“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
— Marcel Proust
I recently returned home from a wonderful trip, and I have been reflecting on what it is that I love so much about traveling—and how I might bring some of that joy, wonder, and aliveness that I experience when traveling into everyday life.
The truth is, we are all travelers. We are all moving through life and around this beautiful planet each day. Here are some lessons from my travels and thoughts on how to make each day an adventure.
Lessons From a Fellow Traveler
When I travel, I feel the anticipation and excitement of something new. What will I see today? What will I learn? What unexpected adventure awaits? There is something so enlivening about stepping into the unknown, seeing things for the first time, and allowing myself to be surprised by what the day will bring.
And yet, I realize that I do not have to be on vacation to live this way. Each day offers something new to notice, learn, and experience. I just have to adopt that mindset each day rather than move about my day as if nothing is new.
When I travel, I pay close attention. I notice the landscape, the architecture, the food, the culture, the rhythm of a place. I become more open, more curious, more interested in what is right in front of me. Travel reminds me that I can bring this same quality of presence into my life at home by slowing down and meeting ordinary life with a childlike sense of curiosity and interest.
When I travel, I also love the quality time I spend with the people I am lucky enough to be with. Travel pulls us out of our routines. We step away from our schedules and our distractions. We put down our phones. We walk together, eat together, wonder together. We have time for deeper conversations and more genuine connection.
But this, too, is a choice available to us every day. We can choose to slow down. We can choose to be fully present with the people we love. We can choose to put down our phones. We can choose to make time for deep connection.
Another gift of travel is that it pulls us out of the familiar loops of daily life—our routines, our “to-do” lists, our worries, our habitual ways of thinking. It offers a different perspective. It reminds us that there is a much bigger world beyond the small circle of our concerns.
While this may come more easily when we are away, it is still possible at home. We can step out of the repetitive loops of the mind, our routines, and habits, and into a larger experience of life. We can make small changes like trying a new route, tasting something unfamiliar, meeting someone new, or simply allowing ourselves to be where we are more fully instead of rushing to the next thing.
Travel also makes me especially aware that time is finite. When I am away, I know exactly how many days I have left in my trip, and so I am more intentional. I savor things more. I slow down to enjoy them. I take better care of myself. I fill my days with things that matter to me. I know how precious time is.
Of course, this is also true of life itself. We do not always live with that awareness, but remembering the finitude of our time here can help us live more fully and more intentionally. It can remind us to take good care of ourselves, to spend time with the people we love, and to orient our lives around what matters most.
When I travel, I also love to observe people—walking, commuting, eating, laughing, singing, celebrating, and simply living. It reminds me of our shared humanity. It reminds me to live joyfullytoo each day, just as I do on vacation.
And finally, when I travel, I feel deeply connected to the planet itself. To stand before the ocean, the mountains, a wide-open sky, or a landscape utterly unlike my own is to remember how astonishing this Earth is. Travel reminds me that this planet is not just the backdrop of my life. It is living, vast, mysterious, and sacred. I am a small part of it. And this evokes awe, connection, and ease.
The beautiful thing is that this connection is available at home, too. We can watch the flowers blooming outside our window, notice the leaves returning to the trees, gaze up at the sky, and remember that we are part of something extraordinary.
Traveling Through Life Each Day
And now I am home—back to routines, responsibilities, and the familiar ways of moving through my days. It is easy to forget these lessons. Easy to get pulled back into plans, worries, stress, roles, and the self-created identities. This is where mindfulness comes in.
Yesterday, I was in NYC and I decided to bring this traveler mindset to my day. Instead of hurrying around the city to my next appointment, I became a tourist, like so many tourists currently in New York. I wanted to see the city like them – just as I did when I was traveling. I practiced “beginners mind” as I walked down 5th Avenue among a crowd of visitors. Instead of looking down, moving quickly and being annoyed by the slow walkers craning their necks to take it all in, I looked up and around, I slowed down, and I appreciated where I was and what I was seeing – the cherry blossoms, incredible architecture, and interesting people all around me. It was beautiful. I was in awe of this city. I could see it with fresh eyes and a new appreciation for being there.
In this way, mindfulness helps us slow down and brings us out of the trance of self-preoccupation and back into direct relationship with life. Into the body. Into the breath. Into the sounds around us. Into the presence of other people. Into the beauty of the earth. Into the moment, which is always so much bigger than our thoughts about it.
Mindfulness helps us notice what is already true: that we are connected, that we belong, that we are participants in something much larger than ourselves, that life is full and beautiful!
This may be one of the reasons travel can feel so nourishing—even transformative. At its best, travel interrupts our habits of mind. It invites wonder. It expands perspective. It humbles us. It wakes us up. It reminds us that there is so much more here than the small world we so often live inside.
It reminds us that we are not separate. We are part of an ancient and ongoing human story. We are part of this beautiful, living planet. We belong to something vast and shared. And when we remember that our hearts soften. We become more curious, more humble, more grateful, more compassionate. We wake up to the miracle of being here.
For me, this is one of the deepest gifts of both travel and mindfulness practice. I remember that I am always a traveler. A visitor. A student of life. A small but meaningful part of a much larger whole. And when I remember that I can meet each day with more wonder, more awe, more presence, and more ease as I make my way through this journey of life.
I wish you all a safe, exciting, joyful, and meaningful journey today, and every day!
On we go!
Cheryl
