7 Lessons Learned from 7 years of Travel Blogging

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Travel blogging is by far the longest job I’ve ever had. Before this one, the longest I stayed in one position was two years. I was never cut out for working for someone else.

I never thought I would have been cut out for the entrepreneurial life, but hey here I am and that is part of life’s surprises. Or, how much you can actually surprise yourself.

I realised the other day that our blog has just turned seven.

Fitting that the seven-year itch comes right when we’ve relocated to the US. It’s a seriously big moment with our blog. Just like the seven-year itch they say so commonly brings apart marriages, we were facing the same with our blog.

Either stay in Australia, plateau and wither away due to a loss of passion and things to talk about, or make a gigantic swing shift, reignite the passion, do something risky and fun.

To celebrate I’m sharing seven of the biggest things I’ve learned within that seven years.

I’m not going to talk about how to share great pinnable images, or write SEO for your blog, or what my top blogging mistakes were – you can get that content here.

I’m talking about the more important stuff – the huge shifts within me. Because that is a large part of why I continue on this journey because it keeps bringing me to a better version of myself. And of course, you create who you are anyway, so who you become is your biggest asset of all.

We’ve had a lot of success with this blog in terms of numbers, accolades, income and even awards. None of that matters, I could give that away in a heartbeat. What I love and cherish the most is the journey travel blogging has taken me on and I’m not just talking about in flyers miles.

It’s been an unfolding of myself and it’s that leap of faith towards that journey that has allowed magic to happen.

7 Travel Blogging Lessons Learned

1. Just give it a go and see

You don’t have to know everything and have all your ducks in a row before you try something. Just give it a go and see.

I’ve learned this a lot when working with brands and creating my own products. Most of the time you’re slinging shit against the wall hoping it will stick. We’ve been wading in uncharted waters, but have worked it out because we’ve given it a go.

I laugh at the boldness of ourselves now when I look back at us pitching Tourism Australia when we only had 14,000 visitors a month. That seemed like a huge amount of traffic at the time, and it’s nothing to sneeze at, but I’ve learned we needed a lot more backing us than that when talking to a brand as big as Tourism Australia, but our kahunas were big and it was that that helped us work things out.

We didn’t know how to create a proposal so we researched and asked for help. We pitched and were rejected but learned a lot in the process. I didn’t fall in a failure heap. It was just a lesson. We refined and got better with each new pitch.

We still fail on what feels like a daily basis, but at least we’re out on the field getting filthy dirty. It’s growing our strength and confidence and has helped us get better.

Don’t be afraid to tell people you don’t know what you’re doing, or you’re trying something new. It’s amazing how many people will help.

I’m not one for waiting until things are perfect. I’ll just have a go and see. That helps me learn faster than any other method. It works, I celebrate. It doesn’t, I refine. Simple.

Because of this getting dirty we’ve now created marketing materials and proposals that make people sit up and pay attention. They’re surprised and excited and sometimes, they even ask if we’ll help create something like that for them.

It’s come about not because we have any skills or talents, but because we’ve given it a go every time and have been open to learning and okay with failing.

2. If you don’t know something, figure it out

Learning about volcanoes in Hawaii

I’ve been doing my best lately in my home-schooling classes to teach my daughter, Kalyra, valuable lessons about getting stuck and not knowing something. She’s been leaving a few blanks for answers on her vocab spelling work.

It’s okay not to know something, but she’s just been saying, “I don’t know therefore I don’t do.”

I’ve been talking to here about how powerful we are to figure it out.

1. Take some time to use our brain and see if you can figure it out:

• can you connect to something you already know?


• can you move the pieces of the puzzle around?


• can you test and see if it works?


• can you eliminate the things you know it can’t be, and get down to logical reasoning?

2. There’s the power of Google. Now back in the old days, we had to pull out the dictionary, know how to look for a word using alphabetical order and then find the definition. All our kids have to do is type or speak into Google.

Besides being able to put a sentence together, albeit badly, I didn’t know anything else about how to start a travel blog or writing. Imagine if I just left the page blank. I figured it out. Now I’m stunned at what I can do.

The power of Google has helped immensely. I’ve taken an infinite number of courses that empower me every day and up my skill level. I absolutely love it.

Now I embrace the challenge when I come to that place of being stuck. I’m not interested in being lazy and pretending it’s not there. I’m ready to dive in and figure it out because it’s just so rewarding and I only grow myself. Which leads me to my next point…

3. Act like the person you want to be so you can grow into it

I’ve figured out that goal setting goes deeper than creating lists of achievements and things to check off.

Getting what you want is less about what you do and more about who you become. As Wayne Dyer always said,

“You create who you are.”

So for now, when I plan for my future and look to what I want, I consider, who do I have to be to create that.

If I don’t have it yet, then it’s obvious I am not yet the person who is ready for it. I have things to learn. I have space to grow. So my focus then becomes on growing into that person.

The first step is to act like you already are this person.

This idea came to me as a lesson I’ve learned recently when I was preparing for my TBEX talk in Alabama in early May. (if you want to come, I have a code for 30% off. Just use CAZ30)

I was thinking of my process for creating the talk and how in my head I envision a stage and a performance that could make the TEDx stage.

I do this with every talk I’ve done. When it comes time to get up on stage, I’m as nervous as hell, but I take a deep breath, put my faith in the journey, connect to the present moment and do my best to deliver something that is engaging and valuable to those watching.

Is it TEDx worthy? I highly doubt it.

But, if I didn’t have that approach and vision in the first place, I would probably hide behind the podium and mumble from my notes. Instead, I reach out to the person I want to be and give it my best shot. With each talk, I get better and better.

It’s about becoming the best version of yourself. When you do, success follows.

Success in blogging and business is about the value exchange. If you increase your value as a person – who you are, what you can offer and deliver, a value that matches that will be returned to you.

It all starts with you. You don’t deserve or are entitled to anything – you earn it by being and offering more value.

4. Be Vulnerable and have a purpose bigger than yourself

I think we’ve had success with our blog because people connect to us and our mission.

We are not travel bloggers because of what we can get out of it, we do it to help others. I think our purpose shines through in our communication and how we relate to our community.

Our readers feel a part of our tribe, our family, and our adventures.

We invite them in, we share our mission, we share our vision, we share our struggles and our victories. It’s that openness and vulnerability that helps people feel safer to be the same.

