Maybe you studied abroad, spent time working abroad, or even just had a quick getaway. Maybe you haven't gone outside your home country and are itching to see what this travel talk is all about! Whatever it is, you want to travel ASAP but feel stuck about the whole actually making it happen thing.
How To Get Out of a Travel Rut and Plan Your Next Trip
First, decide where you want to go the most.
Lay a map out in front of me and I can stare at it for an hour, dreaming of all the countries I want to see. There are so many places to go!
In life when we have too many options we tend to just not choose anything. This is why it's important to narrow your focus. Where do you want to go the most?
Next: how will you do it?
Don't get stuck here - a lot of people get stuck at this point because figuring out the how for traveling can be overwhelming.
Once you've decided where you want to go, you need to decide if you're going to go long-term or short-term, if you'll be backpacking city to city or spending a relaxing week at the beach, if you'll go with anyone...basically what type of trip you want to do in your chosen destination!
Consider working abroad: do you want to add more to your travels, like using your creative skills or volunteering? And/or is money holding you back right now?
Working abroad doesn't mean you have to move abroad long-term, though that is a fabulous idea if I'm speaking from experience. ;)
There are short-term jobs and volunteer opportunities as short as a few days long that can take the fear out of commitment. If you're in school or working full-time, a shorter trip may work better with your schedule.
Working abroad not only adds lines to your resume, it provides you an opportunity to use your creative skills (maybe you can find a job for travel photography or video editing?), meet others and make friends all over the world, and - most importantly - give you an experience that you could never get at home.
Since money is often a factor:
Make it HAPPEN.
Do something actionable that commits you to this trip. This could be getting the vacation days approved at work, or purchasing your flights.
Even telling people where you're going and when - "I'll be in Ecuador next July" - makes it actually feel real. Plus, there are others to hold you accountable!
If you're nervous about a destination you've never been to, try to pinpoint why: are you nervous to go alone? Does everything just feel overwhelming?
Here are some tips for the actual planning portion:
Get inspired!
Sometimes we need that extra push to hit "submit" when booking a trip. Reading blogs, watching awesome travel videos, and looking up inspirational quotes on Pinterest can help you work up the courage to officially commit yourself. Many times the nerves holding us back from hitting "submit" are financial related, but as the saying goes:
"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer."
Waiting around in the meantime?
Sometimes our trip planning can't quite be as spontaneous as we'd like. If you have more time than you'd like before you head out on your trip, then getting excited, planning the details, and reading about your destination(s) will help suffice in the meantime.
Studies show that anticipating upcoming travels boosts happiness!
Because there can never be too many inspirational travel quotes, here's one more push to help you finally press "submit" on your next trip abroad. If you're looking for a sign, this is it: