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Mindful Travel Tips That Will Make You Cherish Your Trip More

Mindfulness

Meditation can be practiced all the time and even in a marketplace. Meditation is all about being conscious and aware of our actions, thoughts, and feelings. – Unknown

Summer is in full swing, and the chances are that you have travel plans in the near future. Maybe this weekend?

Unless you’re going on a yoga or meditation retreat, mindfulness may not be at the top of your list for this vacation. But why shouldn’t it be? If anything, it will make your trip a much better experience. [Read more…] about Mindful Travel Tips That Will Make You Cherish Your Trip More

Originally posted on July 29, 2016 @ 8:30 am

8 Mindful Tips to Beat Work Travel Stress and Stay Productive On The Road

Mindfulness

Have you ever wondered why some people absolutely hate business travel while others seem to love it? Variables like location, length, and time of year obviously have a big impact on the enjoyableness of work travel. But even with all those things equal, two distinct camps of business travelers remain: those who happily travel for work and those who dread it.

Why is that the case? [Read more…] about 8 Mindful Tips to Beat Work Travel Stress and Stay Productive On The Road

Originally posted on March 5, 2016 @ 8:30 am

Take a Mindfulness Holiday

Mind, Mindfulness

Many people live with stress and fear as their dominating drives and this is incredibly sad. To truly reach our true potential we must practice living in the moment: the art of mindfulness. It is all too easy to stay in the comfort zone of our well-worn preconceptions about life, but this will not lead to prosperity and mental wellbeing.

Making a positive change to your everyday routine is not always easy but it can be achieved with willpower. One of the best ways to kick-start a change in your life is to take a holiday. You’ll find it much easier to practice mindfulness when you’re away from home. [Read more…] about Take a Mindfulness Holiday

Originally posted on January 22, 2016 @ 2:38 am

Did You Know Culture Shock Can Be Good for You?

Life, Personal Growth, Spirit, Travel

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

Make Your Trips More Memorable: Practice Mindful Travel

Life, Mindfulness, Travel

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.

Tips to practice mindful travel

Plan ahead

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.

Choose your destination wisely

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.

practice mindful travel

Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Am I willing to immerse myself in a totally different culture?
  2. Do I want to go out of my comfort zone but not experience too drastic changes in environment?
  3. Do I want to go to a bustling city?
  4. Do I need a quiet mountainside retreat or a remote island?
  5. Do I want to recharge my batteries with the sun, sand, and sea?

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.

Forget your usual worries

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.

Don’t rush about

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.

More travel tips: 18 of My Best Travel Tips to Make Your Holiday Truly Amazing

Originally posted on August 13, 2015 @ 8:00 am