It’s damn scary sharing your innermost thoughts and laying your heart so open in a public forum. You get a bit of that on our blog, but those in our VIP email tribe get a much deeper insight:

Sometimes I cower after hitting send as I’m waiting for the reply repercussions. They rarely happen. Our community is just so beautiful. But I won’t stop sharing because I know that,

openness and vulnerability gives our readers hope, it helps them feel sane, it helps them gain belief in themselves and their journey and what is possible.

So I will keep letting them in and opening up even more because of this and no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I will keep caring about our community and going above and beyond to help them live lives that thrill them.

5. Relationships are key (and fulfilling)

I love the wide variety of people we have met as a result of travel blogging.

I love meeting new people, which means I’ve been more inclined to get out there and build relationships, which has helped me to see how valuable this is for success. It’s valuable for fulfilment and connection too.

So much of what we have achieved has come about because of the people we know. It’s true what they say. But, this is not in a sleazy, conniving way.

It’s about know, like and trust. People are going to help those they know, like and trust. So just get out and meet people.

We feel it more keenly now as we enter a new world in the US. We had built many valuable relationships in Australia which helped us grow and prosper. Now, we’re tiny fish in a huge, foreign bowl. One of our focuses is to start building those relationships.

We began doing that before we left Australia and now we’re in the US, we’re attending travel blogging conferences, setting up meetings and being open to engaging with amazing people.

When it comes to building relationships, it’s not just about what you can get from someone.

It’s about collaboration, cooperation, and just having a fun time getting to know new and interesting people.

Things tend to just evolve from natural interactions that are easy and giving.

Moving one step up is masterminding. We have recently begun doing this more with a few people we trust and know we can learn from and offer something too.

Masterminding is an amazing way to grow your business and build your strengths. I highly recommend creating your own mastermind group to help you be accountable, to give you ideas, and help you become profitable. It’s a valuable source of motivation and encouragement.

6. Discomfort is where the growth happens – plateau is the dangerous place

If things aren’t working, it’s very easy to look sideways and blame others or get cranky at those who are doing better than you but CLEARLY ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS YOU.

We’ve all had those dummy spits so don’t worry. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and take a bloody reality check.

Your success has nothing to do with anyone else. If you’re stuck or plateauing, it is because you are missing something. You have fears, blocks, limitations, or your focus is on the wrong place.

You have not yet become the person ready for the success you desire.

Bring it back to you.

Why is this not working? What am I missing? What can I do? Do I need to improve my skills, learn from new people, try something new, innovate, create, tell a better story, communicate better, relate more to my audience?

We have changed so much about our business over the past seven years because of the huge discomfort we have felt in not excelling in areas or being too comfortable, aka complacent.

Sometimes you can get comfy when your numbers are high and the money is flowing in, but comfort like that in this business does not last long.

Someone’s coming up behind you innovating better than you and things change very quickly especially when it comes to algorithms etc. You have to be constantly upgrading your skills, trying new things, refining, failing and starting all over.

It’s why this USA trip that we have called America Unplugged is so important for us – it’s the new uphill climb.

The Australian plateau hit and I hated it. I realised, as mentioned above, I love the journey, but I love that journey more if it involves a climb and doing things that fucking scare me.

I mean doing things that make me so uncomfortable that it stretches out those zones and breaks apart the old me to introduce something better. I love this constant testing of my capabilities and proving that I’m more powerful than measure.

I don’t say that from an egotistical viewpoint, but to share with you that you are too – it’s a strength of spirit thing and soul based work that we all came here to do.

7. Everything moves in cycles and involves chaos

When you have your own business, especially one as dynamic and uncertain as travel blogging, you become very attuned to the ebbs and flows and cycles.

Now, you do have to have a keen sense of awareness to notice these. I do my 30 Days to Money Mindfulness over and over again, which helps me pick out theses cycles and has taught me so much about change and the chaos we go through when change arrives. I keep a tight rein on monitoring our income and expenses so I totally understand the cycles.

I keep a tight rein on monitoring our income and expenses so I totally understand the cycles.

January and February are typically slow months for us. These are the months where my fear starts kicking in. I lose faith in the journey, but sure enough, come March and April things are kicking into swing again and I can see how it works and how I’m supported. I’ve taken a giant leap of fear one after the other.

I’ve taken a giant leap of fear one after the other.

I know exactly how this works now because I use hindsight to see the patterns and connect the dots.

I know this giant leap into our US travel is one that we can take. I’m aware of the fear, I’m aware of how I fall apart before it, I know this is all the chaos of change. I have faith to follow through with it because I know that I’ve been supported over and over again. I can see how it has played out in my life over and over again.

The pattern of writer’s block – not being able to write. I’ve had it for the past few months as I’ve been consumed in getting stuff done leaving Australia. I just could not focus on writing, no new words would come out or inspiration. I didn’t fret or fear, I just knew this was a part of the cycle of growth.

I was simply in an absorption phase.

My mind and soul was learning and finding ways to understand this new world and how I could fit into it and my body was consumed with getting healthy and preparing myself for the journey ahead.

I knew just to flow with it and yep, as has proven to me over and over again, the day would come when the words would just flood out. This post is one of those – written in about half an hour. Just before it came two more posts – whoa I had to shout to hold it up!

Now I have faith in the journey again. I’ve moved through the chaos, I’ve created something new, I’m ready to roll.

This blog has helped me to sharpen these tools of awareness and connectedness I have.

Now I embrace the chaos, I know what to do I know how to manage the cycles, I know when change is necessary, I know how to reach forward to become the person who can manage the change, and what to do so I can reach up to a new level.

Before you tell me your biggest travel blogging lessons in the comments below, or ask me your questions, be sure to join our VIP email tribe and receive our free email series which will help you avoid the mistakes that cost you time and money and limit your growth!

Click to learn how to avoid the mistakes now!

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3 Common SEO Mistakes Hurting Your Travel Blogging Results

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By guest writer | October 12, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read our Disclosure.

I have been working in SEO for several years and recently started working on a travel blog.

While looking at other travel blogging sites I noticed that many travel bloggers were making the same SEO mistakes that were holding back their blogs from receiving consistent traffic from search engines.

I decided to dive deeper and looked at 50 blogs that had a Domain Authority less than 45. They all have plenty of content and are past the beginning stages of starting a travel blog.

While some had unique problems, I noticed three main areas each blog was failing in. Addressing these issues should help these bloggers greatly increase their traffic gained from organic search.

