Do you want to travel mindfully and enrich your travel experience? Would you like to immerse yourself in the present moment? Learning how, is the first step to a mindful travel experience and making the most of your travels.
The good news, is that anyone can do it.
How To Travel Mindfully And Enrich Your Travel Experience
Holidays are an ideal opportunity for us to recharge our batteries, reduce our stress levels and relax. When we travel, we are able to shed any “labels” that might define us in our everyday life giving us a sense of freedom.
With the hectic lifestyles that many of us live, our vacation time is precious and it is imperative that we find every means possible to savour our travel time which is where Mindfulness becomes important.
We know how travel can enrich our minds, let’s face it, we all tend to return from our travels feeling mentally refreshed. But what does it actually mean to travel mindfully? Read on to find out and learn about Mindfulness.
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
“Mindfulness is awareness of the present moment, not the past or present, but the here and now”.
By focusing your awareness on the present moment you are able to acknowledge your thoughts, feelings and body sensations in a calm manner. You are paying attention and are able to deal with things objectively and give thoughts your full attention when they arise.
What Are The Benefits of Mindfulness?
Since the 1970’s, mindfulness has been researched, developed and put into modern day practice with staggeringly positive effect. One of the ways that I have personally witnessed the action of Mindfulness is within the Hospice where I work as an Aromatherapist.
Our palliative patients have benefited immensely from a Mindfulness Program and seen a decrease in their stress, anxiety, pain, loneliness and fear levels and an increase in their quality of life.
They are learning, despite their illness, to live their lives in the present and to notice life happening now, instead of focusing on what is to come in the future.
How Does Mindfulness Alter Your Brain Function
Consider for a moment one day in a typical person’s week. From the minute the alarm goes off, they get out of bed, wash, have breakfast, make lunch, maybe take the kids to school, and continue to their workplace.
This is only the beginning of the day, yet if they were questioned about what they had seen, eaten or experienced during that time, my guess is that their answers would be pretty sketchy.
This is because the reality for most people, myself included, is that we spend an alarming amount of time functioning on autopilot mode.
Your brain is constantly leaping ahead, darting in different directions thinking about things that happened yesterday or things which are yet to happen.
Mindfulness focuses your mind and helps you to live in the present moment.
No matter how long the length of your trip, you want to pay attention to everything happening in the present, not to be constantly checking your emails, social media or wondering about what is happening at work.
So let’s examine some ways that you can use mindfulness techniques when you are travelling.
How To Use Mindfulness To Enrich Your Travel Experience
1. Leave Any Preconceptions At Home
You have planned and booked your holiday and your expectations are high.
The hotel looks classy, the location drool worthy and your time away is going to be amazing. The photos you take, set against the azure blue skies, will be enviable and the flight time is only 6 hours.
But when your flight is delayed the doubts creep in and your brain is suddenly hit with thoughts at both conscious and subconscious levels, changing your ideas and preconceptions.
You begin telling yourself that the holiday will fall short of your expectations, your hotel won’t be as luxurious as it looks in the pictures, and so on ….
These are just thoughts and not representative of the present, or of things in front of you right now.
Start using mindfulness techniques to bring your mind and body into the present moment, enabling you to view the situation in front of you objectively. This way you can consider the here and now instead of being hampered by past memories, pre-conceived ideas and “what ifs”.
When you arrive at your destination, bring your mind and body into the present moment and view what is in front of you objectively. Appreciate things for what they are, not what they are supposed to be like as this is not reality only thoughts.
2. Do Not Be Hampered By Frustration, Anxiety Or Annoyances
Travelling can often beset with problems such as flight delays, traffic jams, missing luggage or lost credit cards. This can happen to any of us at some stage.
If these things occurred when we were at home they might annoy or upset us dragging our emotions down.
Use mindfulness to avoid reacting to these situations and spoiling your travel experience. Realign your prospective and view the problem in the present moment to soften your emotions and reactions.
By viewing the event objectively, you can recognize your thoughts and emotions for what they are then let them go. You do not have to let these thoughts consume you and spoil your day.
3. Be Observant Of Your New Environment
Part of the joy of travelling is seeing somewhere new, experiencing first hand how other people live, their culture, surroundings, food and language.
These things are “new” to us and we notice them more than we would if they were familiar. When we are in familiar surroundings at home, these things cease to be noticed as we experience them on a daily basis.
Thus the magic of them is lost to us. We stop “seeing” them.
To get the most out of your travel experience and notice all the new things around you, cultivate your mindfulness practice so you witness first hand cultural differences, gestures, driving laws, accents and surroundings.
Give significant attention to the newness of everything around you and let your memories be fresh, precise and vivid. Travel mindfully and don’t miss out on any of these new experiences.
Be aware of them and appreciate them.
4. Notice The Small Details
When we are rushing around, thinking about different things and being distracted we are rarely present in the moment, meaning we miss out on seeing things that are in front of us and accepting them for what they truly are.
We need to slow down, switch out of auto-pilot mode and into “present” mode.
When you travel mindfully you see things as they unfold in front of you, noticing sights, sounds, smells and colours and having increased recall of them later.
Continually question yourself about what you are seeing and you will be astounded at what you notice and stop missing out on experiencing.
Place yourself in the moment and present and really look at things intently.
