Look at these photos and you’ll see what looks like a picture-perfect family. Laughter, adventure, love a little girl making memories that should last a lifetime. But what if I told you that these memories have been stolen? That behind every smile was a growing storm of control and fear, and that today, this little girl can’t remember the joy only the “bad times” she’s been told about?

Saboteurs, those inner critics Positive Intelligence talks about started whispering. I’m currently working on my Judge, Restless, Avoidance, and Hypervigilant saboteurs. This trip put them all to the test, but thanks to my TC training and the Sage tools I’ve practiced, I managed to notice them, thank them for their concern, and focus on what I could control. (Pro tip: Sage wisdom + a dash of humour = travel sanity.)