You Can’t Steal My Happy’s
10 Commandments of Travel
1.
Live fully in the now
On the road: While traveling, take time to stop and try to remember smells, notice shapes and colors, and – perhaps most importantly – don’t scroll through your phone while eating. It’s a reminder to taste every bite of food and immerse yourself full in every moment while you’re traveling. By the way, this is something you could incorporate in your everyday life too.
2.
Learn to let go
On the road: Embrace minimalism and learn to pack only the basics (here’s how to do it). We don’t encourage you to voluntarily let go of your wallet, but if it happens to get stolen, it’s no use making a drama out of it – that won’t help you. Just move on and accept your new conditions.
3.
Empty your mind of expectations
On the road: Don’t believe what others say about the Russians, the Chinese or the South Africans, for example. Go and see these places for yourself and make up your own mind. The moment you cross a border, forget all your preconceived notions about the country and enter with an empty cup.
4.
Don’t label things as “good” or “bad”
On the road: Every time you miss a flight or encounter some other traveler’s ‘misfortune’, just remind yourself that it might turn out to the best part of your trip. Encountering troubles on the road (and finding creative solutions to them) can often lead you to meet great people or regain faith in humanity.
5.
Feel and express gratitude
On the road: The very fact you can afford to travel is reason enough to feel thankful, because millions of people around the world can’t even dream of that luxury for various reasons (poverty, war, political restrictions etc.). Take a minute before going to sleep to feel gratitude for all the amazing things that happened to you during the day.
6.
All that we are is the result of what we have thought
On the road: If you don’t like a place the first time you visit it, consider what conditions might have created that negative attitude – maybe it was raining or your travel companion was grumpy. Challenge yourself to visit the place again and see if your impression is more positive the second time around.
7.
When you share your happiness, it doesn’t decrease
On the road: Share happy moments on the road with the local people you meet along the way, as well as friends and family back home. Take the time to send news back home – your loved ones will be happy to know you’re safe and having fun.
8.
Everything constantly changes
On the road: Once you accept that nothing is eternal, it will be easier to appreciate what you have and to realize that all bad things pass eventually.
9.
Get to know yourself
On the road: Even though traveling might seem like little more than a leisure activity, it actually changes you in a subtle way, no matter how you travel. Regardless of whether you go on short trips or year-long journeys, you will come back a changed – and in many ways betterrounded – person. We get to know ourselves when we face situations that take us out of our comfort zone.
10.
It is better to travel well than to arrive
On the road: Enjoy every step of the journey. Don’t spend all your time on board a bus or a plane just waiting to arrive. Instead, use the time to talk to people, read with ravenous anticipation about your destination or listen to some local music from the place you’re visiting (which you have downloaded in advance because you already know this music habit will change your trips).