• the journey
  • online outdoors
  • hikes & events
  • photos
  • blog
  • about me
  • contact
jason journeyman
  • the journey
  • online outdoors
  • hikes & events
  • photos
  • blog
  • about me
  • contact
jason journeyman

Travel Light

8/21/2014
"When you travel lightly, you're freer, less burdened, less tired. This applies to life, not just travel." ~Leo Babauta, ZenHabits.net
Staying home is easy, it's familiar, it's what you know. Your bed, your pillow, your neighborhood, your friends. Go ahead and build that nest around you. It's the support and foundation you need to push yourself to new heights.

Travel is also important. It gets you out of your comfort zone. You meet new people, learn about new cultures, taste new cuisines. You see life from a different perspective, and hopefully it changes your own perspective as a result.

But like many things in the digital age, travel also creates a mindfulness dilemma. Everybody's carrying a device in their pocket that has the ability to take pictures and immediately share them with the world. Instead of telling your friends about your trip when you get home, you can tell them in real-time. 

It's truly groundbreaking, but it's also a burden. Constantly connecting to the digital world when you could be exploring the real world is like lugging around an extra heavy suitcase.

Every time you pause to post a status update about your experience, you're stopping that experience in its tracks. When you're physically in an exciting new locale - relaxing on a tropical beach, exploring a beautiful city, spending quality time with family and friends - why would you want to mentally be somewhere else?

Mindfulness isn't something you only practice at home or at work, it's a way of being. Travel is perhaps the most important place to find mindfulness. 

I'm not saying you should never post an update from your vacation. In fact, post as much and as freely as you want. Just avoid social media when it takes away from the experience itself.

I choose to travel light. I'll make a conscious effort to stay in the moment. Sure, I'll post a Facebook/Twitter/Instagram update from time to time, that's the age we live in, but never at the expense of my experience. 

If you really want to relax when you travel, then be there... live, in person, wherever you are with whomever you're with. Explore your new surroundings with all your heart. Soak up every moment. Make it count. You can always log on and share the moment with your friends later.
travel light airplane sunset ocean passport europe asia airline zen mindfulness
Comments
    Access Octomono Masonry Settings

    blog search


    author

    My name is Jason Wise. Life's all about the journey, man. Find me on  Instagram  and Facebook.


    archives

    May 2020
    April 2020
    April 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014


    categories

    All
    About Me
    Balance
    Change
    Cosmos
    Digital World
    Hope
    Journeyman
    Love
    Mindful
    Mindful Activity
    Mindful Advocate
    Mindful Movies
    Mindful Recommendations
    Monthly Challenge
    Music
    Nature
    Nerdy
    Pics
    Poems
    Practice
    Published Elsewhere
    Quotes
    Reaction
    Relationships
    Social Media
    Urban Disconnection


    subscribe

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

     Subscribe in a RSS reader