Maybe you’re a mindfulness guru at home but you let it slide when you’re travelling, maybe you’ve tried meditation once or twice but it’s never quite stuck, or maybe you think it’s all a load of rubbish. Whatever your opinion, here are some of the ways that incorporating mindfulness and meditation exercises into your trip can help to make it even more amazing!
Maybe you’re a mindfulness guru at home but you let it slide when you’re travelling, maybe you’ve tried meditation once or twice but it’s never quite stuck, or maybe you think it’s all a load of rubbish. Whatever your opinion, here are some of the ways that incorporating mindfulness and meditation exercises into your trip can help to make it even more amazing!
Travel and mental wellbeing
If you’re reading this, chances are you already know that travel is fantastic for mental wellbeing, increasing mental stimulation, empathy and life satisfaction. However, travelling can also be a stressful time, when you may be dealing with a fear of the unknown, homesickness and unexpected situations. Having the tools to cope may give relief to some of these negative emotions, so that you can concentrate on having a good time.
Give yourself a routine
So, you’re finally getting that well-deserved break from the everyday grind. An adventure goes hand in hand with late nights partying with new friends and early mornings exploring new places. But this, paired with hangovers, overnight buses and long-haul flights, can sometimes leave our mind and bodies feeling a little out of whack.
Finding a time every day to meditate can give you back a sense of routine during the chaos and give you the space to recognise when you might be overdoing it. Meditation can also boost energy, improve the quality of your sleep and help with resetting your body clock so that you can recover from jet lag faster.
Cope better in a crisis
One of the great things about being on a group tour is that so much of the logistics are taken care of for you. And, if all else fails, you have a knowledgeable and level-headed trip manager to offer support. In the event that something does go wrong; your luggage gets lost, you miss a flight, or you lose your group; practicing daily meditation and mindfulness may better prepare you and prevent unhelpful panic.
Meditation can give us tools to apply in stressful situations, such as grounding exercises and concentrating on the breath. By being able to maintain a sense of calm you will be less likely to catastrophise and be much better at making the rational next steps. Meditating can also boost concentration and organisation in both our thoughts and our daily life, making us less likely to make silly mistakes like forgetting essential items.
Give yourself a break
Most experiences during your adventures will be shaped by the people you shared it with. Those first hellos and those unwanted goodbyes will be some of the best and worst things about your trip. If you’re used to spending a lot of time alone (like most of us after a pandemic), sometimes it might feel like your social battery is running a little dry. Sharing your space with roommates, group dynamics and missing friends and family can feel a little draining after a while. Taking just 10 minutes for yourself everyday might be just what you need to come back feeling refreshed and better able to connect with new travel buddies.
Savour every second
Most importantly, you have booked your latest trip so that you can have an amazing experience. However, even on a once in a lifetime trip, we can get complacent and forget to appreciate where we are. It can be hard to remain completely present when there is so much going on. Practicing mindfulness can help you to be more in touch with your surroundings, increasing your connection to the people you are with and the places you have dreamed of seeing for so long.
Travel and mental wellbeing
Chances are you already know that travel is fantastic for mental wellbeing, increasing mental stimulation, empathy and life satisfaction. However, travelling can also be a stressful time, when you may be dealing with a fear of the unknown, homesickness and unexpected situations. Having the tools to cope may give relief to some of these negative emotions, so that you can concentrate on having a good time.
Give yourself a routine
So, you’re finally getting that well-deserved break from the everyday grind. An adventure goes hand in hand with late nights partying with new friends and early mornings exploring new places. But this, paired with hangovers, overnight buses and long-haul flights, can sometimes leave our mind and bodies feeling a little out of whack.
Finding a time every day to meditate can give you back a sense of routine during the chaos and give you the space to recognise when you might be overdoing it. Meditation can also boost energy, improve the quality of your sleep and help with resetting your body clock so that you can recover from jet lag faster.
Cope better in a crisis
One of the great things about being on a group tour is that so much of the logistics are taken care of for you. And, if all else fails, you have a knowledgeable and level-headed trip manager to offer support. In the event that something does go wrong; your luggage gets lost, you miss a flight, or you lose your group; practicing daily meditation and mindfulness may better prepare you and prevent unhelpful panic.
Meditation can give us tools to apply in stressful situations, such as grounding exercises and concentrating on the breath. By being able to maintain a sense of calm you will be less likely to catastrophize and be much better at making the rational next steps. Meditating can also boost concentration and organisation in both our thoughts and our daily life, making us less likely to make silly mistakes like forgetting essential items.
Give yourself a break
Most experiences during your adventures will be shaped by the people you shared it with. Those first hellos and those unwanted goodbyes will be some of the best and worst things about your trip. If you’re used to spending a lot of time alone (like most of us after a pandemic), sometimes it might feel like your social battery is running a little dry. Sharing your space with roommates, group dynamics and missing friends and family can feel a little draining after a while. Taking just 10 minutes for yourself everyday might be just what you need to come back feeling refreshed and better able to connect with new travel buddies.
Savour every second
Most importantly, you have booked your latest adventure so that you can have an amazing experience. However, even on a once in a lifetime trip, we can get complacent and forget to appreciate where we are. It can be hard to remain completely present when there is so much going on. Practicing mindfulness can help you to be more in touch with your surroundings, increasing your connection to the people you are with and the places you have dreamed of seeing for so long.