Travel blogging tips on SEO. Image by Shutterstock.com

3 travel blogging SEO mistakes

1. Not writing content people are searching for

The number one issue I see with travel blogs is that the content does not match what people are searching for.

When someone goes to Google and searches a query they want a specific answer. For example, the query, “free things in NYC” is going to send users to sites that answer the query and are optimized for it. Many bloggers do not approach their post as a response to a query people are searching for that they can provide an appropriate response to.

I recommend travel bloggers do some form of keyword research before writing any post. Both during ideation and when you already have a blog post idea in mind.

For example, lets use Lima Peru as an example. Think of a few ideas of what people might be searching for. Check the number of monthly searches to see if you are right on or if other search terms come up.

I did this using the Google Keyword planner, a free tool (once you sign up for Google Adwords). Quick Sprout has a good video to go over how to use the tool. I only use the keyword planner to get search volume, not to look at competition.

Once you have this list, search the term to see the competition level. By installing the Moz toolbar you will be able to see the Domain Authority of sites within search results.

You will notice some queries are extremely competitive and the first page is ruled by sites like Time, Tripadvisor and other sites with high domain authorities.

Even so, there are plenty of keywords with decent traffic where you can find less established sites ranking.

For example, the results for “things to do in Lima” is full of sites with a domain authority in the 90s, while the search for “Lima day tours” has a site with a DA of 18 in the 3^rd organic position!

Once you have selected a few keywords for a post, incorporate them in a natural way throughout the post using basic on page optimization.

I also think keyword research should not stop you from writing any post. There are tons of reasons to decide to post something based on other channels like Pinterest, as part of your branding or just because you want to.

In these cases, I would still encouraging using the keyword planner to see if a small tweek in the topic could make a difference in sending organic traffic.

yTravel has previously used the KeySearch Seo Tool. We find it gets us better results in a much faster and more accurate way.

If you want advanced SEO, use SEMRush. It is the most powerful SEO tool ever and has yielded incredible results, not just in optimizing our site, increasing our search engine visibility and keyword ranking, but also helping us look good to clients when showcasing the ROI we give to them. Yes this leads to more work for us!

Test it here:

2. Not building deep links

Most bloggers have links going to their website, but tons of bloggers only build links to their home page. Getting links that go to a specific, deeper page can have a huge effect in helping that page outrank other blogs with higher domain authority.

There are many ways to build links to specific pages of your website. Here are some great resources to get you started:

3. Basic technical mistakes

Many in the travel blogging niche are on WordPress and use the Yoast SEO plugin to target related keywords, but this is not enough.

There are several other things you can do to help Google understand and rank your site.

• Internal linking – Just as you need links to content from outside your website, internal links within your content will also help. For example, if you have several posts about Australia, make sure the posts link to each other.

• Proper Categorization – Make sure you have category pages for any topic you have a few posts for. A great way to do this is to publish a page that is linked in your navigation for each topic.

• Improper use of tags – Whenever you use a new tag in WordPress it creates a new page. These new pages are often duplicate content of each other and add no value to your site. Instead of using multiple tags, focus on creating good category pages!

• URL Structure – By default, WordPress makes your blog post URL the same as your title. A better way to do this is to have it reflect your categorization and site structure. For example, the URL for a post titled “Things To Do in Lima” would be www.domainname.com/peru/lima/things-to-do. This incorporates keywords into the URL and creates a site structure that makes sense.

Take it a step further by making a unique page that has the post with a description and additional context added that ties them all together. This way not only can your post improve in rank, but the category can gain traffic as well.

Lonely Planet does a great job at this. For example, their Rome page has more content than just a list of posts. Don’t be discouraged by their design, it does not need to look that pretty to be successful.

Having a site the search engines love involves many different factors. Optimizing just your posts is not enough. I recently did a site wide clean up using the Blog Fixer tool, which saved me 131 hours of time AND cleaned up over 10,000 errors!! Those errors are bad signals to google, which results in it ignoring your site!

While SEO can be complex and takes time, making these improvements should get your travel blogging efforts moving in the right direction to start getting you organic traffic.

Do what you can and keep in mind that SEO is a long-term strategy.

Social and other marketing techniques give results and should be a focus as well. SEO takes more time and does not show results for a while, but once they are earned the results last.

Do you have any SEO or travel blogging tips? Feel free to share or ask me any questions in the comments.

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image by Shutterstock.com

About the author

Dan Bagby is an avid traveler, majored in International Studies at the University of Utah and has a slight obsession with digital marketing. He currently works as the SEO Analyst for Whole Foods Market and has started to combine his love for digital marketing and travel on his blog, PackThePassport.com. You can connect with him on Twitter and follow the evolution of his blog on Instagram and Facebook.

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13 Healthy Lifestyle Tips for traveling families

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I’m frequently asked how we manage to live a healthy life while travelling.

I’m surprised by these questions as I don’t feel like a do a great job of being healthy!

I know the other me that I’m comparing myself to – the woman who’s a couple of kilos lighter, exercises daily, and gets plenty of sleep.

I haven’t been that person for a while thanks to a hectic travel, work and family balancing act. Even though I know I could do better, I do make a lot of conscious decisions in regards to my health, travelling or not. Perhaps I am much healthier than I give myself credit for and I do have a few healthy lifestyle tips I can share as a result.

To be honest, I’ve always been healthier whilst travelling.

I find it the most amazing portal for losing weight, toning the body, getting plenty of rest, and improving your mental health. The only reason I struggle a little more with it this time around is that I now travel with two children and an all-consuming business.

I’m sure that’s NOT the majority of you reading this. So take it from me – good health is possible for traveling families, you may even be healthier than you’ve ever been if you actively pursue it.

13 healthy lifestyle tips

1. Be Consciously aware

Ain’t nothing going to change if you don’t operate from a place of awareness.

Awareness helps you make better choices. It tells you to stop eating when you’re full. It lets you know you don’t really need that second milkshake, or glass of wine – you’re just drinking your emotions.

Conscious awareness also helps you to know what your body likes and doesn’t like. What makes it sick? What creeps the weight back in? What food makes it feel most alive and energized?

Travelling can bring stress – awareness will let you know you’re in that place of frustration and tiredness and tell you the alternative coping methods to overindulging.

So if you want a healthy lifestyle, in fact, if you want  better anything, you’ve got to live consciously.

2. Meditate

I meditate almost daily. I used to meditate for about 5- 10 minutes, I now meditate anywhere from 30-60 minutes a day. I know this seems crazy and it did to me a year ago. But, I notice a massive difference in my sense of peace and awareness if I just miss one day.