What colour is the sky? Is it clear blue or are there clouds dotted about.
What shape are those clouds? Imagine you are writing in a book and describing what you see in detail.
You will start to notice the small things when you focus by asking questions of yourself.
What herbs can you taste in the pizza, what does the shape of the tree remind you of, what effect does the rain have on the landscape, what colours can you spot in the flowers, where does the cobbled street take you.
While all fleeting moments, they come together and tell a story which make precious memories for you to reminisce about for years to come.
How To Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a “practice” and does not happen miraculously overnight. There is no right or wrong way to practice just the right method that gives results for you personally.
So how do you start and what do you do?
The simplest way to begin is to sit in a straight-backed chair, close your eyes and focus on your breathing as you inhale and exhale. Just observe each breath without expecting anything special to happen.
Your mind may dart in different directions and you will think of different things. When thoughts intrude, acknowledge them, let them float off and guide your awareness back to your body without criticizing yourself.
Mindfulness is not about avoiding thoughts but about acknowledging their presence and the fact that they are transient. Just allow yourself to be, and the mood to be as it is.
Start off with 5 minutes but repeat the practice every day. You may have more success on one day compared to another but the more you practice the easier it will become and the more mindful you will be.
Try and commit to a daily practice even if its only 2 minutes and work your way up. Throughout your day prompt yourself to be mindful of your surroundings and elevate your perception.
Starting to practice Mindfulness at home and establishing a regular routine will provide a great foundation for implementing the techniques when you are travelling. You will find it easier to put mindfulness into practice when you are in unfamiliar surroundings.
The proof will be how automatic you implement the practice each day and are able to be present in the moment.
Extra Tips To Become a Mindful Traveler
1. Don’t Always Have a Rigid Plan.
Normal routines at home are invariably rigid with little room for flexibility and spontaneity. Be sure to leave room and opportunity for simply wandering off the set path.
Let the curiosity within you lead you down that cobbled street, encourage you to listen to that local band, and just sit chatting to a local.
You will end up finding a treasure trove of unexpected sights and experiences.
2. Slow Down and Take Your Time.
Get out of your usual habit of rushing from one task to another, multi-tasking as you go through your day.
When you are on vacation, always be travelling at a speed that you always know where you are.
Take time to really savour the sights you visit as you want to remember every detail of each on when you return home.
Factor some extra time into your itinerary so that you can enjoy the experience and not be simply rushing from one attraction to another.
3. Put Your Camera and Phone Down.
Of course you will want to capture memories by taking some photos, but spend the vast amount of time using your eyes only.
Put your devices down and be at one with the view in front of you.
Take it in fully, immerse yourself in what is in front of you and cherish what you are witnessing first hand.
You will remember far more details this way, and will be being mindful as well.
4. Pause Once In a While.
Get into the habit of stopping yourself every now and then and bringing yourself into the present moment.
Study your surroundings, the food you are eating, the drink you are sipping and pause to really enjoy them.
Mindfulness is a practice don’t forget, not something you do once and assume it will happen automatically.
5. Get In Tune With All Your Senses.
Holidays are all about experiences and making memories. We can all recall certain memories such as the smell of our favourite meal, freshly cut grass and the smell of seaweed on the beach.
These memories are lasting as we have used our “senses” to experience them. Be sure to use all five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
6. Relax!
Don’t forget to set aside time in your itinerary to simply stop, relax, rest and do nothing!
Give your mind a rest too, from the pace of the day.
And if things happen that result in you getting anxious or stressed, take a few minutes to focus on your breathing.
This will help to regulate your emotions and you are then able to recognize fears or worries for what they are, simply thoughts.
7. Keep A Daily Mindful Travel Journal.
When you have a quiet moment or indeed at the end of each day, sit and jot down any thoughts that you have experienced during the day.
This will help you focus on the important moments and by the very act of writing in your journal will help recall your day in a more meaningful manner.
Want To Learn The Art Of Mindful Travel?
If you would like to further your knowledge of Mindfulness, check out these great options that will have you practicing Mindfulness and enriching your future travel experiences. I can fully recommend both of these items!
1. Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World (Mark Williams, Dr Danny Penman)
A book and CD which details a unique programme developed by Oxford University psychologist Professor Mark Williams with colleagues around the world.
The author leads you through easy, simple-to-follow daily practices, which can be incorporated into daily life. By practicing for a few minutes each day, you are able to break the cycle of anxiety, stress and the demands of dealing with modern life.
The focus is on helping ordinary people to find greater levels of happiness and peace whilst reducing levels of anxiety and stress.
Buy Online Here
2. 31 Day Mindfulness Challenge Cards – Take One a Day for a Month of Mindfulness
Our brains need about 30 days to adjust to a new habit which is the goal of these printed cards.
The daily tasks are simple to follow and a fun way to develop a more mindful lifestyle. They also make a great gift for family and friends!
Buy Online Here
So try and stop worrying about what has happened in the past, being afraid of what will happen in the future, and concentrate on NOW. Be present in every precious moment, and enhance both your travel experience and ultimately your life. Travel mindfully every day!
Do you travel mindfully? Is mindfulness something you practice?
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Hi,
Many thanks for the link to my post on Travelling Mindfully! Angela