From Hustle to Slow Living: Lessons on Community, Presence, and Intentionality from My Solo Travel in Portugal
Hi friend,
Spending so much time abroad this last year really forced me to slow down. Without the constant buzz of familiar faces or routines, I had the space to notice the little things like my morning coffee (which took me a while to get used to making!) and daily walks to the water. For anyone building a community, whether online or in-person, for business or personal reasons, this reminder keeps coming up for me: slow down before you scale.
Intentional communities aren’t built by rushing; they’re built by creating space for connection, reflection, and alignment. Just as I needed time to understand my own dating patterns, you and your community need space to feel seen, heard, and valued.
Facing Patterns and Building Awareness
One of the hardest lessons I’ve focused on this last year is how I approach relationships, both personally and professionally. Solo travel magnifies patterns. Being on my own made me confront old habits and consider what I truly want versus what I chase out of comfort.
Understanding patterns allows you to design experiences that meet real needs, yours or those of the people you show up for. When you’re intentional about noticing behavior patterns and providing structure that aligns with values, your community feels purposeful rather than transactional. This is a huge distinction I’ve noticed between authentic spaces and marketing plugs.
Creativity Meets Structure
Living abroad also challenged me to balance structure with creativity. My work week in Portugal required discipline. I’d have late night client calls because of the time difference. Staying on top of my client deliverables felt difficult when I’d rather be outside exploring. Prioritizing my mental and emotional health during so much personal transition was also a struggle, so I carved out time to reflect on my experiences. My hope was to reconnect with softer, more creative parts of myself.
This all mirrors how successful communities grow: clear structure + room for creativity. A thriving community needs guidelines, touchpoints, and consistency, but also space to co-create, experiment, and share.
Lessons for Purpose-Driven Women Building Community
Reflecting now, here are a few lessons that I think are particularly relevant for women building authentic, intentional communities:
Slow Down to Connect Intentional community is about depth, not numbers. Allow yourself to pause and notice what’s really working.
Pay Attention to Patterns in Engagement Are the people who you’re looking to serve seeking connection, validation, or education? Design your community with awareness around what you intend to provide. Take it from me, it could be a little bit of everything!
Balance Discipline with Creativity Create structure in your community but leave room for members to contribute their voice and experiences. Remember, we all crave to be seen, heard, and valued.
Lead with Vulnerability Sharing your own authentic journey, even the messy parts, builds trust and relatability. Your story can inspire and guide others.
Build for Presence, Not Performance Don’t chase follower counts, focus on creating meaningful experiences that leave people feeling supported and empowered.
From Solo Travel to Community Building
Looking back at my time in Portugal, I see now how the lessons I learned around spending time alone and being more intentional around the life I’m building also impacted my professional approach to expanding Common Wealth. Building authentic communities is an extension of building your own inner community. I’ve learned to hold space for myself, double down on my personal values, and I’ve found my voice in sharing on topics I’d previously shy away from speaking on.
If you’re a purpose-driven woman looking to create a community that feels alive, meaningful, and intentional, the work begins with awareness. Take time to get to know yourself, your patterns, and the people you’re serving. It will make all the difference in the quality of the community you build!
If you want to see more of my Portugal experience and how I navigated this period of self-discovery, check out my latest video From Hustle to Slow Living | Solo Travel Reflections in Portugal on From the Ground Up, my personal YouTube vlog. In this space I’m sharing an unfiltered look at what it really means to me to be on my own, slow down, and tune into my inner voice.
