The Daily Mind
Daily Steps To Mindful Living
Traveling is almost always a welcome thing for a host of reasons. However, some people face several issues when away from home. Whether it’s a business trip or a vacation, there may be tiny details that somehow take away from the experience.
One of them is having trouble falling asleep. [Read more…] about How to Sleep Away From Home
Originally posted on June 29, 2016 @ 8:30 am
When one is about to go to another country – whether for business, pleasure, or study – culture shock is often one of the first things brought up. More so, it is one of the main concerns, especially for people who are planning on living in another country for a while.
Travelers get all sorts of advice about differences in culture and what to expect; what they need to do to; and many other things that lead to one thing: gather information to avoid culture shock.
While that in itself is not a bad thing – in fact, it does help avoid uncomfortable, or even potentially disastrous, situations – there can be culture shock benefits. [Read more…] about Did You Know Culture Shock Can Be Good for You?
Originally posted on December 15, 2015 @ 8:00 am
Traveling is something we should all do at least once a year, circumstances allowing. It is one of the best ways to leave the stress that we experience every day, even if we think that they may not be that bad. Traveling also gives us a chance to discover new things, which results in self-improvement. In addition to that, traveling provides moments of deep reflection that may otherwise not be possible in the comfort (or discomfort) of our daily lives.
That being said, all those things above may not mean anything if you do not practice mindful travel. That is, you have a mindset to do as many things as you can, go about and do the usual touristy things (although these are not bad in themselves), and worry about what may or may not happen.
The next time you go on a trip, try to practice mindful travel. You’ll have a whole new appreciation of traveling, and you’ll thank yourself for it.
Planning ahead takes away the added stress of rushing to take care of the details – from plane tickets to accommodations to your itinerary to costs. If you can plan months before your trip, then you can rest easy before you leave.
Understandably, though, there are times when you can’t help but take care of some details at the last minute. Work or personal concerns can get in the way of your plans, and you can’t always avoid them. When this happens, do not panic, but find alternatives. In fact, doing things at the last minute may turn out to be a blessing.
There are sites which help you find affordable last minute tickets even if your destination is halfway around the world; for example, you can get cheap last minute tickets to Korea, or even to Japan if you don’t stress yourself over your original plans not happening as you wanted them to.
The key is to keep your cool if your plans get messed up. There is always a way around life’s bumps.
When planning your trip, how do you choose your destination?
You may have a bucket list and follow that. If your destination is not set in stone, why not spend some time to think about why you want to go on a trip – be as specific as possible – and then decide on where you will go.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Knowing exactly what you want will help you enjoy your trip more. Don’t pick a place just because everyone says it’s the place to be. Pick a place because it is where you want to be.
Once you get to your destination – with bumps in your plans or not – leave your usual concerns behind. Sure, it is not easy to just not think about serious issues, but remember your reasons for going on a trip.
Instead of worrying about what’s happening at work and how much you need to do when you get back, think about where you are. Look around you. Literally stop and smell the roses (or whatever aromas surround you). You may not appreciate some unfamiliar sights and smells, but they will bring you back to the moment and make you aware of where you are and why you are there.
Every time you find yourself worrying, do the above. You will have a better experience. Trust me.
You’ve probably heard/seen/experienced this: people having a list of things to do and places to visit, following a strict timetable.
Wake up at 6 AM.
Have breakfast at the hotel buffet.
Grab a taxi (or wait for a rental car).
Visit destination A. Stay there for 30 minutes.
On to destination B. Leave in an hour – max.
And so on.
By night time, everyone’s exhausted and just want to crash.
In the morning, the cycle starts again.
While I understand why people feel the need to do things this way, I find it a waste of time, energy, and money. Why go travel for leisure when you just add to your stress by rushing around? Why not make some adjustments so that you can truly enjoy your trip?
Some things may have to be sacrificed – a tourist attraction or two – but if you give yourself time to have a leisurely breakfast, spend as many minutes (or hours) doing something you enjoy, and have a nice (quiet mode or party mode, it doesn’t matter) evening out, won’t your trip be a more memorable experience?
You do not have to run helter-skelter from one place to another. Pay attention to your surroundings and the people around you. Pay attention to what you are doing. You’ll come back from your trip in a better state than when you left.
Originally posted on August 13, 2015 @ 8:00 am
As the daily grind wears you out, it is natural to seek out a vacation getaway that will get your mind off work and responsibilities as you bask in the ambiance of peace and serenity. One of the most common ways that people do this is by going to the beach or the ocean.
However, have you ever wondered why people gravitate towards going to the beach to clear their mind? If beaches and oceans did not offer affordable vacation packages, would you still spend money on going to the beach?
The practice of going to the beach or walking along the shoreline can be traced back to the Victorian times, when doctors would prescribe a trip to the sea to alleviate a range of ailments. Despite this practice, there’s no scientific explanation that supports the ocean as a medical cure.
