Conscious Traveling and the 8 Ways to Become a More Conscious Traveler 

For many of us, the pandemic has been a wake-up call to analyze our habits, our relationships, and our lifestyles. 

It has forced us to stop and take a really good look in the mirror. 

Are you living aligned with your higher calling? 

We need to breathe more love into how we live. Learning to live it not in it. We need to be more conscious. And this extends to our travel behaviors as well. 

What is conscious traveling? 

To make things simple, conscious travel is exactly what it sounds like. Conscious. Travel. 

Being conscious alludes to the idea of awareness. When you are conscious, you are fully aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings—you are awake. 

Taking this idea a step further. It is the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is about being 100% engaged in the present moment and accepting everything, the good and the bad.

Conscious travel is mindfulness for the world and its people whom we encounter upon travel.

The Conscious Travel Foundation explains it like this:

 “Conscious travel is where empathy meets exploration. It encourages people to look at their travel in a more holistic way. It requires us to have a clear reason for travel, to examine and understand its impact, and to actively choose to explore the world in a meaningful, intentional way.”

Travel can and should be more than sipping on drinks at a 5-star all-inclusive resort. 

Conscious travel encourages us to seek out authentic experiences, form genuine connections, and discover new places without negatively impacting them. It helps us make a positive impact on both ourselves and local people. 

Based on where you’re from, as a traveler you become an ambassador for your country, giving locals an impression of those with your nationality. It’s a chance to learn from others and teach them about ourselves even through just a brief encounter. 

How can we become conscious travelers? 

Becoming conscious travelers does not happen overnight. It takes practice and conscious effort to become it. But with dedication, you can achieve that too, here’s how you can practice conscious traveling:

Practice mindfulness 

Mindful awareness will allow you to be fully receptive to the experiences you have in a new place. Conscious traveling will open up your senses, creating meaningful and intense travel memories while on the road.

Do your research

The first way to become a conscious traveler is to immerse yourself in blogs, books, and videos that educate us about the local culture before we travel. Knowing & respecting the culture is important.

Leave home with an open heart and an open mind

We can learn so much from traveling to new places, and we should be thankful that we have the opportunity to do so. Traveling is such an exhilarating experience, you don’t want to miss the moment. We can extend this gratitude to the people we meet along the way.

Eat and shop locally

Buying artisan products or produce from local sellers. There are pretty awesome finds in the local market. Enjoy the moment and appreciate the talent of those who made the local products. Don’t forget to purchase before you leave! This way it supports local businesses. 

Reduce your carbon footprint

Whenever possible, look for alternative modes is transport like public transit, bike rentals &, etc. Walking is also a good way to familiarize yourself with your surroundings and know the place you are staying. 

Be a polite guest and respect a country’s culture

Make sure you know the “dos” and the “don’t”. Be sure to be respectful of their culture. What is foreign to you is part of their culture. Be mindful of how you react to the things you see or learn. The last thing we want to do is offend anyone!

Respect The Environment

Bring reusable items – Water bottles, straws, and tote bags, we don’t need more plastic in the ocean. This goes hand in hand with being careful where you put your litter & packaging. Recycle when you can. 

“Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures”

Join tours led by local travel guides  

This supports small businesses and people in the area, plus local guides know their stuff. This is an opportunity for a unique experience and perspective.

Do you want to learn how to do conscious traveling? Watch the full video of this episode here 👇👇👇

TIME STAMPS:

00:00 Introduction
01:52 How the pandemic affected all of us
04:28 Traveling is learning
07:00 What is conscious traveling?
14:38 1. Practice mindfulness
16:23 2. Do your research
17:26 3. Leave home with an open heart and an open mind
18:34 4. Eat and shop locally
24:32 5. Reduce your carbon footprint
26:33 7. Respect The Environment
28:21 6. Be a polite guest and respect a country’s culture
29:32 8. Join tours led by local travel guides
31:49 End remarks