From Cuenca to the Amazon: Life Lessons from Volunteering Abroad скачать в хорошем качестве

From Cuenca to the Amazon: Life Lessons from Volunteering Abroad

December took me from Cuenca to the Ecuadorian Amazon — and what stood out most wasn’t the places, but the lessons. This month reinforced a few simple truths I keep relearning: Flexibility matters more than plans. Expectations often get in the way of pleasant surprises. And showing up with the intent to serve has a way of opening doors you didn’t even know existed. I arrived in the jungle with no agenda beyond volunteering — and because of that, I ended up on impromptu day trips hikes, swimming holes  and shared experiences that never would have happened if I’d tried to control the outcome. In this video, I reflect on: • Lessons from a month of travel and volunteering • Why letting go of expectations creates space for unexpected goodness • How December became more grounding than I ever planned • Why I separate “year in preview” from “year in review” • And why small acts of kindness matter even more during the holidays As we close out the year, I invite you to look back on your own December — not just at what you accomplished, but at what surprised you, what went well, and where kindness showed up in unexpected ways. Sometimes the moments that change us most aren’t the ones we planned for at all. Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:02 – December lessons 01:40 – Lesson #1: Flexibility beats plans 02:25 – Lesson #2: Drop expectations 04:15 – 3 Unexpected day trips 06:29 – Simple Living 07:43 – Meaning, purpose & joy via serving others 9:43 – YOUR December highlights 10:31 – Holiday Challenge & Kindness during the holidays #Volunteering #SimpleLiving #PurposeOverPlans #LifeLessons #SlowTravel #HolidayReflection #IntentionalLiving #ServiceMatters