Article written by Elsa Rodríguez (co-founder of Pueblos Remotos and project manager)
Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? It's probably one of those million-dollar questions we ask ourselves, or that are asked of us, and in many cases, we don't know how to answer. You can consider yourself very fortunate if you have a clear answer, because I would venture to say that the vast majority of people live without even considering this question.
During the last days of December, aside from eating more than we should (those of us lucky enough to live in the world of the "privileged"), there are usually many moments of reflection. I've told you on several occasions that I ask myself a lot of questions, and the end of the year will be no exception. Just last year around this time, I was talking about passion in this article I wrote: And you, do you put passion into life?
I was telling you that I've found my passion in Pueblos Remotos, which for me represents the sum of sustainable tourism, rural development, and remote work. But what I've really realized is that this passion is what guides me toward my purpose, which goes far beyond what motivates and fulfills me.
Once you're clear on what your passion is, the next question you need to ask yourself is: what can I do to contribute positively to this world through my passion? And the answer to that question will be your purpose.
In search of your purpose
You may have heard of the Japanese concept of Ikigai , and if not, let me tell you about it, because it's closely related to what I want to explain next. Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, in their book "Ikigai: Japan's Secrets to a Long and Happy Life," describe it as follows:
Ikigai is a word that doesn't have an exact translation. Ikigai is the meaning of life, or that which makes you get up with enthusiasm each day. According to the Japanese, we all harbor an ikigai, or even several, within us, even if we don't yet know it.
They also explain that to help you live with more focus and find your ikigai, you should ask yourself these four questions:
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What do I like?
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What am I good at?
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What does the world need from me?
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Why can I charge?
The point where all the answers converge is your Ikigai. This diagram illustrates it beautifully, and I also love the author . As you can see, it's all about questions and knowing how to answer them. In fact, the latter is often the most challenging due to our beliefs, the baggage we carry, and societal pressures.
In my case, I've been pondering these questions for several years now, working towards my goal. Let me tell you a personal anecdote that happened to me this summer during the only week of vacation I took, which was precisely to walk the Camino de Santiago. This time I chose the Camino Primitivo from O Cádavo to Santiago and squeezed it in between a wedding in Pedraza and a few days in Galicia.
Despite this being my fourth time walking the Camino, it was the first time I felt at peace with myself, that I truly enjoyed it, and that I didn't need to ask myself any questions about major changes. I realized that the three previous times I had done it during transitional periods in my life: before moving to the US, when I decided to take a leave of absence and go to Australia because I wanted to train in sustainable tourism, and right during the Covid pandemic when I was considering whether or not to start my own business.
This time, the Camino taught me that I'm on the right path (literally), that I'm where I want to be. That doesn't mean every day is fantastic and wonderful—not at all. I have my bad days and I get stressed on just as many. However, I'm okay, I'm happy with what I'm doing, I'm excited about what we're building, I'm happy living the way I live, and I try not to compare myself to anyone because everyone has their own path and their own purpose.
Living in accordance with your purpose
This doesn't happen overnight, and it's often a matter of trial and error. Today, after stumbling several times and changing course just as often, as I mentioned before, I think I've found my place and what I truly want. In fact, my purpose is very much aligned with everything we promote at Pueblos Remotos:
1. To demonstrate that there is another way to do tourism.
Tired of the mass tourism that has invaded much of our territory, we want our participants to have authentic experiences and integrate into the local community through activities and challenges. The idea is for them to get to know the rural environment and its unique character firsthand, guided by the people who live and work in these places.
2. Giving visibility to rural entrepreneurs. It is for them and because of them that we organize experiences that bring remote workers to rural areas. We want to give them a voice and a say, so that the world can get to know them through their projects and businesses. We select them because they are representative of local traditions, because they are sustainable, and above all because they are wonderful people who advocate for doing things differently (just like us).
3. Create connections that last over time.
We are referring above all to human connections, both between participants and local stakeholders, and between the two groups themselves. It's about fostering an exchange of knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. This is how we explain this point when we talk about our values :
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“We are committed to “another way” of building, generating networks, connections, and bringing people together (H2H) as a new economic, social, and labor paradigm.”
All of this is with the ultimate goal of contributing to the local community. We want to generate socio-economic impact through the co-creation of experiences with local stakeholders, actively listening to their needs and aspirations. As visitors to these rural areas where we operate, the least we can do is care about the well-being of the local population, and of course, leave the place better than we found it, because that means we've done our part.
Cleaning of Los Lázaros beach together with the local community during the Pueblos Remotos Fuencaliente edition in June 2022
The key to living in accordance with your purpose is to be true to it. Every time you have to make a decision, ask yourself: Does this bring me closer to or further from my purpose? Does it align with what I want to achieve, or will it lead me down a different path?
The goal is to put into action what we're good at, what we're passionate about, what the world needs, and to get paid for it. I know, it's not easy, but it's all about getting started.
Are you ready to start the new year living with purpose?
