No Stress…
No Stress…
...is the motto of Boa Vista, Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)
What an inspiring holiday that was! The people on the island of Boa Vista are some of the happiest, carefree and kindest people I’ve ever met. But they have pretty much nothing!! Most don’t even have electricity, a simple basic we take for granted! But most of all, they have no stress!
Their motto is ‘No Stress’… is that because they haven’t enslaved themselves to everything that causes stress like we have? We spend our lives worrying about money and rushing around doing a million things with not a lot of time to do it all in.
We try to be the best or prove something to society and we’ve gone health and safety mad. Kids want us to buy the next big thing. People worry about what everyone else thinks of them and we try to please other people instead of just being ourselves! Instead of just ‘being’! I feel exhausted just writing that!
In Cape Verde they live a simple island life, treat each other with kindness and the children are happier than a lot back at home. They simply spend their summer holidays jumping off the walls of the dock into the sea with no parents watching. There are no fears of slipping, banging heads and getting lost or having time restrictions! They’re just free to be children, to just have fun! And they are so happy!
Hi, I’m Helen.
I’ve been looking for ‘a better way’ to enjoy life for as long as I can remember. Without the stresses of the 9-5 and the pressure of society’s expectations, just to be free to live life my way.
Find out more about me and how I’m creating the life I want.
“No stress, we have no money so we have nothing to be stressed about”
Victor “Bob Marley”, Boa Vista
The touristy bit…
We met Victor after a giggly, wind swept taxi ride on the back of a 4 x 4 truck to the centre of Boa Vista, Sal Rei, with our lovely new friends. Victor met us as we arrived and naturally became our personal tour guide. Of course we ended up at his shop but he had totally earned our custom. He was warm and welcoming, pointing out all 5 highlights of the town; the primary school, fish market, protestant church, catholic church and the old harbour and we learnt a lot about Cape Verdean life thanks to Victor. Don’t get me wrong, Victor also knows how to sell. The heart string sell! Because he has to, he doesn’t know when he’ll get his next customers!
Start creating your life...
MINDFULNESS
MINDSET
LAW OF ATTRACTION
COURSES & RESOURCES
And Cape Verdean life got me, pulled at my heart strings! Before I knew it I was bartering with him and bought a painting for 50 euros that I struggled to get home in my suitcase and knew I had nowhere to hang… but I love it! I love where it’s from, what it represents and Victor inspired me to find a better way of living, he thoroughly deserved my money.
I gather most people on Boa Vista earn money working for the big hotels or local tour companies. I’m led to believe hotel employees only make around 100 euros a month. Others work in the fishing or farming trade (which are struggling) or retail. That being, they are street sellers, some have stalls on the beach and those doing well for themselves have their own souvenir shops, which are all identical and in direct competition with each other!
A simple life...
Life is very basic here, they don’t have televisions or washing machines and there is only one secondary school. Most of the roads are dirt tracks and the island is mostly desert and barren.
They ‘create their own lives’… theirs is a blank canvas because they have nothing to start with. On the face of things they have little opportunity, limited education and limited resources but you don’t see them moping around. Despite all this, they don’t let these things become limiting beliefs. These things don’t stop them from trying to earn a living or enjoying themselves. They are grateful for what they have and they create a happy life for themselves in whichever way they can!
Boa Vista island life is a far cry from the monotonous yet stressful routines back home that I feel a slave to and this amazing country has really pushed me to take a good look at my life and what I’d like to change when I get home.
I’m determined to be able to say ‘no stress’ to myself more often. I don’t doubt it’ll be a challenge, it’s what we get used to and the pressures put on us from so many angles, including ourselves! But I intend to uncover my old habits that no longer do me any good, the ones that only contribute to a more stressful life and get rid of them! I want to feel care free and relaxed like the people of Boa Vista… is that possible in a country that has moved forward in so many ways by comparison or can we strip things back to allow ourselves a peaceful and happy lifestyle like theirs?
Our new reality...
How ironic that I started writing this blog laid on the beach in August 2019, and now, as I finally have time to launch it, our lives have changed massively and we’re being forced to live a simpler life!
Reading this again brings back immediate feelings of happiness and complete relaxation… I love the African vibe and Cape Verde certainly didn’t let me down.
Perhaps we should take inspiration from the Cape Verdean lifestyle to create a new ‘normal’, start with a blank canvas and choose how our lives will be once we’ve kicked this pandemic up the bum! I feel we’re a step closer to having no stress!
Stay safe everyone!
Hx
Maybe I’m just destined for island life one day…
it’s certainly a lifestyle I’d like to create for myself!
it’s certainly a lifestyle I’d like to create for myself!
If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Boa Vista one day, Giggling Geckos are amazing tour guides! They give back to the local community as well as giving a first class, friendly experience of Boa Vista.
This is purely a personal recommendation, I don’t receive any commission from them. https://gigglinggeckoadventures.com