When it comes to commitment to the healing, traveling is the best or the worst enemy you can fall for. A lot of my clients are very inspired and commit to spending a good amount of time for daily self-care after having a session with me. But when they go on a vacation or business trip, this is when they stop following their daily regimen.
What can you do?
Pack your own snacks before flying
Make sure you preplan and pick up something to bring with you before leaving home so that you can snack on while you are at the airport. You may have to spend up to two hours waiting for your plane to takes off.
It is very hard to find something that doesn’t break your healthy eating habit.
Booster juice? Starbucks smoothie? Well, could be a better choice than fries, potato chips, muffins, etc. But what’s even better? You prepare your own food that you know there are no chemicals or additives in it.
Packing your own lunch box is a great idea, or chop vegetable sticks (celery, cucumber, broccoli, etc), just grab one or two apples, and mixed nuts and seeds (fat) can make you feel full for a while.
Mindful traveling starts from the day you started getting ready for the mindful traveling happen. Anything is possible as long as you really want to keep you on track.
Drink plenty of water
When I had my first trip after I made my commitment to my healthy eating, I didn’t know whether I could carry on my own food that I bought. So I had never had my own snacks to fly with. I never really wanted to buy something from the airport either. All I did was to drink plenty of water.
As much as I believe in nutrition from whole foods, I also think it’s healthy to fast for a half day by drinking just clean water. By clean water, I mean a bottled “spring water”. Although I’m a no supporter of plastic bottles, when we are traveling, we got to give up certain things that we have no control over.
Show your gratitude. This is mindful traveling.
Search for local stores and restaurants
When I go traveling, one of my favorite things to do is to search for local organic restaurants, health food stores, and kombucha brewers. I love to find different products they sell than where I live. Since the “health” is my passion, my first priority is to eat healthy no matter where I am. Plus, I will be spending my money on local artisans when I’m eating a restaurant uses locally grown organic produces.
Once you find the stores and restaurants with where you can stay with your healthy eating habit, you feel like you are actually not traveling.
Once I was in the UK, I had a hard time finding one healthy food store around the hotel. I had a choice eating out in a non-organic restaurant. I gave my prayer over the plate and appreciated the food that I could eat. I believe what’s important is to accept and appreciate what comes to me. Disappointment and anger won’t help us digest any food that we put in our mouth.
Take time for yourself
Whether you are traveling on your own or with somebody else, it’s easy to lose track of time. Staying up late and waking up early can exhaust you before coming home. Take your time at least 10 mins daily to connect with your self. Set your mind and body peaceful.
Even though you might not be able to perform some self-care regimen that you do at home, you can easily get back on track if you don’t lose completely.
Have fun
While a lot of people fell behind of their daily regime, some want to stick to their daily habit while they go on traveling. They don’t want to forget the multiple supplements they are taking every day so that they are stressed whether they packed enough amount, and worry about the food they might or might not be able to eat during the trip.
We all adapt ourselves in a different environment. The important thing is to be easy when our environment changes. If you forget to take supplements, then forget it. You can’t stress about it like the end of the world.
As I mentioned above already, you will do your best to stay on track. And again, it’s possible. But if you fail, you may or may not have your health challenges back. It’s a learning process.
You can’t live based on your fear.
So enjoy while you are away.
If you lost it, you challenge yourself the next time to stay on track a bit longer.