New Year’s resolutions are for sissies
Adopt these 10 travel mantras for the New Year instead
New Year’s Resolutions tend to be lofty goals that no one can keep more than a week. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about getting 2014 off to the right foot. A fresh start is exactly what I need. But instead of eating less and exercising more, I’m making it a goal to follow my passion for travel unabashedly. So with that, I have developed a list of travel mantras for the coming year.
1. I will never say, “Someday.” I’ve never heard about anyone on their deathbed declaring that they should have worked harder or saved more money. The time to go is now. Life is too short.
2. I will follow my dreams. I am never going to make a billion dollars as a travel writer and photographer, but I will be enriched by the places I go, the people I meet and the things I learn along the way.
In the Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the main character has an active imagination, but only starts to live when he follows his dreams. / Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
3. I will choose happiness. A friend of my told me recently: “I hate where I am at and need to move on.” And now she’s hoping to find work overseas in a place she’s always wanted to visit. Taking the first step is scary, but life-long happiness is worth the risk.
4. I will be kind to the planet. We can do our best to take only pictures, steal only time, leave only footprints. But in reality, tourism can be detrimental. I vow to be more mindful of the places I go and make sure my activities support, not hurt, the local economy, culture and environment.
5. I will give back. Some of my best travel experiences have come from volunteering abroad. I feel more fulfilled when I can help others. There are all kinds of organization worldwide that could use some of your time and energy. Some even provide for food and lodging in exchange for manpower.
I never would have met some of these great kids without making a commitment to volunteering my time and money on worthwhile projects.
6. I will step out of my comfort zone. There’s some risk and uncertainty involved in trying something for the first time, whether it’s eating at new restaurant or jumping out of a plane. Our lives are dictated by routine, but following it day in and day out doesn’t lead to personal growth. Only after we stretch our mental muscles a little, do we really broaden our perspective.
Here I am getting out of my comfort zone on Huayna Picchu in Peru’s Sacred Valley . . . and conquering a few fears at the same time.
7. I will choose curiosity over fear of the unknown. I admit I still get a little anxious when I arrive in a new place. My head fills with doubt: “What if it’s dangerous? What if I get robbed?” Then, the desire to see what’s out there take over. And once I’m out there, I realize that my fears are mostly unfounded. Sure, I take precautions, such as wearing a hidden money belt, but I don’t let fear keep me from exploring new place.
8. I will pack less. The more I travel, the more I realize I don’t need a lot of stuff. Minimalism is a plus for mobility and flexibility, not to mention cost savings when trying to avoid airline baggage fees.
9. I will learn something. We can learn so much by doing and observing and what better way to do that than while traveling? It exposes us to cultures other than our own and adds context to the historic events we’ve read about in text books, but never managed to absorb or relate to. At the very least, we can learn a few new phrases in another language.
10. I will spend less, travel more. Instead of spending a lot of money on a trip of a lifetime, why not turn frugality into many memorable trips? Save money by traveling at off-peak times, negotiating prices with souvenir vendors and hotel clerks and doing your own cooking.
How to follow your own travel dreams
I recently met a woman, who since the birth of her two daughters, has saved a dollar a day for each kid’s travel fund. Upon turning 14, and with more than $5,000, they can choose where in the world they’d like to go. Her youngest, who reaches that magical milestone this year, has chosen Australia.
If you’re strapped for cash — as most of us are after the money-gobbling holidays — the dollar a day method will eventually bring you closer to that dream vacation you’ve always wanted to take.
If you don’t have the patience to wait 14 years, you can divert your daily Starbucks addiction into the travel fund and brew your own cup of joe at home. Take your lunch to work instead of eating out. Quit smoking. You get the picture!
The key is to plan to go somewhere and start saving for it now. Make it your resolution and you’ll see how easy it is to keep.
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