Meaningful travel can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some it means volunteering abroad, to others it means ecotourism or experiencing a place like a local.
I consider meaningful travel any experience that helps you enrich your life, not just escape from it. It could be on a family vacation, solo trip or a stint in the Peace Corps. What matters is how willing you are to become an explorer of both your inner and outer worlds.
The simplest tool for this? Intentional travel journaling.
The good thing is that you don’t have to spend a ton of time writing the next great travel novel, instead you can focus on a few prompts to help you have more adventures and create more meaningful travel moments. Plus, it automatically becomes a souvenir of your travel memories and your personal growth.
Ready for more meaningful travels? Here’s what to include in your daily travel journaling routine.
A daily adventure challenge (5 minutes)
Give yourself a challenge that will take you outside your comfort zone and open you up to experiences you might not have otherwise. Challenge yourself to ask a local where their favorite place is in the city. Or make a plan to not have a plan and instead follow your curiosity for the day. (As always; be safe and use your best judgment of course.)
Morning prompts (5 minutes)
Each morning, along with your adventure challenge, use journal prompts to get you in the best mindset for the day. This is a short but powerful exercise that can be done before you even get out of bed, or with your morning coffee. Instead of simply sightseeing, these prompts will help you become more mindful of your experience and encourage you to grow in new ways.
Today, I will let go of…
I’m looking forward to…
My “words to live by” for the day are…
Evening prompts (5 minutes)
Whether your day was packed with adventure or quiet and peaceful there’s always something to learn and memories to record. Take a few minutes to reflect on your day before falling asleep. This isn’t just about writing what you did or ate or a step-by-step of your day, it’s about diving deeper into what your travels can teach you.
The most memorable moment of the day was…
One thing I learned about myself today is…
Today made me grateful for…
Travel journaling doesn’t have to take up your precious vacation time to be impactful. With the right prompts, and just a few minutes each day, you can mentally set yourself up for more mindful and inspiring adventures.
Do you have any travel journaling tips or favorite prompts? What do you do to cultivate more meaningful travels?
I love to visit power places. I was delighted on the trip to Tintagel Castel because I knew that this is one of magical places on the Earth and I could feel that! I love to read about an energy and history of places I want to visit. My next trip will be to Ibiza and after that Egipt and I can’t wait because I know how special and amazing are those places 🙂
I love the idea of “power places!”