Thankfully, a recent study conducted by Professor Michael Depledge, former chief scientist for the Environment Agency and founder of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH) in Plymouth three years ago, proves that being in the presence of “blue space” – seas, rivers, and lakes – brings a positive effect to a person’s well-being.
Along with his team and the help of environmental psychologist Mat White, Depledge showed photographs of different landscapes to his test subjects. First, stress levels of participants decreased when shown pictures with green space on them. This aligned with the findings of Roger Ulrich, who ran the same experiment and proved that seeing “green space” such as nature and the outdoor improves one’s health. However, White noticed something different with his experiment:
“We started introducing water into the images…going from a pond right through to a coastline, with increasing amounts of water in the images, and we found that people showed a strong preference for more and more water in the images.
“We repeated that with urban scenes, from fountains in squares to canals running through the city, and once again people hugely preferred the urban environments with more water in them.”
While Depledge was unable to provide a logical explanation to the relationship between people’s well-being and blue space, “neuro-conservationist” and author of “Blue Mind” Wallace J. Nichols offers a sensible reason on how the the ocean – its sound, in particular – has an indelible effect to one’s mood:
“There’s a growing body of research on nostalgia, music and memory looking at which songs give you chills, a measurable physiological response. It turns out that in your teens — between ages 16 and 21 — you are most likely to put down many of these nostalgic memories. So, I’m hypothesizing, if you spend important time near the ocean during your teenage years, those sounds become part of your soundtrack. They’re the sounds you become most nostalgic about for the rest of your life.”
Nichols later adds that study of the ocean and its neurological effects to people is a tricky one since there’s no substantial data to quantify their hypotheses. This is the reason why he organized the Bluemind Summit in 2011 – to usher discourse about the ocean from a scientific perspective.
As scientific studies about the ocean are still in their infancy, this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the blue space made available to you. Aside from going to the beach, another way of maximizing your getaway is by booking a cruise ship vacation, preferably in the Caribbean with your loved ones.
“The Caribbean is always one of the most popular destinations,” says a Holiday Cruise Line Representative. “St. Martin, St. John, Antigua, St. Thomas, and Santa Cruz just to name a few are some of the most picturesque archipelagos in the entire world. And the fact they’re so close to Florida makes going on cruises one of the most exciting things you can do with your family.”
Holiday Cruise Line offers affordable vacation packages to the Bahamas to relieve guests from stress and clear their mind. The package, known as the Bahamas Celebraton, is awarded as the “Best Bahamas Getaway Cruise” for the third consecutive year by Porthole Magazine.
“Your mental health is imperative, and using a vacation, especially a cruise to relax, wind down, and recharge your internal batteries is a great way to stay healthy.”
So what really is the key to a rejuvenating getaway? Sometimes, when something that you can’t explain makes you feel good, you just stop asking question.
Originally posted on November 26, 2014 @ 4:16 am
Traveling and experiencing what the world has to offer is an educational experience like no other, but horror stories of rude tourists and irresponsible ones abound, leaving a bad taste in locals’ mouths and an ever worse fate for the environment. You don’t have to contribute to the bad image of tourists if only you practice mindfulness during your travels. So the next time you go on a trip, remember to spread some eco love, learn a bit of Thai, and be nice to everyone you meet!
No matter how eco-friendly you are, travelling unfortunately takes it toll on the environment. Do your part to protect the Earth by reducing your footprint as much as possible. Simple measures like bringing your own water bottle and a resealable plastic bag to put your trash in goes a long way. It will mean less disposable plastic bottles thrown away and less trash littering the ground and waterways. If you are a smoker, you should also bring a “portable ashtray” wherever you go since cigarette butts are the single most collected item in international coastal cleanups. You can make your own portable ashtray by lining a tin can or old film canister with used coffee grounds as suggested by the Muni community in their #NoMoreButts campaign.
Image Credit: MuniPH
[Read more…] about Mindful Travelling Tips: Eco Love, Learning Thai and Being Nice
Originally posted on October 30, 2013 @ 3:23 am
Some people find it easier to take a step back and refocus more than others. For these people, they can find that special thing within themselves wherever they are. It could be influenced by personality and/or upbringing, or it could be the result of long years of practice.
For some, going away on dedicated retreats is the best way to find focus amidst a busy life. And even those who are more centred than others can benefit from going on a retreat. After all, being away from one’s hectic routine and simply taking the time to reflect and meditate is beneficial to anyone.
Whether you are based in Australia or you’re there for a trip, visiting an Australian retreat centre is one of the best gifts that you can give yourself. The good news is that there are many retreat centres around the country, so the chances are that you will find one that is easy to get to. [Read more…] about Find Focus by Going to an Australian Retreat Centre
Originally posted on March 23, 2013 @ 1:10 pm
