Simple steps you can take now to travel more
When I first started traveling nearly 30 years ago, I used to think the magic formula to being able to travel more was all about having a ton of money. It fits the story many of us are told from a young age: success brings wealth and wealth brings freedom. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my travels, it’s that the truth is much simpler than this: success is all about your mindset and the good news is that that’s something we all have control over.
A simple shift in mindset to tell yourself that traveling more isn’t a “one day” or a “when I get rich” goal, but that it’s something you can and will do now makes all the difference. Over the coming days I’m going to share some of the simple changes in mindset I’ve made over the years that have enabled me to travel more and hope they’ll also help you to start thinking of “more travel” not as a goal to work on but as something you’re already actively working on doing.
I’m writing this post from a small overwater luxury bungalow in Bora Bora. For years I traveled and told myself that I don’t enjoy relaxing. I don’t enjoy beach vacations. I don’t enjoy islands…and when you tell yourself that it becomes your reality.
This trip is pretty much the antithesis of the travel style I’ve followed for years, but as I keep searching for new experiences and stories beyond 193 countries I’m running into more and more isolated islands groups begging to be explored. So…I opened my thinking and decided to spend two weeks in Polynesia.
The first step was quite easy. I wanted to go back to Micronesia and the Marshall Islands because they’re two countries I felt I didn’t do justice to on my first visits. I had a friend who wanted to come with me, and “relaxing” destinations seemed much more interesting with someone to share them with. The takeaway is simple: “can’t” and “don’t” are powerful words that prevent us from growing. Once you change them to “how” a lot of doors open.
So, come with me on a ride as I explore this region in a way my mind wouldn’t have been open to recently. Along the way I’ll share some of the tips that have helped me to reset my mind set and hope they enable you to also get to a place where you think of all the ways you can travel more now and not the long list of reasons you’ve always told yourself you can’t or won’t.