By Yael Bister-Simancas
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Colorado for the first time with my best friends. We'd been trying to plan this trip for what feels like an eternity. As we’ve gotten older, it’s become harder to coordinate our schedules—one person is working, another is studying, and others are busy with various adult responsibilities. It was much simpler when we were kids; all we had to do was depend on our parents to drop us off. This trip brought me back to that sweet childhood curiosity
Before heading out, I felt like I was joining a cult, given how many glowing reviews I heard when I mentioned the trip. People warned me, half-jokingly, that I’d never want to return to Florida. As someone used to sweltering Miami heat and fending off mosquitoes, I was eager to see what all the hype was about.
Aspen made me feel like I was living inside a Bob Ross painting. The landscape, dominated by towering mountains, makes you feel minuscule. Everything out there is wondrous and simply bigger than you. My friends and I spent our days hiking and biking through mountains adorned with bright yellow daisies and a kaleidoscope of wildflowers. Colorado's flora and fauna seemed straight out of a dream, and for the first time in a long while, I felt deeply connected to nature.
At the same time, I was balancing my responsibilities. This summer, I started my ESG internship at Inspectorio, a software company that focuses on supply chain sustainability. Initially, I spent all my time glued to a computer screen due to my self-imposed expectations, leaving little room for anything else. Fortunately, my remote internship allowed me to work from anywhere, including Colorado. So, during my trip to Aspen, I would attend to my tasks in the morning and then spend the rest of the day outdoors with my friends. It was here, surrounded by nature, that I realized the importance of balancing work and play.
For a long time, I struggled with balance. It was always an all-or-nothing situation: either I focused entirely on school or projects, neglecting my mental and spiritual needs, or I spent too much time on myself, pushing aside responsibilities. In Colorado, I found people who had perfected this equilibrium. Everywhere I looked, people were active, smiling, and seizing the day, all while maintaining their work commitments. I began to adopt this mindset, but I wondered—could I sustain this balance once I returned home?
The more I reflected, the more I realized it wasn’t just about Colorado. It was about adopting a mindset that I could take with me anywhere. That’s when the idea of #UNLITTER your mind clicked. Just as our natural environment can become polluted and cluttered, our mental environment needs regular care and attention. By clearing out unnecessary stress, negativity, and distractions, I could make room for positivity and productivity. Life is only as overwhelming as I allow it to be.
My time in Colorado rekindled this idea, but I realized that carrying this mindset forward would be up to me. I don't need a mountain backdrop to find balance. I can #UNLITTER my mind every day, regardless of where I am.
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