If you’re not aware of the studies showing the benefits meditation brings, I suggest you do some research today and get on the program.

It will help you create change and cope with stress, become more creative and intuitive, and bring that awareness to your body that you need to ensure you treat it with kindness.

Belinda Davidson’s Guided Chakra Cleanse is my regular routine. I’ve learned how to do this now on my own thanks to the Modern Mystic course I’ve been doing with her this year.

What a place to meditate

3. Do a seven-minute yoga routine

I’m currently working on making this habit stick. Resistance is a natural part of change and forming new habits and it’s currently looking for excuses to give myself permission to not form the yoga habit. I’ve just got to keep pushing through.

I tell myself I have no time, but that was the excuse I used to say to get myself to do 10 minutes of meditation a day – now I find 60 minutes to do that each day.

I’m making it easier with a seven-minute yoga routine given to me by Paul at Billabong Yoga Retreat in Sydney. He designed it for busy people as seven minutes is what we can all usually manage. It’s a great routine that wakes you up, helps you feel connected, and totally works in bringing back flexibility and a bit of grounding.

Just seven minutes a day can make a difference. You can manage that can’t you?

UPDATE: I am now regularly do yoga. You can read more about how I maintain a yoga practice on the road here.

I also have a membership with Grokker – an online health, fitness and wellness membership site. They have expert-led instructional videos, but in four wellness areas: yoga, meditation, fitness & exercise and cooking. I’m not just interested in doing yoga, so the other exercise videos are useful to me.

PLUS I’m always on the hunt for healthy recipes and there are plenty of them within the membership site with instructional videos as well.

4. Drink a cleansing morning tonic

What’s the first thing you drink when you wake up?

It’s so important to give your body a gentle, but nourishing start to the morning.

I know how badly you want it to be coffee, but pause for a minute and flush out your body with a tonic first. You can do it with a glass of hot water with lemon. The lemon kick starts your liver for the day and is so great for your digestive system.

Or, you could go one step further and try the morning tonic I have.

Boiling water, juice of half a lemon, an inch of sliced ginger, a handful of parsley and a shake of cayenne pepper.

Adding a spicy morning zing for your circulation and metabolism.

You can read more about my daily habits, and the importance of forming them, here.

5. Make the exercise a daily adventure

Now, this one might seem like a bit of an untruth, as I’m not out there doing burpees, kick-boxing, or 5km runs every day. I thought that was classified as exercise and I struggled with making the time to fit in this intense training. Procrastination kicks into overdrive when I feel I have to do something that is boring and painful.

Switch the thinking.

Exercise is just moving the body, so why not just move the body when you travel and make it fun? I’d do anything to avoid a 20 minute run, but I’d bounce out the door to go for a six-hour hike up a mountain.

One feels like exercise, the other is an adventure.

I incorporate as much body moving into my daily travel adventures as possible.

Here are some of the things we do: hikes, beach walks, bike rides, kayaking, and snorkelling.

Every now and then I will go for a run, do some planks and karate kicks. I really do need to get serious with incorporating more of the intense training into my routine.

6. Carry the gear, take the hard road

As a backpacker, one of the ways I lost weight quite quickly was to walk everywhere, even if that meant carrying my heavy luggage. A lot of the time I was carrying it to save money in transport costs!! Mind you this was not carrying it from one destination to another, but from places like my hostel to the train station.

I now carry my children everywhere. Climbing up stairs with Savannah on my shoulders is a serious thigh and butt workout.

I lost a lot of weight living in London simply by walking up the escalators coming in and out of the tube station each day. Don’t choose the easy ride.

Travel can be hard labour sometimes – use it to your advantage.

7. Make healthy eating choices

I’ve completely changed my relationship with food over the past couple of years. I suffer from gluten intolerance and had an awful run of surgeries and bad health as a result. I was determined to never get to that stage again so have dived into the world of nourishing whole foods.

I have a few basic principles I try to follow with my eating. It’s challenging if I eat out, but I’ll share some simple things I attempt to do ( not always successfully)

• I eat gluten free foods (try it and see your health improve, even if you don’t have intolerances. Sluggishness, mood swings, and bloating be gone!)
• I try to eat dairy free
• I try to eat sugar-free.
• I try to eat meat free (except kangaroo or wild animals) I eat meat a lot more now due to the gluten issue. It’s so hard to get vegetarian AND gluten free.
• I try to eat organic as much as I can. It’s expensive and so I can only manage some things.
• I eat more vegetables than fruit
• I avoid processed and packaged food. Give me as close to natural state as possible.

Foods I love to eat a lot of and cook with:

• Coconut oil – actually anything from the coconut
• nuts – mostly almond nuts
• avocados
• sweet potato and pumpkin
• spinach and kale
• lots of herbs
• piles of vegetables – mostly green
• berries
• coconut milk
• raw cacao
• quinoa
• cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili
• chia seeds
• dates

I travel with a high speed blender. I never used to, but because food is a big thing for me now and I like to be more in control of my eating, this is an essential for me. It means I can make chocolate protein balls, and yummy chocolate tarts. I also have a green smoothie most mornings.

Here’s a recipe for the Ultimate Smoothie. It’s serious deliciousness and power packed with protein and nutrients.

Ultimate morning smoothie

• A handful of spinach
• 500ml coconut water (if not almond milk)
• 4 dates
• 2 tablespoons of raw cacao
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/2 an avocado
• 1 tblsp chia seeds
• 2 frozen bananas
• Sometimes I add in 1/2 cup frozen raspberries

When eating out:

• Sweet potato instead of potato
• Avoid the chips (french fries) It’s a weakness of mine so I have to be extra conscious.
• I go for salads and vegetable
• Skip the desserts – thanks to gluten I can’t mostly. I have a few delicious healthy treats I make at home.

My food inspiration mostly comes from

8. Drink smartly

My huge vices are alcohol and coffee. I’m not prepared to go cold turkey on them so I have to set up some rules to make them less of a problem.

• No coffee after 2pm. And only one coffee a day. I’m currently down to about 4 a week. I have almond or coconut milk.
• I don’t drink beer (purely a gluten decision) and rarely spirits. I might have the odd gin and tonic. I only drink wine and sometimes cider.
• I do not ever touch soft drink (soda) and rarely juice – unless it’s freshly squeezed or cold-pressed.
• I drink a lot of tea – green tea of a morning and only herbal teas after 2pm on most days.
• I drink a lot of water through the day and when I’m really dehydrated a guzzle down coconut water and instantly feel rehydrated.
• Coconut water is bad ass. Best drank straight from the coconut. I never touch those fake electrolyte drinks like Gatorade. They’re full of sugar and nasties.

