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03/09/2017

Can Traveling Be an Important Part of Your Happiness Strategy?

Indeed it can and should!

 

A big part of the frustration with modern life is the routine and monotony of repetitive activities that seem to do little, in and of themselves, to provide anything of value: 

Alarm

• Alarm clocks

• Commuting

• Toxic people and work environments

• Eating on the run

• Paying bills

Frustration-at-Work

To and from work, we might listen to stories on the radio that leave us with the impression that the world is falling apart. All of this has the effect of dulling our senses and immersing us in a shroud of fear that keeps our internal defense mechanisms in a perpetual state of readiness. 

We lose an appreciation for the little things that restore joy and remind us to be grateful. 

Wanderer

Travel can be a way to reset our mind and body, indeed our very life. We once we have arrived at our destination, we set our own schedule. Very often we hand over responsibility for transportation to someone else, whether it be a train, a taxi or an excursion operator. We can sit back and take in the scenery. 

The new sights, sounds, smells and experiences broaden our awareness to the wider world and our imagination is rediscovered. Curiosity, wonder and awe are rekindled as we behold the depth, diversity and complexity of different lands, cultures and history. 

To learn more, read Wes' article on Travel Local. Peruse the site and be led by your curiosity to different journeys you might plan for the future. Bon Voyage! 

-Shane

Posted by on 03/09/2017 at 05:40 AM in Emotional Health, Happiness, Travel |

Tags: architecture, awe, body, culture, curiosity, experiences, foods, health, history, inspiration, mind, nature, peoples, schedules, sights, smells, stress reduction, travel

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Kacy

This is very true, getting out of the norm is a good idea.

Posted by: Kacy | 06/15/2017 at 02:51 AM

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This blog and its companion book are a direct challenge to the preconceived notions, fears, biases and flawed approaches that hold many of us back from success in relationships, work, creativity and most importantly, life satisfaction.

Like many of you, from my adolescent years, I was seeking guidance to help me understand the complex interplay between myself and the world at large: A sort of “Life Manual”. I would peruse book stores and act on recommendations by friends and respected “gurus”, and never found a book, program or methodology that connected all the dots.

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Along the way though, most of us get bogged down in the details. To use a driving metaphor, we head off perhaps in the right direction and then hit a pothole. Our vehicle becomes temporarily disabled and so we hitch a ride and become a passenger on someone else’s journey. Through detours and switchbacks, we may spend years retracing our steps in an effort to regain the momentum of those earlier times. Along the way, circumstance or destiny places what feels like insurmountable barriers in our path, causing us to rethink our entire rai·son d'ê·tre.

This is usually when the pivot happens. When our belief systems collapse, leaving us feeling incapable of addressing even the simplest task, for lack of confidence in our own abilities or the very righteousness of humanity. I built The Happiness Tree for this critical juncture in my own life and by extension, to help you through yours.

This system is named The Happiness Tree, for a reason. By following its intuitive structure: Roots; Trunk; Limbs and Branches, we begin to organize the seemingly complex interplay between ourselves and others, into a visual framework, allowing us to step back for the first time and see the entire global connections that make up our lives. From this vantage point, areas that are weak or unbalanced are revealed. We are then guided toward achieving a broader and more effective distribution of our time, energy, talents, passions and goals through the implementation of practical, common sense strategies. Branch, by branch we begin to fill out our own unique tree, from top to bottom, enhancing our confidence, relationships, creativity, purpose and ultimately, our life satisfaction and happiness.

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