Oh hey girl, Roxie here again with another travel tip! If you’re one of those travelers who gets overwhelmed in crowds, irritated by flight delays or anxious when it seems like everything that can go wrong does, then this blog is for you.

I know traveling can be stressful. You’ve got to navigate your way through crowds of people and screaming children. You’ve got to keep your cool when the airline bumps your flight to a later time and you end up almost missing your connecting flight. And you’ve got to chalk it up to a good time when you step out into a monsoon – without an umbrella – and your phone slips out of your hand and into a huge puddle.

Sounds like the worst trip ever, right? And the trip hasn’t even really started.

If you’re one of those travelers who gets anxious and overwhelmed when things don’t go as planned, here are some things you can try to keep you present and grounded:

Meditate

Listen, I know it sounds a little hippy dippy but meditation helps me keep my cool. It’s all about bringing your mind back to the present instead of replaying what went wrong in the past or worrying about the future.

Meditation during travel helps you remember your trip is bigger than the minor inconvenience in front of you. And don’t think you have to wait until you’re by yourself to meditate! Pop in your headphones, look up “5 minute meditation” on YouTube and get your Zen on girlfriend.

Journal

Just as you can meditate anywhere, you can journal anywhere, too. Plus, keeping a travel journal not only helps you relax, it’s a great way to remember all the sights and experiences of your trip, too.

I know that writing while traveling can sound exhausting, especially if you’re experiencing a highly stressful situation, but it’s also a great way to calm your nerves and focus on the things you’re most excited about or the best parts of the trips you’ve already experienced.

Make your journal fun and easy – write about what you’re looking forward to, reflect on the day, write about something you found interesting or about the food you ate.

Breathe

Now, I know what you’re thinking … really Roxie? Breathe? Yep. Take a deep breath in and let it out nice and slow. Woosahhhhh.

Traveling to your destination can wear you out and zap your energy – fast. One of the best ways to take care of yourself is with a little breathwork. It’s an instant mood boost and regulates your nervous system when you get overstimulated. (Which can happen quick with all the new sights and sounds.) 

When you travel, all sorts of unexpected things will pop off that can frustrate you. Try to embrace them and use the above techniques to move through those moments so that they don’t sour your entire trip.

One of the best solutions for frustrating, stressful travel? Traveling with us! We put as many of the details on autopilot as possible and the Divas will be right by your side to keep you in great spirits. Peruse our trips here.

The post Mindful Travel: How to Stay Present and Grounded During Your Trips appeared first on Travel Divas®.

Divas, I don’t know about you, but being “on” all the time takes a lot of work! Not just physically, but mentally, too.

Constant phone notifications, endless video calls or in-person meetings, loud work environments and even noisier family life.

It’s a lot – even for a magical Black woman like yourself who can power through anything!

That’s why unplugging completely when you travel is an absolute must. Look, whatever they’ve got going on back home – they can find somebody else to do it! You need to rest and recharge. It’s not your job to carry the weight of the world every second of every day – even though you can and you do.

Travel is your time to be soft. To turn inward. And to be with yourself. So put your phone on do not disturb, leave the laptop behind and check out why you should completely disconnect during travel:

Too Much Scrolling & You’ll Miss Out

Look, we know you love a good picture for the memories but try your best to not even pull your camera out when you’re away. You want to be in the moment and truly see, hear, smell and taste everything around you.

After all, some people never get the privilege of traveling out their own neighborhood, never mind the country. Don’t squander your chance at discovering beauty up-front-and-close by taking pictures or spending your time scrolling.

There are so many studies that show how being on the phone and social media can dampen your mood, and when you’re traveling, that’s the last thing we want to happen!

Unlock Your Creativity

New intelligence level unlocked! Without Google to answer whatever question you have, your brain actually has to work a little harder and find new ways of thinking. It also forces you to be present in the moment!

Think about it like this: always looking up why something is the way that it is can make you miss details you wouldn’t normally catch. Instead of wondering and looking up why there are cobblestones, for example, you can relish in the feel of them beneath your feet. In knowing they were probably built centuries ago and have lasted the test of time.

Just Googling that won’t give you the satisfaction and wow factor of coming to those conclusions on your own!

Stop the Overthinking

The biggest benefit of unplugging? You literally turn off the parts of you that are wired to overthink. When you’re constantly talking on the phone, scrolling or playing around with your electronic devices, it can be difficult not to get anxious or to have 50 million thoughts roaming around.

When you don’t have your phone prompting you to pick it up again, that anxiety can actually go away.

And once it does – you can really relax for the first time. No worries. No cares. Just relaxing and being.

And that alone is worth disconnecting while you travel! Wondering how else you can elevate your travel experience? Learn more about purposeful travel, what it is, and why you should consider it as part of your self-care routine.

The post Put ‘Em on DND: The Power of Disconnecting during Travel appeared first on Travel Divas®.