Learning, Showing Up, and Letting Curiosity Lead
I don’t think I’ve ever started a blog post by talking about a gimbal… but here we are.
This was the first trip where I found myself holding one, trying to figure out a new tool, while also trying to figure out what I was really here for. In a strange way, that felt appropriate. New gear, new environment, new conversations … all happening at once.
This was day four of my Europe trip, and day one of Traverse, a travel-focused creator conference in Trento, Italy. What follows isn’t a traditional travel story. It’s more of an orientation … a snapshot of where my head was that morning before the day unfolded.
View from the room – Trento, Italy 2019
Why I Came to Traverse
Traverse isn’t really a conference in the traditional sense. It’s more like a series of conversations … workshops, discussions, and shared experiences centered around travel, storytelling, photography, video, and what it means to build something creative in this space.
I’ll be honest with you, walking into a room full of people you don’t know can be uncomfortable. Especially when you assume most of them are younger, further along, or more confident than you are. What surprised me almost immediately was how many people I met who were closer to my age … people who had gone through career changes, life shifts, or personal reinventions of their own.
That changed the tone of the whole experience.
It stopped being about “networking” and started being about listening.
The Sessions I Was Drawn To (and Why)
Rather than trying to attend everything, I circled a handful of sessions that felt relevant to where I was at the time:
- Conversations around pricing photography and creative work
- Workshops on writing as a skill, not just an output
- Discussions about editing, not just images but stories
- Talks on evolving from creator to educator, guide, or operator
- Sessions focused on lifelong learning, sustainability, and adaptability
What stood out wasn’t any single tip or tactic. It was the recurring idea that careers aren’t linear anymore… and maybe they never really were.
Lifelong Learning Isn’t a Buzzword
At some point during the day, I found myself thinking about education … and how unrealistic it is to believe that four years in your early twenties prepares you for the next forty years of work and life.
What I saw at Traverse was proof that learning doesn’t stop, and maybe shouldn’t. People were experimenting, pivoting, refining, starting over, and sharing what they’ve learned along the way.
That idea stayed with me long after the sessions ended.
The Part I Didn’t Film (and Why That’s Okay)
I had every intention of filming throughout the day. B-roll. Conversations. Little moments. Interviews.
I didn’t.
Instead, I paid attention. I listened. I had longer conversations. I stayed present. And in hindsight, I’m okay with that. Not every day needs to be documented to be valuable.
Some days are meant to be absorbed.
A Quick Wrap-Up from the Other Side of the Day
Later that evening, back in my room, I realized something.
This wasn’t just about a conference. It was about recognizing that another chapter was opening, even if I didn’t yet know what it looked like. My daughter was heading off to college. I was standing in a moment where doors were closing and others were quietly opening.
That realization felt familiar… and hopeful.
There was one more day of Traverse ahead, and then I’d head north to explore more of Italy. Fewer plans. More curiosity. And a willingness to let things unfold.
As always … more on all of this later.
This post revisits Episode #4 of a 13-part video series filmed during my 2019 travels through Europe on the way to the Traverse conference in Northern Italy. I’m revisiting each episode here—adding reflection and perspective shaped by time and distance.