The Rebound: What Bali Taught Me About Trust, Healing, and What Comes Next

Nov 25
3 min read

Some trips are holidays. Others become turning points.

My month in Indonesia was the latter. A quiet, powerful pause in the middle of transition. In Yin Yoga, there is a moment after each long-held pose called the rebound. It isn’t effort, and it isn’t stillness; it is the space where the body reorganizes, the nervous system recalibrates, and everything quietly settles.

That is what Bali became for me: My own rebound between chapters.

I had closed a life in Luxembourg and wasn’t sure what would come next. So I traveled alone, hoping for clarity, space, and perhaps a sign. I didn’t expect how many signs would find me.

The Signs That Found Me

“She Will Be Loved”

At Nusa Penida’s Broken Beach — a place stunning and scarred — I felt a wave of sadness about past love. I questioned whether I would ever be loved the way I long to be loved.

The moment I stepped into the taxi, the first song on the radio was She Will Be Loved.

(a song by Maroon 5). I felt like a whisper from the universe: love returns, in its own time.

Learning to Surrender

Traveling solo taught me to let go. When plans fell apart, frustration rose quickly at myself, at others, at the situation. But over and over, Bali reminded me: let go, trust, breathe. Everything resolves with time. Each moment softened me.

An Unexpected Dance

One evening in Gili Air, walking back from a planned yoga class, I heard uplifting music. A group of local women was dancing Zumba in the open air. When they noticed me watching, they invited me to join.

I was the only foreigner, shy and humbled, but I stepped in it... became one of the purest, most joyful moments of the trip. Totally unexpected and honest.

Guided at Dawn

In Ubud, awake before sunrise, I considered walking down a quiet road where two street dogs lingered. One seemed unfriendly; the other approached me gently and nudged me away. A silent message: not this way.I listened.

A Moment of Healing I Didn’t Expect

I received a blessing in Ubud. The priest, who had never met me, began with: “Open your heart for mama and papa.” His words settled deeply.

Soon after, during a workshop, I sat in a circle with four men I had never met. We were asked to share a desire from the heart. One man said quietly, “I desire to love and accept my daughter.”

Without thinking, I said, “I desire that my dad could love and accept me.”

Tears came instantly. We sat in silence. He placed a hand on my shoulder; I placed mine on his. Two strangers sharing one truth. Sometimes healing doesn’t need language, only presence.

Not long after, my father called me. He didn’t know where I was or what had unfolded. But the timing felt meaningful.

A Final Reminder at 38,000 Feet

On the flight home, I wasn’t watching anything. At one point, I opened my eyes and glanced at the screen in front of me. An announcement had paused the film, leaving a single subtitle frozen on the image:

“You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”

A quiet truth I needed to hear. Even though I chose to travel alone, I realized I didn’t have to walk through life alone.

What Bali Gave Me

Indonesia was a softening; a pause that wasn’t empty, but full of integration, signs, tenderness, and unexpected clarity.

Returning to Bali in 2026

A Small, Intimate Yoga and Culture Retreat

In October 2026, I will return to Bali and this time not alone, but with a small group of travelers who feel called to experience the island more sincerely.

Together with a trusted local operator, I’m creating a 10-day Yoga & Culture Retreat designed for authenticity, connection, and meaningful encounters, not just sightseeing, avoiding the tourist traps.