05 JUN 2018: Forget the coffee…wake up and smell the sage! There is a new wave of new age lifestyle habits in town. Various spiritual practices boast promises of stress reduction, heightened creativity, and better work performance, and things like meditation, yoga, and affirmations are gaining popularity and mainstream recognition.

Fortunately, you don’t have to change your name to moonbeam or stop shaving your armpits to reap these rewards. While these activities are not new, we are now finding ways of weaving the teachings and life lessons of these practices into the modern western way of life.

This means people are no longer restricted to the confines of their mat or local studio to find peace. Now, we’re transcending borders and going international with a fancy thing called transformational travel.

Anyone, anywhere can make a trip transformational. Because at its core, transformational travel, as defined by the Transformational Travel Council, is “any travel experience that empowers people to make meaningful, lasting changes in their life”.

Planning trips around a packed and restrictive itinerary can leave some travellers more exhausted than when they left. With cell phones and technology dominating our human interactions, we are overwhelmed with superficial connections. Maybe what we really need are rejuvenating experiences that are filled with deeper emotional connections both with others and, perhaps most importantly, with ourselves.

There is a whole host of retreats available these days that promote the restorative techniques of yoga, meditation, or simply some quiet downtime. While these are the obvious examples of opportunities for personal transformation, your vacation does not have to be barefoot in silence with light vegetarian fare to be transformational. Any trip can do that for you, all you need is the right perspective.

Be Open Minded
Intend to stay open-minded to new and exciting experiences – be bold and try that chocolate covered cricket, or the frog legs, or whatever other far out local delicacy you can get your hands on.

Connect With Culture
Immerse yourself in the local culture, try to learn a few phrases in the local dialect, take that long hike up to the breathtaking vantage point just to prove to yourself that you can!

Embrace Learning Opportunities
Venturing into the unknown of a new country or way of life is typically not without its unexpected challenges. See this as an opportunity to live differently and maybe learn some valuable life lessons along the way. Travelling is a huge change in your regular routine so embrace it to make the most of it.

Life happens when you are outside of your comfort zone, and it’s okay when things don’t go according to plan — that’s where the memories are made! Everyone has that story from abroad when they went soul searching after a bad breakup and came back with the story that’s almost-too-good-to-be-true-sounds-like-a-made-for-TV-moment that they can share with friends and family for years to come.

Journeys of self-discovery often happen on physical journeys through new territory. As solo traveller rates continue to rise and as more and more people are in search ways of boosting wellness, the connection to travel is clear. The Transformation Travel Council has resources available for travellers and the travel trade alike to help support those interested in this approach to their next great adventure.

More information can be found here at www.transformational.travel