F Seven tips to write on your New Year's Travel Resolutions - jeepneyjinggoy

Seven tips to write on your New Year's Travel Resolutions

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"Seeing the world and x-ing at least one new spot in the globe each year." This fills up the "about yourself" entry whenever the need arises. It has become a personal motto, taking heed of the Dalai Lama's advice. I believed and stayed true to this mantra, and I have found myself in places I have visualized being in.

Explore more of Tokyo! 

Travel trip #1: Dream! Write these down and post it on a vision board. Claim it! Make a list of the places you want to see and visit. Be very specific about what you want. Visualization will help. Cut out from a magazine, paste your photo on that if you must, and post it in a place you see every day. Voice your thoughts out loud; never mind if your family thinks you're crazy talking to yourself every day at sunrise and bedtime. Tell them you're praying.

You have to want it enough and believe that you are already there. The Universe works wonders. Do not be surprised that you will be in your dream destination sooner than you think.

Along with the places on my wish board, I have to abide by the guidelines I have created for myself. Call it a yearly re-solution (aka to re-use a working a solution) of some sort that I have to remind myself constantly of. You can even call it yours; I'm sharing them with you.

Immerse in a yoga teacher's course in India 

Travel trip #2: Think positive. Again, it is important to affirm your goals and believe that you are already where you want to be. See yourself already strolling on the streets, having coffee by the sidewalk cafe, or at the top of the tower viewing the city. Positivity will let you travel—a lot!

Do not be judgmental. Innocent before proven guilty should hold true. You hear feedback about a place you want to see, some good, some bad. But never take their word for it. They say, "The place is filthy and very expensive." I say, "Let me see the filth and how expensive it is for myself." It is not as if our country is sparkling clean, and cost is subjective. I have disproven a misconception about Japan. You can find places and food that will fit your budget.

Do not let anything cloud your decision and hinder you from venturing into a land you long to see. Prejudging your destination based on feedback is no good. It's best to see your chosen destination with your own eyes and see the beauty in it.

Travel trip #3: Listen to yourself. No one else can tell you what to do and where you should go first. You made your list, follow it. People will have an opinion on which place to see first, or which is better than another. But keep in mind—YOU are the traveler and paying for your trip, not them. Your hard-earned moolah goes to where you want to spend it.

Travel trip #4: Research. This is part of your affirmation. Drumbeat your excitement up by looking up more information about the destination long before you arrive. Where's the best area to stay, how to get around and reach the must-see spots, etc. It's familiarizing yourself and arming you with the necessary information to make the trip smooth sailing.

Learning about the culture of a country and the polite words and phrases like "thank you," "please," and "hello" will always earn top points in the eyes of the locals. I have proven this in France and anywhere else; people are willing to help if you approach with courtesy.

Stay in a ryokan in Kyoto 

Travel trip #5: Dare! Embark on a journey WITH yourself. If you want to go to where you want to go, prepare to travel with the best companion ever—yourself! So that gets rid of the fear that you are traveling alone. Consider it as finding yourself, or your much-deserved "me time."

Relying on someone else may delay your trip. Worse, it will never happen, because you have to take someone else's schedule into account. Your time is far more important; thus, you spend it wisely. Why wait for company when you can see the world by yourself? Have you ever considered that others may have their own wish list?

Consider these: you can wake up or sleep when you want, walk, sightsee, and shop at your own pace, and eat when you feel like it.

Your personal break time will help you renew your energy and concentration. Notice how you tend to be more observant and pay more attention to details. Plus, you are more open to making friends.

Sun, tan, dip, frolic! Santorini, anyone? 

Travel trip #6: Throw caution to the wind. Whenever a chance to travel arises, jump at it. How often does opportunity knock? File that leave and hop on the next ride to your dream destination. Remember that nothing is coincidental.

Whenever the window to travel opens, then it is for you. It's fated. You asked for it, didn't you? Do not make excuses that you have this project to finish, a meeting, etc. All these can be arranged. You have three choices to consider: finish, postpone, or take work with you. Technology, aka computers and mobile phones, is on your side.

Take the jeep while you're at it. Take whatever mode of transportation is available to get to where you want to go, be it the bike, tricycle, jeep, car, ship or a plane. The journey is as important as the destination. Find the joy in everything along the way! Traveling is also a learning process. What if you plan to be a tourist guide eventually? It's always best to know all aspects of the expedition.

Luck, however, is on everyone's side these days. Hopping from one nation to another is no longer the cost of an arm, a leg or even your soul. All the airlines are offering very cheap rates. There is just no excuse to finally fulfill your dream to travel and complete your check list of must-go to places.

Scour the antique markets of Turkey! 

Travel trip #7: Finally, always heed the Dalai Lama's advice. "Visit a place you have never been to every year." 

Do it! Near or far, there is exceptional pleasure felt in finding yourself in places you have wanted to go to and great joy in places you never thought you would be.

This advice will give you the drive to pursue your dream and eventually step on the ground you so want to tread on which you only have read in books and travel magazines.

All these worked for me, it will work for you. Who knows, we may just bump into each other in Santorini this October?

P.S. Share! If it worked for you, like I believed it would, pass it on. Let everyone have the faith that they, too, can fulfill their dreams of seeing the world. Nothing is impossible for the Universe is very generous and just waiting for us to ask what we want.


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