5 New Year’s Travel Resolutions You Should Make

This is a guest post by Susan Guillory of The Unexplorer.

People fall on one of two sides of the fence when it comes to making New Year’s resolutions: they either hate them, claiming they never work, or they’re like me, and love setting them each year. Whichever camp you fall into, humor me by thinking about the travel resolutions you can make this year. Trust me: your year will be better for it.

1. I Will Take at Least One Trip This Year

fira greece

It doesn’t have to be international. It doesn’t have to last a week. But travel provides so many benefits like reducing stress and depression and increasing creativity. So even if you can only get away for a weekend, do. Getting out of your daily grind can have a huge impact on your wellbeing.

For me, I’m planning a trip to Sedona for a cool retreat, but I’m starting to think about an international trip as well. My son will be studying in Japan in the summer, so maybe I’ll head to Asia, which has been on my list.

2. I Will Get Out of My Comfort Zone

tijuana statue

This is one of the reasons I love to travel. How often are we out of our own comfort zones in terms of culture, language, or even being the only person of our race as far as the eye can see? Doing so brings perspective.

I love learning at least a few words of a language when I travel, but I’m learning to let go and let the foreign words wash over me and live in that discomfort of not understanding.

How will you get out of your comfort zone this year?

3. I Will Let Serendipity Take Over

dinner in megalochori

I have changed sooo much as a traveler over the years! I used to plan out my trips, deciding where I’d go on what day. This led to me being pretty stressed! So I’ve learned to balance: I do research a place to get some ideas of places I want to visit, but I’m flexible. I may or may not hit every place on my list, and I leave the door open to seeing where the day takes me.

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This year, it took me down a shady path in Megalochori, Santorini, where I made new friends. Serendipity has also led me to discover cool local festivals and hidden restaurants. So ditch the map and the plan and enjoy the pleasures of discovery!

4. I Will Prioritize Travel

aix-en-provence fountain

I get so frustrated when people say, “I’d love to travel like you! But I can’t afford it.”

Look, I’m not made of money. But I do prioritize travel. I don’t eat extravagant meals or have a Starbucks addiction. My closet isn’t jam-packed with the latest fashions. But I travel. Oh, how I travel. Because I make it a priority and budget for it.

Even if you can only save $100 a month, over time that will accumulate and you can take the trip of your dreams!

5. I Will Get From Behind My Camera

desert sky

If you’ve read any of my posts, you know I take a healthy amount of photos when I travel. I have the excuse of being a travel blogger. But I want to make a concerted effort in the new year to take fewer photos and just experience a moment. Take a mental photograph.

It’s great to have visual evidence of being at the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Eiffel Tower, but it’s also important to soak up the experience.

What other travel resolutions are on your list?