9. Earthing or Grounding

One of the first things my alternative healer told me to do when I visited her for my health issues was to kick off my shoes and earth more.

The Earth is constantly receiving negative electrons via the sun’s radiation and lightning bolts that strike the earth. This is really good for us. When we connect to the earth via our feet- our biggest sensory organ-the energy of the earth is transmitted into our body, which helps our bodies to function optimally and in balance.

Computers and man-made electrical stuff is always producing positive electrons– you know the buzz word, free radicals. Negative electrons trump positive ones, so when you get zapped up from negative electrons from the Earth it moves into your body and eats up the positive ones, or the bad shit. This reduces our inflammation, which is the cause of pain and many many illnesses.

So time to ground yourself again and make use of this unlimited and free healing source. I walk barefoot as much as I can, especially when the grass is wet or in the water at the beach. Water enhances the healing.

All parents out there. Let your kids run around bare feet, even in the winter time! There are numerous studies that show the benefits of earthing are real and help you overcome jetlag.

10. Reset your body with a cleanse

I’m not as diligent as this now that I’m travelling. But, I did make 10 days of the 21 day cleanse a few months ago. Cleanses are such a great way to reset the body and clear out the gunk. There’s no reason why you can’t do it when you travel. Just take rest a lot during those days and make it a simple cleanse.

Here are two I recommend

I’m not a fan of juicing or starving cleanses. I just think we were made for eating. But, if that’s your thang, then go for it.

Even better, why not book yourself into health retreat on your travels? I’ve got my eye currently set on Bali over the Christmas for a yoga health retreat and cleanse.

11 Live a stress-free life you love

I know that a huge part of the reason why I was so sick for awhile was because of the huge stress I was under. I was living a life I hated and had so much anxiety and worry. This took such a serious toll on my body.

Stress is a silent killer.

Meditation has definitely helped to eliminate stress and it’s a tool I continue to use to help me deal with any stress that may arise. I have an army of tools at my disposal to use.

But there is an incredible amount of freedom, personal control, and adaptability to your desires that comes with travel. It’s mostly stress-free living.

The stress that arises, like missed buses, running out of money or feeling lonely, are generally uplifting stresses, because they present challenges you’re forced to solve. Generally, you work yourself out of the trouble, with a gleeful smile and pat on the back – look how clever you are. There’s generally no space for wallowing, complaining or sitting around waiting for the solution to find you. If you don’t get up and take action, you’re screwed.

It’s hugely empowering.

Travel gifts you with the opportunity to get to know and like yourself and live true to that authenticity. (Click to tweet this)

That eliminates stress and replaces it with a calm, confident demeanour, which usually embraces happiness more.

If things get too much, just slip into the hammock and swing awhile with a good book. (Just skip the chip and dip with it. Grab a coconut and a chocolate ball instead.)

12. Use natural skin-care products

I try to avoid using any chemicals on my skin. Sometimes it’s hard, but I’ve found some really great alternatives, which I’ve written about here. The oils I use are nourishing, cheap, natural, and take up little space in your luggage!

13. Get eight hours of sleep a night (or close to it)

I’d love to have those party hours I used up when I was younger back in sleep. I never realised how important it was until I became a mother and sleep became a luxury.

When we were travelling pre-kids our sleep patterns were generally pretty good. We’d mostly lay in bed and read to ease into sleep, and bed times were reasonable – except for those party nights. I usually always woke up refreshed.

It’s hard to plan for eight hours of sleep when you have kids AND when you’re running a business.

For the past few months, I’ve been focused on committing to eight hours sleep a night. It’s one of the most essential, yet overlooked requirements for good health. Arianna Huffington speaks a lot about the importance of sleep in her book Thrive.

You think you have to burn the midnight candle to get more done, but studies prove that those who sleep better are more productive. So I decided to work less and sleep more. I feel better for it and my productivity is not suffering too much. I’m still getting a lot done, I’m just no longer wasting time on things that don’t really matter. I’d much rather sleep then get lost on Facebook.

Which brings me to 10:12pm and my rule says stop work and get to bed by 10pm. I got too involved in sharing with you my tips for staying healthy on the road. I gotta run now. Zee bed is calling me.

While I’m snoozing away, please tell me: How do you maintain a healthy life while travelling? What are your biggest challenges?

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5 Destinations For First Time Solo Female Travelers

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By Liz Carlson | March 11, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read our Disclosure.

Trying to pick a place to explore for the very first time as a solo traveler can be daunting to say the least, especially if you are a woman.

The world tells us to be afraid and to be hesitant about traveling alone overseas; even now after 8 years of solo travel, people still question me when I talk about my ventures around the world, and even more so when I mention that I travel alone.

It’s hard not to be discouraged when you are faced with such negativity about your travels, especially when starting out.

But if you are considering traveling solo for the first time, here are some relatively easy and safe destinations for women that are great starting spots to begin.

1. Iceland

Iceland has definitely become a hit place to visit, now with cheap and frequent flights both from Europe and North America – you can even do a free week-long stopover with Icelandair between the two continents to make the most of a trip overseas.

With a population of just 300,000 people on a good day, it makes sense that it has a small-town vibe nationwide.

Iceland is probably one of the safest countries I’ve traveled to over the years and I felt totally comfortable there on my own.

Between its location, ease and accessibility, culture and safety record, Iceland is the perfect place for first time solo travelers, especially women.

2. Peru

While Peru might not initially strike you as a great destination for solo female travelers, I’ve found the opposite to be the case.

I’ve included it on the list because I wanted to cover most continents and Peru is such a popular tourist destination. This means it has a moderately solid tourism infrastructure, at least for South America.

If you travel here alone, for the most part you likely won’t be alone, there will be a lot of backpackers and other travelers in similar situations.

I found that I didn’t have any problems there traveling for 2 weeks a few years ago, and I found it incredibly helpful that there was an established tourism industry in Peru, making the logistics and planning less of a hassle.

3. New Zealand

One of the main reasons I decided to base myself in New Zealand is because it is such a welcoming and open destination for solo female travelers like me.

Seriously, I don’t think there is a safer or easier country to travel to – New Zealand is perfect for first-time solo travelers.

