Deeply Appreciate your Travel Experiences
How do you deeply Appreciate your travel?
Short answer: Experience it with Mindful Clarity. Travel exposes you to new scenery and ideas. Tune in with the help of mindfulness!
Short answer: Experience it with Mindful Clarity. Travel exposes you to new scenery and ideas. Tune in with the help of mindfulness!
- Fully use your senses
- Appreciate things directly
- Be aware of your preconceived notions and biases
- Be open to the unexpected
Distractions
How do mental distractions dilute your experience? If you're worrying about missing a connection, or stewing about a closed attraction, you're probably missing something interesting. You're certainly not having a fun experience! What do you do when you realize you're stressing? It might be good to stop, sit and breathe, be mindful, and calm down. (Even if the situation is disrupting your visit or spoiling your plans, most of us don't problem-solve very well when stressed.)
Many times my wife will become tired while trudging around a foreign city. I usually have lots of places I'd like to see. It would be easy for me to be irritated. Instead, I've found that letting go of plans is best.
On one trip we were walking around central Vienna near the Stephansplatz. My wife was hot and tired and needed to rest. I spotted a cafe that served ice cream (she loves it), so we took a table and ordered. Only then did I notice the family groups, the grandparents with grand-kids, the students studying, and the lovers relaxing and chatting. What was only just scenery up until then was part of the summertime lifestyle in this busy world capital. As we people-watched, I started to sense the pace, culture, and even relaxation.
Out of Your Ordinary
One important aspect of mindfulness is letting go of our usual stream of thoughts. We all have are normal ways of thinking, acting, and solving problems. Travel is an ideal antidote to such behavior. What I like about mindful travel is stopping to notice how different people in different cultures and places think differently from our way. I notice the mental chatter, and let go of the commentary.
Mindfulness can remind us to suspend judgment. We can see our thoughts and let go of the notion that our way is the "right" way.
China Teaches Me a Lesson
As we traveled the expressway pass the “Bird Nest” Stadium, I was fascinated by the hundreds and hundreds of workers that were laying precast sidewalk tiles, and planting trees. It was all done by manual labor, hand tools and push carts! To my American eyes, it seemed extremely inefficient.
I leaned forward and commented to our guide, Mr Ye, that in Mei-Guo (America) we would have a much smaller work crew, but use tractors, cement mixers, and machinery. He nodded, familiar with our methods. But he explained in his country, the emphasis was creating jobs. If these people didn't work, they would have a hard time feeding their families. I sat back in my seat, realizing I had been listening to my American "filter."
Travel can humble you, because it will teach that your views are not always correct or appropriate.
---------------------------------------
Coronavirus Disclaimer
Of course, in these days of Wuhan Covid-19, I don't suggest booking travel immediately. Be "mindful" of risk factors (State Department Advisory). Once the Coronavirus caution has passed, you will again remember your bucket list of lifetime goals and want to travel again.
(If you haven't see my previous post on Covid-19, take a look. I continue to monitor multiple sources: State Department, CDC, and many Travel Industry sites.)
Eventually ... you will again think about travel. Please visit my website: https://sites.google.com/view/mindfultraveler/
Is Travel is over? Economic Disaster looms? See my analysis and predictions in a Special Edition: Travel and CoronaVirus, in The Mindful Traveler: https://travel-mindful.blogspot.com/2020/03/special-edition-travel-and-corona-virus.html
Comments
Post a Comment