Mindful Travel Tips To Reduce Stress

Mindful Travel Tips To Reduce Stress

Ever felt stressed when travelling? You’re not alone. We all experience different levels of stress when travelling. This could be travelling to visit family, for leisure or for work. 

To help out we’ve curated helpful Travel Tips from our favourite Mindful Travellers around the globe.  

Mindful Travel Tips Nikki Novoselsky

Nikki Novoselsky – Oh, the Places You’ll Flow

World Nomad, Energy Intuitive, & Mindfulness Mentor

Meditation

Traveling can be overwhelming. There are so many moving parts…where to stay, what to do, where to eat, how to make friends…the list goes on and on. It’s so important for me to calm the mind and tune into the body to melt the barrage of intrusive thoughts. By slowing down the breath and focusing on my inhales and exhales, I am able to come back to my truest self and find a sense of peace. I try to carry this peace and clarity with me throughout the day. You can also chuck on the free meditation app “Insight Timer” for some guided meditations. Love starting my mornings listening to abundance affirmations!
 

Journaling

I love setting a timer for 10-15 minutes, opening up a word document, and then typing every single thought that comes up. This helps me clear my head and gives me space to understand where my mind is at. Often, I am typing so fast that I am able to get “lightbulb moments” of clarity that help me see situations differently. By writing out my thoughts, it helps rid my mind of any worries, stress and anxiety. 
 

Energy Clearing

Pranic healing is the practice of tuning into energy and clearing out any negativities. While traveling, it’s easy to encounter many different people and situations that deplete our energy. As a practicing Pranic healer, I’m able to feel into which of my chakras are depleted and help restore them. This helps balance my energy throughout the day. I also love lighting sage and palo santo to help lift my spirits.  
Mindful Travel Tips Jill On Journey

Gilian Manassee – Jill On Journey

Inspiration on Sustainable Travel

Embrace the art of slow travel 

In our excitement for travel, we tend to cram as many places as possible into a trip. Eventually, after rushing from one place to another, we end up exhausted. Slowing down allows us to be more mindful, and to connect more deeply with ourselves as well as our destination. This doesn’t necessarily mean traveling longer, but spending more time in one place and experiencing it more deeply. I fell in love with this kind of travel.

Be mindful of your impact 

While it’s one of the most beautiful things to travel and to see different countries and cultures, it’s important to treat our destinations wisely. By respecting religious sites, supporting local businesses, using public transport whenever it’s possible, and causing as little waste as possible, you can leave a lighter footprint. When you’re aware of how you treat your environment, people and animals you’re more mindful on your travels.

Have a morning ritual

My early morning walks by the shore of Lake Como helped me to start my day with the right mindset when I spent a month there earlier this year. Depending on your location, try to develop your own morning ritual, such as going for a run in the mountains or jumping into the lake for swimming. By starting your day differently than you do at home, you can truly appreciate the different surroundings you’re in.

Take some time to meditate

When I travel, I always bring a mat to take a few minutes in the morning or in the evening to meditate or practice yoga. This way, I can recharge and appreciate the landscape, culture, and freedom surrounding me. Just a few calm minutes a day can make such a huge difference in terms of mindfulness.

Ashley Van Dyne – Ayurvedic Wellness Counsellor

Create your most vibrant life through Yoga and Ayurveda

Nadi Shodhana

Alternate nostril breathing. I used to have a pretty intense fear of flying but I found that when I spent some time down-regulating my nervous system before a flight, I was able to calm my mind and my fears.  This simple breathing practice is a go-to for me and one that I usually do while waiting to board or once I’m on the plane before take-off. 

To do Nadi Shodhana: Sit comfortably with a tall spine.  Close your eyes and start to breathe slowly and deeply.  When you feel settled, use the thumb of your right hand to gently cover the right nostril just below the bridge of the nose. Inhale slowly through the left nostril.  Cover your left nostril with your ring finger as you release the right nostril and exhale slowly through the right nostril.  Inhale through the right nostril, switch fingers again, and exhale slowly and completely through your left nostril. Repeat for 8-10x.  Release your hand down.  Rest softly for a moment and be aware of how you feel.  Open your eyes gently when you are ready.

Hydrate

Air travel is very drying and depleting from an Ayurvedic perspective.  One way to counter that is to be sure you are drinking enough water. Bring a reusable water bottle with you and fill it up with filtered water before your flight.  I aim for at least a liter of water/2-3 hr flight.  I also welcome the extra trip to the bathroom as an excuse to get up and stretch my legs!

Mindful Travel Kit

Bring a travel kit with you that includes things that will nourish, hydrate, and soothe while you are on your plane.  Mine includes several tea bags (peppermint, chamomile, and licorice are favorites), lavender essential oils, CBD tincture, ear plugs and eye mask for longer flights, and chocolate to add sweetness to my travels, plus a snack or two. I keep it all in a small make-up bag so it’s easy to take out and keep in the seat pocket rather than rummaging through my carry-on.  It also helps to me to feel like I can create a little ritual around my travel and I love that!

Paulina On The Road

Outdoor & Sustainable Travel Expert

First hour of the morning is for me

I am a long-term traveler. This means that I stay longer than only a couple of months in a place. Sometimes this can be overwhelming especially in the first days when you still don’t have a routine. That’s why I always take the first hour after waking up for myself. I go for a long walk to explore the neighbourhood, go for a run or just sit at a beautiful place such as a park or a beach and meditate for 15 minutes. Depending on which destination you stay in, there is a large expat and digital nomad community. This often means that there are yoga gatherings that you can join for a small fee. It’s also a great way to meet new people.
 

Reduce coffee intake

When I am about to travel, I reduce the amount of coffee I drink before the trip. While coffee is great to stay active during the day or when you have a lot of work to do, I didn’t find it very beneficial when I was traveling. It would make me more nervous and I would end up forgetting to pack important things. It also prevents me from sleeping on the plane or in the train. Hence I recommend stopping your caffeine intake one day before you travel.
 

Have a long walk with my dog Ketchup before traveling

I love having a long walk with my dog before starting a trip. It helps me to move my legs because probably I’ll be sitting quietly for a couple of hours. Even though when I cannot fit in a workout, at least a walk with my dog will help me get some exercise. It is also the perfect moment to reflect if I have everything set for the upcoming trip.
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