It’s very easy to travel around whether by bus, car, planes or even hitchhiking, which is still a very common practice here.

The people are incredibly friendly and helpful if you have any problems or get into trouble and because there are only 4 million people nationwide, it very much has a small-town vibe like Iceland – everyone knows each other.

4. Thailand

Southeast Asia is a great place for solo travelers. It’s a major backpacker hub and it’s a very easy place to travel around.

It has quite the reputation for first time travelers, especially because it’s so cheap and your money can last a lot longer there – because of that though it’s often caters towards younger backpackers on a budget, though I’ve found that you can have a very good boutique or even luxury trip for an affordable price.

Thailand has a very established tourism industry as well and if you’re looking for a good place to start traveling for the first time alone in Asia, it’s ideal.

5. South Africa

Africa doesn’t always have the best reputation for solo female travelers, or even solo travelers in general, but I’ve found that to not be the case at all.

I recently spent a few weeks in South Africa and had the most amazing time. Cities like Cape Town are very hip and fun, and I found them to be accessible and easy for solo travelers.

There are a few things you have to be more cautious and wary about in South Africa, like not walking alone at night and avoiding bad neighborhoods, but the same can be said for many urban centers around the world.

If you are looking to visit Africa as your first solo destination, South Africa is a great place to start.

More Travel Tips

Check out these posts:

What destinations would you visit as a solo female traveler and why?

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5 simple ways to manage mental wellbeing for solo travelers

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Traveling is an unquestionably mind-blowing and positively life-changing thing to do.

Head out into the world and you’ll bear witness to wondrous people and places; bask in new and exciting cultures and climates; revel in novel and endlessly stimulating experiences.

You will tick items off your bucket list and fill your boots with magnificent memories.

Travelling will teach, inspire, develop and ultimately change you in amazing ways.

Yet, though it’s tempting to focus exclusively on these remarkable qualities of travel, we shouldn’t forget the challenges involved.

In truth, for all of the unconscionable positives, travel really isn’t that easy!

In reality, on many levels (physical, practical, emotional, spiritual) it can be hugely demanding.

The Managing Mental Wellbeing Challenge

Managing mental well-being is one of the many key challenges a traveller must overcome.

Especially for a solo traveler alone on the other side of the world, far away from friends and family, there are countless ways that travelling can impact upon your mental health.

This subject is close to my heart!

Since graduating in 2014 with a degree in Psychology, I’ve been juggling my passion for travel with a desire to help people who struggle with their mental health.

Although, I’m currently taking some time out to focus on my travel blog, I’ve been working in the field of mental health for the last few years, taking frequent trips abroad between roles!

And, though I’m not a clinician, I have worked in numerous mental hospitals and community settings, predominantly in support of individuals with severe and enduring mental health issues, and always with the intention of making a difference in this field.

At times, stress, uncertainty, fear, loneliness, homesickness and nostalgia are all companions for the solo traveller and each can be hugely damaging without the appropriate resources to contend with them.

So, what can we do? What techniques or approaches can we take as solo travellers to navigate these challenges? How do we effectively look after ourselves mentally while travelling?

Drawing on what I’ve learned over the last few years, I’d like to give some suggestions for what might help.

Two important considerations when managing mental wellbeing

A spa with a view!

But before I do I’ll say two things:

1. We’re all different.

Though I can give some ideas about what could help, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will for everyone.

Instead, when it comes to managing your individual mental well-being it’s necessary to find what works for you.

A good starting point is always to know yourself: when you learn something that helps, make a mental note. Or, even better, write it down!

This way you have a physical record to refer back to. Remember, it’s far harder to think rationally in hard times – sometimes we need a reminder of what helps!

2. Sometimes, whatever you do won’t make a spot of difference

And, though frustrating, it’s absolutely normal. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to ‘feel better’.

Often, the first and most important step is simply to acknowledge and accept the way we feel.

All too often we attach a big pile of negative self-judgment (e.g. “I really miss home today but I’m in such an amazing place that it’s ridiculous. I’m so stupid”).

Isn’t it enough just to feel bad without that additional negative self-talk (e.g. “I really miss home today, but I guess that’s normal – after all, I am a long way from family”)?

Notice the difference?

When we simply notice what’s happening and allow it, adding in some self-compassion for good measure, we automatically feel a little bit better!

So, figure out what works for you and move forwards from a point of acceptance.

Next, if it feels necessary, the following techniques might help to manage and overcome any mental challenges you face on your trip.

A guide to traveling solo for the first time [/ybox

 5 ways to manage mental wellbeing as a solo traveler

To give these managing wellbeing tips some added credibility, I’ve based them around 5 categories

1. Connect
2. Be active
3. Take notice
4. Keep learning
5. Give.

These ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ were drawn from a huge piece of recent UK government research, where each was found to significantly contribute to improving wellbeing.

Feel free to click this link below if you’d like to read more about the study.

In no particular order, here we go:

1. Connect (engage with others somehow)

1. Contact friends and family back home. Call or Skype them, write a letter; send a message or an email, anything. If you’re feeling low, sometimes reaching out to loved ones, hearing familiar voices or seeing familiar faces will be enough to brighten up your day.
2. Try to reach out and/or speak to the people around you. Say hello to fellow travellers in your hostel, ask a stranger for directions and strike up a conversation, go to a cafe or bar with someone. Whatever it takes, sometimes being with a friendly stranger can make all the difference.
3. Try text based therapy. If you’re struggling, these days there are numerous options to interact with a therapist online or via your phone. This is probably something to look into before you go away, but could be a possibility if you think you’ll need professional support while you’re travelling. I’ve seen one called Talkspace recommended by Mishvoinmotion’s blog – click the link for a review.
4. You could also try different or more subtle forms of connection. For instance, if you’re less of a people person, you could find an animal to play with or cuddle, or go to the local zoo. Remember: whatever works for you.

[ybox] Relevant Reading – 5 tips for meeting people as a solo traveler

2. Be active (some form of exercise or physical activity)

1. Go for a walk around town. Go for a run around the neighbourhood. Rent a bike to explore the countryside. Get those legs moving! Exercise will release endorphins which naturally feels great and getting out into the fresh air can be an effective and enlivening distraction from low mood. It’s also a great way of exploring a new place!
2. Find a local gym. Sometimes gyms run promotions where you can try it out (under the pretence you’ll join afterwards) for a limited time. Or, just go down, explain you’re in town for a few days and ask if you can pay for a single session.
3. Try doing some yoga, pilates or Tai-chi. Stretching and breathing are two great ways of ‘grounding’ yourself. This just means to connect to the ‘here and now’ as a means of reducing emotional distress (see more in ‘take notice’).
4. Find something physical to match your level of mobility and energy levels. You could try combining this with ‘connect’ and do some exercise with someone else too, or try a team sport.
5. You could also interpret this more generally as ‘take action’. Sometimes, simply the act of doing something- anything- can help in difficult times. The greatest antidote for fear and uncertainty is action.

