ༄
Let’s just say I was a very curious kid right from the start.
My family used to call me “the why girl”, and my mum had no choice but to teach me to read at the age of three — just so she could catch her breath every now and then.
Yo
And two years after that, my sister came along — one of my absolute favourite people, even though we’re complete opposites in most things.
She’s the one who does things the way they’re supposed to be done, and I’m the one who wings it.
Mi hermana
But she knows how to bring me calm after my storms — even without saying a word.
And that… that’s peace.. ♡
• Tamara, The Explorer •
Soon, I stumbled upon a book called “Las cartas de Félix, el explorador” — a little stuffed bunny who gets lost and travels the world trying to find his way back to his owner.
I wouldn’t say I knew back then that I wanted to travel the whole world…
but let’s just say the signs started to show. (Was I already searching for my Ikigai?)
Before I even hit my teens, I was already full of questions about different cultures and beliefs.
(My mum ended up giving me a book about all the world’s religions — yes, I read that too.)
And my adventurous side?
That must come from my dad.
I really admire the way he does things — every time he has a few days off, he grabs his backpack and heads off on his own to walk a stretch of the Camino de Santiago, or to explore some new route near his father’s village.
He’s definitely more of a physical type — clearing his head through movement — and me? Well, I guess I’ve caught the bug too, but mine’s all about exploring what’s a little further out in the world.
• Living Abroad •
(And my first proper try)
When I turned 18, I moved to London.
I went on my own (with no roaming, mind you) to try and figure things out for myself — I was determined to learn English, no matter what.
I suppose deep down I already knew it would help open doors for me in the wider world.
I didn’t just learn English there — I spent five years growing, both personally and professionally.
Then in 2017, I moved back to Madrid with a partner and what seemed like a pretty solid plan: to travel around Asia with a couple of backpacks and a one-way ticket to Nepal — and from there, begin our journey across the continent.
→Spoiler: We broke up right before the first flight. ←
• Back to Reality •
(With an Ikigai Discovery)
I settled back in Spain, tried to open my own restaurant (didn’t work), and ended up—like many people—with a 9-to-6 office job, a permanent contract, financial stability… but something deep down didn’t quite feel right.
What I didn’t know then was that I was getting closer to what I now call IKIGAI 生き甲斐.
It was just last year when, out of the blue and without any recommendation (I used to love wandering around bookshops for hours just to see what I’d stumble upon), I came across a book called “El Método Ikigai”. And although I could name plenty of titles that have had a big impact on me, this one… this one really marked a turning point in my life. It made me realise that I had simply been settling for what I had, instead of truly fighting for what I wanted.
I’ll be writing a dedicated post about what Ikigai really means — there’s a lot to say… though I 100% recommend reading the book for yourself.
This book came knocking at my door and said: “It’s now or never.”
So, I decided the perfect time was… now.
And well, alone alone… not quite.
I’d been romanticising this trip in my head for so long, knowing that my only real companion would be my backpack — so much so that I ended up giving it a name: Iki, like a nickname for “Ikigai”.
¿Y Gai? ♡
Not long after, my mum remembered the book about the little explorer bunny we’d read together so many times, and she gave me an adorable stuffed llama to take with me on this adventure.
I instantly knew that, as a travel companion, it deserved to be called Gai.
So you could say this journey will be shared by three of us: Iki, Gai, and me. ♡
¿And now?
• It’s time to write my own book •
As you can see, books have played a big role throughout my life — and I’ve written thousands of things I’ve never shared, because they always felt far too personal.
But this time, I’m setting off on the journey of my dreams, alone and without any book — because this time, I don’t just want to live it. I want to be the one to write it, and to share it.
That way, I’ll always be able to return to any moment I choose.
And if you end up enjoying it too, well… no matter what I’ve had to sacrifice, it’ll have been worth it three times over.
♡ And who knows… maybe this Diary will end up becoming part of my Ikigai too ♡
⇒ To my grandparents — this journey is yours too ⇐
So that’s a little glimpse of what’s brought me here — ALTHOUGH THIS IS TRULY JUST THE BEGINNING OF MY STORY.
A JOURNEY OUTWARD, BUT ALSO INWARD. A JOURNEY TO DISCOVER MY TRUE IKIGAI.
If you’d like to join me on this adventure from the very beginning, and put a bit more of a face to it all…
don’t hesitate to follow me on Instagram too.
☘︎ @BLOG_MYWORLDAROUND ☘︎