Making Time for Mindful Travel
Photo by Lauren Schwartz, Ph.D.
By Dr. Michael Bennett | Co-Founder @ Explorer X
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It’s been over four weeks since I returned from my journey to Chile, and I still haven’t finished My Invented Country, a book by Chilean author Isabel Allende that I bought to read in preparation for the trip.
The long and short of my trip to Chile? I had a great time: The Atacama Desert was an alien world but unfathomably beautiful (and there were llamas!); the Lake District was spectacular; Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park were all that I had ever dreamt of and more; the people were warm, friendly, and honored to share their culture and food with travelers like us.
But as the co-founder of a mindful travel company? Well … I kind of sucked.
Did I do any pre-trip journaling or intention setting? Nope.
Did I spend any time brushing up on my Spanish before I left? Nada.
Did I read anything or watch a documentary, movie, or show about Chile? I did not.
It was my first international trip in YEARS, and I literally did not have the emotional and mental space — or the time — to even complete our mindful travel practices. (See more about those below.)
So what did I do?
Well, I did as much as I could.
I meditated daily; I made sure to find a few ‘Mindful Moments’ every day and fully experience my surroundings; I took photographs, combining meditation, reflection, and creativity into a series of mindful moments through which I will be able to remember this Journey; and I set my alarm early one morning while we were in the Lake District, got myself out of bed, and took photos of a stunning volcano at dawn.
I believe in my core that mindful, purposeful travel can be the catalyst for living a better life that deeply impacts the world around us. I also believe that people, now more than ever, are craving these immersive, connected, and potentially life-changing experiences.
Jake, my business partner at Explorer X, and I will frequently grab a coffee and replay the same conversation about our travelers: If we were to ask anyone sitting there if they wanted an extraordinary – potentially life-changing – travel experience that helps them see their world differently, causing them to take new and inspired actions in their lives, 100% of them would say YES.
The challenge?
Nobody has the time. Including, it would appear, me.
People – you and me and just about everyone else we know – are deep into our careers, planning weddings, having children, sprinting through our day, and limping home from the office with no energy left to put into preparing for an upcoming trip.
The thing is, it’s not that we don’t want to be mindful travelers. It’s just really hard for many of us to take (or make) time out of our already over-booked schedules for thinking, reading, journaling, and vulnerable conversations.
But we also know this: Every single moment of preparation provides an exponential return for our Journey and for our lives.
When we set aside an hour or two before we travel to download and listen to a language course or buy a book or watch a video, sit down for an hour with our travel mentor, or answer the 5 Questions with our travel companion, not only do we have a more mindful and meaningful experience but a more exciting and engaging one, as well!
One final note here: I know that when many people think about a mindful (or ‘intentional) travel experience, they expect a lot of navel-gazing, tears, hard work, emotional stress, and more … all in the hopes of some long-sought breakthrough.
But I challenge that thinking — Being intentional about travel doesn’t necessarily mean being intense.
Being intentional can mean purposefully leaning into your creativity and curiosity more when you travel; it can mean being more playful and present with your kids; it can mean thoughtfully finding time for intimate moments with your partner.
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Now, as I reflect on my trip to Chile, I find myself wondering what has (or will) come from it … and what could have been if I had brought more mindfulness and intention to the Journey. In all honesty, the answer is very much TBD. I’ve traveled enough to know that oftentimes, the SPARK – Shift in Perspectives, Awareness, Reconnection, and/or Knowledge – that we look for to inspire us into action can take days, weeks, even months to reveal itself.
In the meantime, I’ll keep processing and reflecting on my adventures, jotting down thoughts and ideas, and waiting for the SPARK to ignite.
As I think ahead to my next adventure, I am recommitting to listening to my own lectures and mindfully engaging with the practices that I hold so dear, that I believe in with every ounce of my being, and that I know are so simple yet immeasurably profound.
My invitation to you, Traveler, is to do the same.
As you are thinking about, preparing for, and heading out on your next adventure, there are a lot of things that feel important. But if you do nothing else, I invite you to commit to these three practices.
Answer ‘The 5 Questions’
Why are you going on this adventure? What is calling you to go on this Journey?
What do you want to have or feel at the end of this Journey that you don’t have or feel now?
What questions, opportunities, and/or challenges would you love clarity around?
How are you going to BE on this Journey?
What will you DO to make the most of this Journey?
(Bonus points if you set a mantra for this trip.)
Travel like a HERO
Humble: Be mindful and respectful; you are a guest in another land
Engaged: Practice curiosity; push your comfort zones; be present
Resilient: Go with the flow; understand that everything isn’t going to be perfect
Open-Minded: To the people, ideas, and beliefs that you encounter along the way
(Shout out to the Transformational Travel Council for that ^ gem!)
Find Mindful Moments
Find time every day — even 5 minutes! — for a ‘Mindful Moment.’ This could be meditation, prayer, journaling, creative arts, or having a powerful conversation. It might be simply sitting in nature and appreciating the beauty. No matter the practice, choose something that works for you, something that you can mindfully make time for every day.
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When you engage with these practices, you are answering the call to your transformational travel experience – one where you travel deeply, connect to new people, places, and perspectives, and come home a more compassionate, more informed, and more understanding global citizen.
At Explorer X, we invite all of our travelers to participate in both the Inner and the Outer Journey as the HERO of their own lives.
Ready to answer your call to adventure? Share your email below for inspiration, travel news, and insights, or reach out to one of our Travel Designers.