How to explain my travel dreams to my friends and family was very difficult especially because they don’t desire to travel outside of the United States. They were very afraid that something terrible would happen to me. Their fears were based on watching the news and reading the papers.

I decided that the best way to explain my travel dreams was to simply tell them. I was prepared to answer their questions as completely as I could. I shared with them my lifelong dream and desire to travel, see the world, engage with other cultures, eat different foods and experience the feelings of being in places about which I had only read or seen in the movies or on TV.I decided that the best way to explain my travel dreams was to simply tell them. I was prepared to answer their questions as completely as I could. I shared with them my lifelong dream and desire to travel, see the world, engage with other cultures, eat different foods and experience the feelings of being in places about which I had only read or seen in the movies or on TV.

Having five sisters who are very different and also very much alike, I chose to talk to each of them separately. To my surprise, each understood my desires and wanted the best for me while still holding on to their fear. They encouraged me to go and away I went!

Tweet: Have you ever seen a place in the movies or on TV and said to yourself, “One day, I will go there.”

Did that statement cause you to remember a time when that happened?

And immediately after the memory, other thoughts flooded your mind. Thoughts of “not enough money, what if something bad happens, I don’t have a partner to go with me and what will my friends and family think…the list is endless.”

Do you notice a longing inside or a feeling of self-betrayal at the memory? As you continue to read this article you will begin to reconcile your feelings and reconnect with your beautiful memory. Your memory serves to support you in being okay with traveling or not traveling.

Using the following three strategies will help you decide whether to travel or not.

  1. Visualize the place that first aroused your desire to travel.
  2. Recapture the feeling as you see yourself in that place.
  3. Delve deeply into your visualization, see, feel, taste, smell and hear the sounds of being there

Stay in your visualization for five minutes or more allowing your mind, body, and spirit to embrace the fullness of being present in the place of which you dream.  Do not be upset if getting fully present in your visualization is elusive when you first begin.  Make this a daily practice until it becomes a habit.

If the visualization becomes too difficult, ask yourself, “Is this something I still desire to do?”

Answering the above question supports you in being alright with traveling or not.  It helps to reconcile the longing and gives you permission to feel self-love instead of betrayal.

Writing down all the reasons, benefits, and advantages or disadvantages of your desire to travel upon helps you with your decision.  Whatever you decide is totally okay.

Using your list makes it easy to explain your travel dreams to family and friends helping them to minimize their fears.