Travelling can be stressful, especially for those new to the experience. Mindful travel helps travelers stay in the moment and enjoy the journey. Mindful travel will give you the experience of a lifetime, with memories you can keep forever.
Since 2015 I have had the opportunity to travel around the world. With the experience of visiting over 90 countries, I have learnt to slow down, reflect, connect and have an authentic travelling experience being a mindful traveler.
Practice Mindfulness While You Travel.
There are several ways to practice mindfulness while you travel. One way is to note how you feel as you move through different environments. Another way is to focus on the things you see around you. Try to notice details such as colours, textures, shapes, sounds, smells, tastes, and people.
When you travel, try to be aware of what you are experiencing every moment. If you get caught up in thoughts, bring your attention back to the present moment. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Take note of the people you meet and the places you visit. Be mindful of the journey itself.
Being mindfulness and travel means being conscious of your surroundings. It doesn’t mean ignoring everything around you; instead, it means noticing what you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think. Doing so allows you to enjoy each trip moment without letting it pass you by. You are a mindful traveler!
Here’s how to make Mindful Travel happen.
To practice mindfulness while travelling, try these five tips:
1. Take time to connect with Beauty and Nature around you
2. Start a Travel Journal
3. Avoid social media
4. Ditch the digital camera for analogue
5. Eat mindfully and try new things
When we travel, we often get caught up in our thoughts and worries. We might be thinking about what we’ll eat at dinner, whether we’ll find a place to stay, or if we’ll see anything interesting along the way. These are valid concerns, but they can easily distract us from enjoying the moment. If you want to enjoy your trip, try practising mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to the present moment without judgment. You can learn more about mindfulness here.
1. Take Time to Connect with Beauty and Nature Around You.
If you’re looking to travel more often, consider taking some time to appreciate the beauty of the places you visit. Whether visiting a new city or country or just exploring a familiar one, there’s something special about every place we go.
Travelling is beautiful, but sometimes it can be easy to forget what makes each destination unique. When you take the time to look around, you’ll notice things you would never have seen before. For example, if you’re travelling to a new city, you might notice the architecture, the people, and the culture. Or if you’re visiting a foreign country, you might notice the language, the food, and the customs. Whatever you choose to focus on, remember there’s always something beautiful to see and learn about wherever you go.
If you want to appreciate where you are genuine, try taking some time to observe the beauty around you. Whether at home or away, you can use your senses to discover new details about your surroundings. For instance, if you’re at home, you can close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature outside. Or if you’re on vacation, you can open your eyes and look around. Notice the colours, shapes, textures, and smells. And if you’re lucky enough to visit a place with a lot of natural beauty, you can get lost in the sights and sounds.
2. Start a Mindful Travel Journal
If you want to keep your mind focused on what’s happening right now, try writing down your thoughts as soon as you wake up. Putting pen to paper helps you get into the habit of being present in the moment. As you go about your day, you’ll be able to remember essential details from your trip without relying on your memory. And if you find yourself getting distracted by unimportant thoughts, you can cross them off your list.
When you want a mindful travel experience, you should always carry a journal with you—writing down your experiences while you away allow you to reflect on your journey later. You can write about your favourite places, people, and memories. Or you can jot down notes about your travels. You can also record your observations about the country’s culture, language, and customs.
Suppose you want to be mindful while travelling. Try writing down your thoughts and feelings. Journaling helps you process what you see, feel, and learn during your trip. It’s a great way to remember and share your experiences with others.
3. Avoid social media
Mindful travel should be free from distraction. You should disconnect from social media. Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat are filled with pictures of friends, family, and vacation destinations. Unfortunately, many people use these sites to post photos of themselves and their surroundings. This makes it easy for people who follow them to see where they’ve been and what they’ve done. Disconnect, unwind and have a journey with mindfulness.
4. Ditch the digital camera for analogue
When you travel, you should take analogue photos instead of digital ones. Digital cameras allow you to capture images quickly and easily and store information about every photo you take. This means you can look back at your photos years after taking them. However, analogue images are much harder to edit and manipulate. They require more work and patience. Plus, they’re less likely to be stored digitally than digital photos.
So why ditch digital for analogue for mindful travel? With each analogue mage comes a memory, a precision and a present moment. Sure we can take 100 photos of the same thing on our phones, or we can have one image we mindfully took, considered and reflected on.
I recommend you take a polaroid camera with you when you travel; you get an instant imperfect memory you can cherish forever. I own this Polaroid GO Instant Mini Camera, and it goes with me everywhere. When I get home, I make collages of my journey with the photos and hang them in my home.
5. Eat Mindfully and try new things
When you travel, eating is one way to experience new cultures and traditions. Try to slow down and savour each bite. Pay attention to the taste, texture, and smell of your food. Try to notice everything you can about the meal you’re eating. This will help you appreciate the food you’re eating and enjoy it more.
If you find yourself distracted while eating, try to focus on what’s happening around you instead of thinking about something else. You might be surprised at how much better you’ll feel after you’ve eaten if you take the time to concentrate on the food you’re eating. We have a handy guide on mindful eating habits if you want to learn more.
Final Thoughts
Be the mindful traveler you want to be. Go out and have a unique and present travel experience.