3. Take notice (be curious, aware, present with your surroundings)

1. Tune in: If you’re really struggling, being present with what’s going on may be the last thing on your mind- when escape and distraction feel like the priority. Again, find what works for you but know that trying to be present with whatever’s there can be a powerful tool in understanding how to best move forwards. Sometimes defining the issue is the only way of feeling better.
2. Write stuff down. Find a piece of paper and pencil and jot down what’s on your mind. Journaling is a popular way of managing mood and reducing distress. A common practice is to spend 5 minutes at the start of every day in a sort of ‘brain purge’, where you just go for it. No thinking, just mindless writing for five minutes. Get whatever’s there onto the page without holding back. It’s cathartic!
3. Meditation: This has a bit of a bad rep with some people and it’s not for everyone. But, it can be a powerful way of connecting to the here-and-now. Not in a woo-hoo, new-agey way, but in a clinically proven, scientific one. Mindful meditation is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and support all manner of other mental difficulties.

Mindful Meditation Tips

Often, our issues are so focused in the past or the future that we don’t have time for the present.

Close your eyes and focus on a physical sensation like your breathing.

Don’t judge yourself critically and don’t try not to think. It’s okay to have a busy mind – simply observe what’s there.

Mindfulness is about gentle, caring and nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment – there is no right or wrong way of doing it! Try five minutes at first and build up if you wish.

1. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Actually listen to what you’re hearing; observe what you’re seeing; feel the sensations on your skin. By being present in such a way we can distract ourselves from our anxiety (routed in the past) and worry (routed in the future). This process is also based on mindfulness practice (as described above).
2. Take some time out. As much as connecting can help, so can being by yourself. It’s important to take a bit of time to be alone, to get some space. It definitely is for me!

4. Keep Learning

1. Read a book. If you don’t have one with you, try finding a library in town (think of the free Wifi too!). Or, hostels often have book exchanges- I’m sure they won’t mind you taking one off the shelf for the afternoon. Reading is my favourite form of distraction when I’m struggling in some way.
2. Tag along on a free walking tour. This would combine getting active, connecting and learning, so could be a good bet. Most major cities do walking tours where only an optional tip at the end is expected.
3. Visit Museums! A traveller’s best friend, especially when they’re free. This is also a good option if the weather isn’t great. There’s a large correlation between bad weather and low mood, so finding something to do at such times can be helpful!
4. Start a conversation with someone in the hostel and find out as much as you can about them. Another way of connecting with people too.
5. Learn about phone applications you can use to support your mental wellbeing. There’s a large range out there these days, including personal favourites such as Headspace (meditation based) and Calm. Simply Google ‘mental health phone applications’ or something similar- there are tonnes of free options.
6. Do an online course. In your spare time and when you have wifi, challenge yourself by taking a free educational course. Learning can be an effective form of distraction, as well as bolstering your self-confidence and sense of purpose!

5. Give (do something for others)

Caz with her students in Bangkok

1. Stock up on the love hormone. Sometimes we forget how good it feels to do something nice for someone else! In fact, scientifically, we actually get a hit of Oxytocin in our brain. Known as the ‘love hormone’, Oxytocin is related to sensations of bonding and togetherness. Supposedly, we only have to see someone else do a good deed to get a hit. Do good, feel good.
2. Give food to a homeless person, volunteer in a local school, help out in the local community, buy a coffee for someone, cook someone else a meal, give a stranger a hug, offer to carry someone’s backpack for them etc etc! Whatever scenario you find yourself in, giving something back might help you feel better too.

This is far from an exhaustive list of suggestions to manage your mental wellbeing!

But, if you’re a solo traveller struggling on the road, I hope at least one of them will come in handy.

Remember, it’s entirely natural to have difficult times when you’re travelling.

At such a time, stop, don’t be so hard on yourself, speak kindly to yourself as you would a friend, and know that you will get through this, whatever it is. Often, when all else fails, and as intense as that experience might feel, we just have to ride the wave out. With time, it will pass.

Look after yourselves everyone and please comment below if you think I’ve missed anything out!

I’d love to get your thoughts on techniques you’ve found helpful when travel times have been tough.

Pin This To Share on Pinterest:

Have you experienced difficulties on the road before as a solo traveler? How did you manage your mental wellbeing? Do you find these tips useful?

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How to move from blog to business in six stages

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I know you’ve thought about how cool it would be to have a travel blog and earn money doing what you love – endless travel. I think it’s totally cool too.

But, I didn’t start a travel blog because I wanted to travel more and make money travel blogging. I actually started because I had this burning desire to share and to make life more than about just what I could get.

I wanted to help people travel more and change their lives.

I didn’t know anything about business or blogging. I had an idea, saw other people doing it and thought, I can do that too.

I had no idea of what it would turn into or that it would present us with such a wild and fun adventure that’s taken us from a lap around the country to the White House, to speaking gigs and courses, and collaborations with my ultimate dream company, Lonely Planet.

My plan was to just follow my heart, regardless of me not knowing what I was doing. Some would perceive that as a risk, I saw it as an adventure worth taking.

Giant rewards don’t come without giant risks. (Click to tweet)

I wish I did know what I was doing as it would have made the creation of our travel blog business faster and easier. But, the journey is where the magic happens.

The freedom of blogging

Blogging is this amazing tool where ordinary people, like you and me, can do extraordinary things, in a way that is completely defined by us.

No editor telling you to change your words. No boss telling you your ideas suck, who to interview, what story to craft, or when to go to the toilet. No brand protector saying you can’t swear or kick rude abusive commenters out of your community.

I love that I have complete freedom to listen and create the best of what’s inside me, so I can help you create the best version of your life.

Blogging changes lives

One of the greatest moments of our travel blogging journey was running into a reader on our road trip around Australia and listening to him tell me for half an hour how much our blog had helped him.

