Transformation Through Travel

For many, travel means a holiday or a vacation – a break from work and the wonderful chance to down tools, a getaway, an escape; a vacation taking us away from work or from ‘real life.’

Travel (or holiday/vacation) gives us energy, rejuvenation, the chance to see new places, eat, drink, bathe in the sun, explore a little, discover new sights and sounds, and simply switch off.

Yet travel, if you really think about it can be so much more, it can help you gain an entirely new perspective on life; it can help you transform.

So what is Transformational Travel?

Transformational travel is any travel experience that empowers people to make meaningful, lasting changes in their life. Ultimately, it’s a philosophy on travel that connects travellers to their best self, and to others, cultivating a sense of purpose and belonging.

It is an opportunity to step out of the comfort zone, go to new places away from the norm, embark upon adventures, open up to new unfamiliar environments, cultures and people and gather new ways of being and of thinking.

What do we mean by ‘transformation’?

Transformation means different things to different people – what does it mean to you?

For me it is all about an internal and continuing journey but it’s also about having intent and what happens subconsciously when you plan a big journey or adventure.  Already you are resetting and expanding boundaries – drifting to other places and preparing yourself for the unknown; in itself this is a release, an opening of the mind, a clearing of space in order to allow new ideas to come in and positive change to begin.

Transformation also comes about through new connections, whether they take place within yourself or with other peers, communities and cultures or with the environment, spirituality or nature.

Transformation through travel is something of a rite of passage and a way of opening up the mind, letting your curiosity run wild. 

If you are considering a journey of your own it is also vital to build in time for reflection, both during and after your travels. Whether that is downtime built into an active itinerary, group sessions on a retreat, or a slow pace with time for valuable solitude, space to reflect allows you to process what has taken place within and around you, to make your own personal observations and ensure that your journey has been meaningful for you. 

Reflection time can take other forms too - travelers often seek time for prayer, meditation, artwork, yoga, or journaling.  Whichever way feels right to you, is the right path to follow - it is this reflection that will turn your travel experiences into action and help you cultivate real change in your own everyday life.

Transformational travel offers up so much.  Encounters and open conversations with people among the communities you often simply stumble upon, has an incredible impact on the mindset.  The usual is replaced with unusual, familiar with unfamiliar and slowly you will most likely find a whole new energy being unleashed within and that the weight of the breakdowns you felt inside in the past lifts and transforms instead into breakthroughs.

But how do we measure and evaluate transformational experiences?

We start with where we were - the point of realization, when we knew something had to give, to change and that action was needed.

What was the situation in your life at the time?  Work overload, grief in the family, kids leaving home, a break-up?  What made you look in the mirror and ask - where did I go?  What happened to the dreams I once had? and what happened along the way to crush those dreams?

Hard though it may be, try to document what has happened to you and how you felt, as well as the change you sought.

Then comes the transformational experience itself, and your learnings along the way.  What action did you take to address the challenge you had? Did you change jobs?, get counseling? Did you travel?  And what did you observe along the way?  Stop and think about what took place within and around you during that time and subsequently.

And most importantly - do things feel better now?  By this we don't mean do you have more things or money; we mean do you feel more content or at peace inside?  More self-respecting, more solid, clearer, stronger within yourself? Are you able to accept what has happened to you and start to let go?

Map back the change to the beginning of your journey - if the above has taken place, there is your ‘measurement’ in full glory and if more work is needed, don’t worry, just accept it, go easy on yourself and start to slowly consider what could be done next.

One way or another embarking without any haste on a journey to cultivate change is going to be restorative.  So too is opening up your mind to being still, being present, and letting go of some control by not knowing what is going to happen next.

We are ever-evolving, and with a growth mindset, you can continue your transformation for all your days - what an incredible way to live life!

At Dream Catcher, we are creating travel experiences that support this journey, in a safe way.  We know from first-hand experience the life-changing impacts of travel and aim to help women go on their own journey from realization, to travel to the cultivation of change.

You can chat with us any time, confidentially - just reach out when you are ready and start your journey.