Living the Road Less Travelled

Leaving the plan behind. Following what feels right. Growing in a whole new way.

Letting go of a life you love isn’t easy. But sometimes, life whispers: “It’s time.”

After 23 years of calling Sydney home, we packed up our life, stored 13 boxes, and hit the road with just four backpacks.

No map. No master plan. Just the deep clarity that it was time for something new.

Not to escape, but to expand.

Our journey began in Japan, while our son Dylan set off on his own adventure in Vietnam.

And in just four weeks, I’ve already been deeply moved by what travel is teaching me all over again.

It’s not about ticking off sights or staying in fancy resorts.

It’s about being in it - local buses, guesthouses, meaningful conversations, the quiet rhythms of everyday life in places far from our own.

This journey is already teaching me so much.

Here are five things I’m learning - about life, business, and aligned growth - from living the road less travelled:

1) Travel opens you up

To new perspectives. To slower living. To your next evolution.

In Japan, I've fallen in love with the culture, the food, the stillness, the quiet respect.

You can feel the care in everything. Not just in restaurants or ryokans (local guesthouses), but in how people wait patiently in line, savour each meal, and take pride in the little things.

There’s a deep reverence here - for time, space, each other. It’s not about more, it’s about presence.

And it’s reminding me how much we thrive when we honour our own natural rhythms - in life and in business.

2) Freedom to live and work your way

One of the unexpected joys of this trip is how easy it’s been to run my business from my backpack.

From strategic mentoring meetings to deep growth coaching calls, everything still flows…because it’s built around what’s real and aligned.

Whether I’m working from a quiet mountain inn or a bustling Kyoto café, I feel more inspired than ever.

There’s a lightness and clarity that comes when you strip things back.

And I’m meeting so many people doing just that, living life differently, on their terms, and making it work.

Like James, a FIFO worker who now lives in Thailand during his off-time, because he doesn’t want to “pay to exist” in Australia.

Or the lovely Scottish family relocating from Taiwan to Singapore, with a stop in Japan in between.

Their stories remind me: there’s no one “right” way to live, work, or grow.

There’s only your way….and the courage to follow it.

3) Modern tools, timeless truths

The last time we travelled like this was 25 years ago.

We used Lonely Planets, dial-up internet, and one of the first digital cameras (we thought we were so modern!).

Today, I plan and organise everything from my phone. From GPT-powered itinerary suggestions to booking accommodation to our travel log on PolarSteps, it’s all seamless.

But what hasn’t changed is the importance of tuning in, not just to tools or trends, but to yourself.

Because aligned growth doesn’t come from apps.

It comes from listening. Responding. Trusting that when something feels right, it is.

That’s how we’ve always lived.

It’s how Twinlife Forward was born. And it’s how I guide my clients to grow - with strategy that feels good, and energy that fuels real momentum.

4) This isn’t a gap year. It’s a growth year.

Already, this journey has sparked dozens of fresh ideas, including a new group program that I’ll be launching very soon.

And the beautiful thing? They’re flowing not from pressure, but from presence.

Travel is stirring up creativity in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I feel alive. Energised. Open.

It’s reminded me that we don’t need to hustle harder to grow. We can trade the push for powerful progress that actually fits - our rhythm, our energy, our values.

This isn’t a gap year. It’s a growth year.

And this is the version of me my clients are getting right now - inspired, connected, and with space to see what others might miss.

Because when you live in alignment with curiosity and joy, everything expands.

5) Twinlife Forward, now truly global

This isn’t just a lifestyle shift. It’s a business evolution.

I’ve shaped Twinlife Forward to be fully flexible and location-independent.

Whether you’re in Sydney, Singapore, Switzerland or somewhere in between, our work continues.

I’ll keep guiding professionals through growth and transition, working at both the deep subconscious level and the strategic thinking level. It's the integration of both that makes the real difference.

I’m more excited than ever about what 2026 will bring: new programs, deeper partnerships, and global momentum.

This isn’t about starting over. It’s about growing forward → in business and beyond.

Want to follow along our journey, both inside and out?

We’re sharing both the outer adventures and inner shifts on PolarSteps.

Here’s the link: https://www.polarsteps.com/SonjaVanDenBosch2

Here’s to an energising start to 2026!

May you grow in a way that feels as good as it works.

And may we meet somewhere in the world, online or in person, in 2026.

To growing forward,

Sonja 💛

Transforming how you market, lead, and grow → in business and beyond.