His life was spiralling out of control. The passion for his job was gone, and it was dragging him away from what really mattered – his relationships to his wife and children. We inspired them to unplug from this chaos and travel around Australia. It pulled him out of his funk, saved his marriage, his health, and reconnected him to his children and to himself.

To have that kind of an impact upon someone’s life is why I do this.

There’s no amount of money or prestige or “free” travel that can bring such a deep level of satisfaction. It’s why when people say to me, “I want a travel blog like you and get free travel,” I want to reply, “You’re totally missing the point and you won’t succeed. There has to be more to it than that.”

When I have those days when I don’t want to do anything, or worse, quit, I take myself back to that moment in that caravan park talking with him. I remember the spine tingles, the goosies, and the tears pricking behind my eyes and I Show Up.

I show up every day because of you. It’s not enough to show up just for me. That’s the biggest message I love to share when it comes to teaching others’ about blogging – what’s your greater mission?

Without something bigger than you, you’ll quit.

Moving from blog to business

I believe in blogging. I believe it can be turned into a business.

Travel blogging may not be your thing. You might be into photography, food, fashion, hair, business, coaching, or writing. Whatever it is, blogs give you the medium to create something valuable: for you and your readers.

A blog is a space that allows a person to creatively express themselves in words in a way that inspires and helps those who read it. Writing holds such transformative power for all those involved in the exchange. It’s why I love having a blog that’s also a business.

Life’s ultimate goal is to make money doing what you love in a way that serves.

You may be struggling with your blog at the moment and unsure in which direction to take it. Or, you might be toying with the idea of starting a blog around your passion.

It’s not easy, but it can be done. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have turned their blog into a business in a wide variety of ways.

My motto is, “if someone else can do it, I can too.”

We were paving a path through unchartered territory when we started our travel blog, and in the process discovered six components to moving from blog to successful business.

These are the areas we consistently focus our attention on, and as a result, have created a full-time blogging business that continues to evolve and grow.

In August last year, I had the honour of presenting a talk on moving from blog to business at Darren Rowse’s Problogger Conference on the Gold Coast.

I was speaking at the same time as another lady and convinced myself that everyone would want to see her and I’d be talking to a set of empty chairs.

I was shocked when a few minutes before I was due to start, the organisers began racing around the conference centre to find extra chairs. It was standing, or sitting on the floor, room only. Wow – I was now speaking to over 300 people.

I loved every second of it. Not only sharing what I know about blogging and business but the feedback I had from many of the attendees who said it gave them a lot to think about and apply to their own blogging businesses. This is my flojo!

I’ve now recorded that talk and turned it into a two-hour premium training for you.

Get access to the training here

Here’s what one attendee said

“Caz’s talk is FULL of wisdom and great actionable steps! I had a cramp from writing so fast. Her wholistic picture of what it takes to make your dreams come to life is structured and proven, but also big picture enough to make big dreamers like me sit up and pay attention. Make yourself a coffee, grab an empty notebook, and six pens, and get ready to have your mind blown!.” – Israel Smith

In the training you’ll learn:

1. The six components of a successful online business
2. How to create a vision that aligns with your purpose, passion and what your readers want
3. How to develop a communication strategy that creates raving fans
4. How to create a money plan and become comfortable with selling
5. How to apply leveraging strategies for growth and passive income
6. How to stop sabotaging your business

Number 6 is where I focus at least 80% of my business efforts. You know the 80/20 rule. I can guarantee 80% of people don’t apply this to their business and life. It is the game changer!

I’m not here to give you the “Secret” plan, but the tools to help you build your business in the right way for you, from the strongest position you can.

Register for the training – and please bring a friend, along with your favourite cuppa and a notebook!

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5 Ways to Deal With Solo Travel Negativity from Family

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By Liz Carlson | October 6, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read our Disclosure.

I don’t know about you guys, but more often than not when I announce to my friends and family that I am planning to move overseas or go travel the world, especially alone, I am met with negativity.

And you know what? That freaking sucks!

Aren’t you afraid to travel alone? Don’t you want someone to go with you? That’s so expensive, where do you get the money? And such and such place isn’t safe, didn’t you know? UGH.

I wish that we lived in a more positive world, where women, especially solo travelers like me, are encouraged instead of discouraged.

But until things change, I think it’s necessary to learn how to deal with negativity when traveling.

When I first hit the road in 2007, I was shy and scared, and it took several years and many adventures around the world to find my confidence.

I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up over the years about how to cope with travel negativity.

1. Do your research

Personally I think the majority of people’s fears come from not being aware of the current situation of a destination or lack of information.

Let’s be honest, many people around the world are afraid of other places and cultures, even if they pretend they aren’t.

The first time I went to the Middle East, my family went beserk even though where I was going was considered very safe, and even last month when I was in South Africa, I heard over and over again about Ebola, even though there hasn’t been a single case there.

I find the best way to combat this xenophobia, for lack of a better word, is to be armed with all the facts.

In a nice and friendly way, I’ve found it’s better to point out the truth and use it as an opportunity to educated than to just ignore it and remain frustrated.

In Cape Town, South Africa

2. Show that you take safety seriously when traveling

Another way I have been able to deal with negativity, especially from my family who worries about me, is to demonstrate to them over the years that I know what I am doing on the road and I don’t take dangerous risks and am a very safe traveler.

I think each time that I come back safe and sound, they worry less.

3. Stay connected when traveling

I think for the most part that friends and family can be negative about other people’s travels because they are worried.

Maybe they don’t travel themselves much or just care about you a lot, which is something very special. I take that very seriously, and that means when I am on the road I stay in as much contact as possible with my family especially.

I send them my itineraries in advance, let them know when my plane lands, and send updates and messages while on the road. I know that means a lot, especially to my mom.

In Istanbul, Turkey

4. Be open about how you make your travels happen

Another cause for negativity from people might be the fact that they can’t afford to go on the same trip or don’t even know how to go about it.

I know I agonized for a year before I took my first big solo trip and that was way before the days of travel blogs and online personas encouraging everyone to hit the road.

I can’t stand it when people say they can’t travel, which means I’m very open about how I make my travels happen.

Whether that’s explaining on my blog now how I earn money on the road or 5 years ago when I would casually tell friends about how I saved for certain trips, I’ve always been very open about how I was able to make trips happen in the hopes that it might be helpful to other people too.

5. Decide to be positive

Finally I think the most important thing to remember when dealing with haters or negative people about traveling is that at the end of the day it’s your life and your journey, and if you decide to not listen to them and be positive, you are going to have a great time.

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