I receive many emails each day, today I received one from ‘Nomadic Matt‘ who specialises in giving travel advice. He is a traveler himself and delights in regaling us with his personal experiences / hints / tips etc. I found this email reproduced below most helpful and encouraging.
Hey Brian,
Happy New Year! January always seems to be a time for reflection as we think about our new year goals: where we want to go, who we want to be, and what we want to bring into our lives.
If you’re like me, you’re hoping those “new year, new you” goals don’t turn into “new year, old you” all over again.
Rather than admit defeat off the bat (“I know it won’t last”), this year, let’s reframe the scripts in our head.
Let’s toss out the negative thoughts that keep us tied to old patterns.
Instead of setting a goal, let’s decide to just be the kind of person we want to be.
Don’t pledge to read more. Become a reader.
Don’t pledge to cook more. Become a cook.
Don’t pledge to travel more. Become a traveler.
Imagine yourself as that new person and ask what they would do — and just do it! That may seem trite but study after study has shown that by imagining yourself as your desired self, you unconsciously start acting like that person.
You internalize those ideal traits and, little by little, become closer to who you want to be.
And that’s what’s most important: the small steps.
Because action begets action. The first step is always the hardest but, once you take it, every other step becomes easier.
And it doesn’t matter what that first step is. Buy a guidebook, subscribe to a blog, save a dollar. Just do something. Today.
Ask yourself “What’s the one thing I can do today to get closer to my dream trip?”
After a while, you find yourself building a habit and becoming that traveler you want to be.
Over the next month, I’ll be sending a bunch of new articles on how to travel on a budget in 2020 as well as how to travel eco-friendlier too. There’s a lot coming down the pipe.
But, today, I want to remind you that there will never a perfect time to travel.
You will always find an excuse not to go. There will always be bills to pay or things to do. No time will ever be perfect.
Accept that, put it out of your mind, and start taking action.
Ships weren’t meant to stay in harbor — and you weren’t meant to stay home.
The year is already 2% over. Let’s not wait.
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