Traveling with purpose is about approaching travel with intention. It’s about having a clear aim in mind for your journey, and taking into account not only the “where, when and how” of your trips, but more significantly – the “why”. It is the “why” where purposeful travel comes into play.
The desire for traveling with purpose is one of the major trends that has come out of the pandemic. As travel comes roaring back, people are starting to recognise the power it has to bring authentic connection and deeper meaning into their lives. As a result, they are seeking unique experiences that feel more intentional.
Increasingly, people want to embark on journeys that have both an internal and an external component. They want to feel that there is more to their trips than just visiting a foreign destination to escape. They want to know that their travels have the potential to have a meaningful impact, not just on them, but on the communities they visit, and the world at large.
How to approach traveling with purpose
- Set clear intentions for your trips, so they align with your expectations and your values.
- Cultivatr a more mindful travel mindset, so that you create even more meaningful moments.
- Stay curious and open throughout your journey, so that you can truly appreciate your experiences.
Tapping into the “Why” of travel
The first step in crafting a more purposeful travel experience is to identify your “Big Why”. It’s the ultimate reason or motivation that you have for travelling in the first place.
This question can be considered at the macro level – “Why do you travel? What does travel mean to you?”
Or at the micro level -“Why this particular trip? What do you hope to get out of this experience?”
Reflecting on these questions and identifying your Big Why will inform not only where you choose to go and how you choose to travel, but the mindset that you will approach your travels with. I think most of us can agree, mindset is everything, it can make or break a trip. So, when you get intentional about your travels, you are setting yourself up for a more purposeful and, ultimately, successful journey.
Exploring your “Big Why” results in
- Crafting intentions for your trip that feel true to your desired experience.
- Easefully prioritising those intentions with clarity and awareness.
- Creating a roadmap for how to stay aligned with your intentions throughout the journey.
- Having the trip of your dreams and coming home feeling transformed and fulfilled.
Getting intentional also includes what you are seeking to attain through travel, and developing an understanding of how the travel experience can deliver the desired outcome. Are you looking to heal? To expand? To get inspired? Do you want to feel confident, resourceful, creative? Once you can pinpoint what it is you are ultimately seeking from your travels – you are starting on the path of traveling with purpose.
Finding purpose through Travel
But what, exactly, does it mean to travel with purpose? And how can it enhance your travel experiences and, possibly, your life? The truth is that traveling with purpose can mean vastly different things to different people. Part of the work is figuring out on a deeper level, what being purposeful means to you. When you think of doing anything with purpose – whether that is how you live your everyday life or how you choose to travel – what are the thoughts and feelings that come up? For some people, being purposeful means imbuing everything they do with a sense of meaning, of significance. For others, finding their purpose in life, their “reason for being”, is what drives them.
It’s important that you can define what “purpose” means to you and in your life so that you can align your intentions and actions with that. When you are able to do this, you can show up for your travel and life experiences more authentically with an open mind and a compassionate heart, so that you have a better chance of remaining true to yourself along the way. Any journeys you undertake will likely be filled with discovery, connection, and transformation on some level, but to truly appreciate these journeys and the meaning they bring into your life, approaching them with purpose will have a powerful and profound impact.
Making your trips more meaningful
One of the main benefits of traveling with purpose is that you will find even greater meaning in your experiences because they will be reflective of your values and your truth. The meaningful moments you create throughout your journeys will enhance and enrich your life, which is, ultimately, where the power of purposeful travel truly lies.
Fostering meaningful moments
- Choose to connect with your travel intentions every day for a few moments.
- Reflect on your experiences by journaling about them at the end of the day.
- Pause often during your travels to be truly present in the moment as it unfolds around you.
- Release expectations and going with the flow of your journey.
- Keep an open mind, heart and spirit, and approach everything with curiosity.
- Embody a mindset of awareness, acceptance and appreciation throughout your trip.
Camila Castro
Camila Castro is a seeker, global citizen, mindful traveler, storyteller, and certified Travel Coach. As a Mindful Travel Coach, she guides multi-passionate seekers in harnessing the power of Mindful Travel to create more purposeful, meaningful, and impactful experiences in their travels so they can enhance their lives.
Email: [email protected]
