Traveling Mindfully: Going from Road-weary to Road-cheery

As I write this, I’m cozily nestled in seat 28C on a 6:00am flight to Atlanta, listening to my “Travel Chill” playlist. As a professional speaker, being on the road is a part of my business, and this morning is no different. Whether you are like me and travel regularly for your work or you get to enjoy the convenience of air travel solely for pleasure, there are certain actions you can mindfully take to make your time away from home as pleasant as possible.

Before the Trip

Thoughtful planning and preparation are absolutely essential when traveling. When you make your plans, make sure you take the time to figure out the best flights and seat assignments. You don’t want to get stuck between Joe ToePicker and Suzie Gabfest! It’s also wise to be overly conservative with connection times too. One of the most challenging aspects of traveling is the sweaty 100-yard dash from one gate to another when delays hit (I’m talkin’ to you, O’Hare). Don’t sacrifice your sanity to save 20 bucks and 20 minutes. Even if you have to get up at a quarter-to-nothing like I did this morning, take the earliest flight you can. There’s more room in the overhead bins, and most people are too darned tired to get crabby yet.

During the Trip

The more self-sufficient you are, the smoother your trip will be. I’m a total packrat in my carry-on bag. I’ve got cheese sticks, nuts, and apple slices for when the hunger pangs hit. (It’s a lot easier to keep the extra pounds away if you simply bring as much healthy food as possible; Cinnabon is the Devil’s Workshop.) I arm myself