For those of us that live to travel, losing pretty much an entire year of being able to do so hit us hard. I think that even if you don’t have that intense passion for travel as I do – most of us enjoy getting away – at the very least once a year – for say, an annual summer vacation. And even that was taken away from a large percentage of us. What I discovered the past few months for not only myself but for the many of you that I have talked with as we start planning your return to travel is that the end result is that now that we realize how unexpectedly the freedom to travel can be stripped away from us – we vow never take it for granted again. And so, my friends – my message today is really quite simple – and based on the events of the past years upheaval in the travel industry. Travel the world while you can.
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Time Is of The Essence
You know it. I know it. Life is short. One day you are awaiting the birth of your first child and the next you are sending your youngest off to college. With all that we have going on in our busy lives it seems that travel takes a back burner for many of us. We all have that list of cities, countries and even continents that are on our “list” of places we want to see. And along with that list we have excuses why we aren’t booking those trips. Things like – I’ll go when I’m more settled in my career or when I have extra money or when the kids are older or when I retire – this list could go on and on. And yes – there’s an extremely high likelihood that the destination you are dreaming of will still be there – but why wait? Why is it that so many of us deny ourselves the one thing we often need the most – a vacation, an adventure, a break from our routines? That answer is going to be different for each of you, but my feeling is that when you have within your soul a destination you feel you must see before you leave this earth, don’t put it off. Go. Enjoy. And then plan your next destination when you return. And the next one after that. There are so many amazing places to see across the globe – if you want to see the world – make it a priority – not an afterthought.
There Are No Age Requirements
I started traveling at a young age, continued traveling as I grew up, through my young adult years right on up until this very moment. And I will continue traveling through middle age, as a senior citizen – right up until the day I leave this earth. My point? Travel the world no matter what age you are. You are never too young or too old to start exploring the world around you. And I think – actually I know – that at each stage in your life – travel will affect you differently. The experiences you have in a strange new land when you are a teenager – take on a different meaning when you are older and grayer. (Which when you think about it – pretty much goes for everything in life – not just travel.) From the people you meet, the cultures you are introduced to, the foods you sample, the activities you take part in – all will affect you in some form or another. They may change the way you have perceived other cultures history and traditions. They may give you an appreciation for a food you never thought you would try – let alone enjoy. They may open your eyes to a new way of doing things. They may – hopefully- release you of long held prejudices against those that are different from you. Let’s be honest – there are hundreds of different ways travel can positively change and shape you. But it will. And you are never too young or too old to gain new perspectives and make affirmative and often life altering changes.
Be Intentional In Your Travel
Are you in good health today? Have a steady income? Have vacation or personal time accrued? Then what are you waiting for? You already know things can change in the blink of an eye. If you are able to travel – do it now. Make it your intention to travel and then do it. And when you are traveling be intentional in that as well. How? Don’t be thinking about your job or the weather back home or whatever else is going on where you are not. Clear your mind, open your eyes and ears and take in every single minute of every single day when you are visiting somewhere you have never been before. Trust me – worrying about things back home is not going to stop them from happening – plus 99% of the things we worry about never do happen. So just let it all go and immerse yourself in where you are, what you are learning, who you are meeting, what you are tasting – all of it – be intentional and the wonders of the experience as well as the memories you create – will stay with you a lifetime.
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My friends there are so many reasons to travel the world while you can. No one knows what tomorrow is going to bring – the pandemic was a pretty rude awakening to that fact. You know that old saying “don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today?” It applies to travel too. Trust me – and then contact me to start planning your next adventure and travel the world while you can!
Yours in Travel,
Thia
