How do you transform through travel… when you can’t travel?

I’m all about transforming yourself – and your life – through travel ✈️

But I know travel isn’t always possible for everyone.

It costs money. It takes time that you might not have. Or perhaps you have health issues or other things holding you back.

Believe me, I get it.

So… how do you transform yourself through travel when you can’t actually go away for months or weeks at a time?

Well, you can do it by using the same principles I use when teaching people how to transform through travel – especially solo travel. We just need to do it on a smaller scale – though, of course, that doesn’t mean the transformation has to be small.

So, what are the five main principles of Transforming Through Travel?

1. Put yourself out there and try something new.

2. Connect with others on a deeper level than you usually would.

3. Visit somewhere you’ve never been before.

4. Commit to doing something completely out of your comfort zone.

5. Set yourself a challenge – and make sure you do it.

And, as a bonus – I recommend creating a Travel Transformation playlist, full of inspiring and motivational tracks that will… 1) encourage you to put yourself out there and do what you need to do, and 2) remind yourself afterwards of all the amazing experiences you’ve had. Picking one song in particular for each new thing you try is a great idea too.

So, how do we apply these principles to non-travel experiences?

Let’s take each one in turn.

1. Put yourself out there and try something new.

This is a lot easier to do when you’re travelling, but anyone can try something new wherever they are. Join a club or society, take a class, learn an instrument or a new skill, or simply go to a restaurant and eat on your own, or do anything else you’ve never done before (whether out of fear or simply because you’ve never got around to it). Once you’ve done it once, you’ll find it easier to do it – or something else – the next time. Your transformation has begun.

2. Connect with others on a deeper level than you usually would.

Easier said than done, but certainly not impossible. Get your friends together and ask them some deep questions, or go to the pub and try to change the subject away from the usual topic of conversation – or try one of our Flip The Script Digital Party Packs!

3. Visit somewhere you’ve never been before.

This one’s somewhat travel-related, but it doesn’t mean you have to go far. Go and hop on a local train and see where you end up, get off the bus at a different stop in a part of town you’ve never been, or simply leave your house, choose a direction, and start walking, seeing where you end up. Just pretend you’re Frodo and you’re leaving the Shire to go on an adventure – even if that adventure only takes you a few minutes away from home. Just focus on seeing some new sights; you never know where you’ll end up, what you’ll do, or who you’ll meet.

4. Do something completely out of your comfort zone.

Sign up to an open mic night. Ask someone out on a date. Tell your boss you think you deserve that promotion or raise. Get a piercing or tattoo. Whatever it is, you don’t have to travel very far to do it, and you’ll probably feel pretty epic after you’ve done it. Go on, push yourself and step outside that comfort zone!

5. Set yourself a challenge – and make sure you do it.

Once you’ve completed number 4, you can then attempt number 5, which is a similar thing but on a much bigger level. Set yourself a challenge – physical or mental – then stick to it. That means actually telling people you’re doing it (for accountability). If you need more accountability, do the challenge to raise money for charity – you’ll be a lot less likely to back out. There are tons of challenge ideas online – just do an internet search and see what comes up. Once you’ve completed the challenge, you’ll realise that you’re way more capable than you think you are.

If you make your way through all five Transforming Through Travel principles, your transformation won’t be complete by any means, but you’ll be well on your way.

With each new thing you do, each task you complete, and each challenge you smash, you’ll be building your confidence and showing yourself that you can do… well… pretty much anything.

As a digital nomad, I will always recommend travel as a way of transforming yourself and your life, but if travel isn’t on the cards right now, I hope this email has shown you that transformation is still possible – and, hopefully, it will be a lot of fun too.

That’s it for now – until next time, I’ll catch you on the flip side!

Jess xx