June is a 'Time to Travel'

​Summer seemed like the right time to talk about travel! Traveling has broadened my perspectives on life in so many ways that it is hard to narrow down how to tackle this topic. But I wanted to come at this from two different perspectives.

The first thing that I mean when I say 'Time to Travel' is recognizing the times in our lives when the frequency of travel is more available. What is the right time to travel?

I love traveling and learning new things about different places, and cultures, and exploring new foods. I'll always have the travel bug! Before I was married and had kids, far-distance travel was a lot more accessible than it is now. I look back, grateful that I made travel a priority and something to enjoy in that season of my life. I believe there will still be times to travel more like that again in the future, and I look forward to those times as well.

However, I also think travel can be accessible in every phase of life if we want it to be. We still find ways to travel with our kids, the trips aren't as exotic as Thialand; they are more closer to home or in our Idaho backyard. There are still lots of places within 4-5 hours from us that we have not explored yet, and we find ways to make those trips when we can.

What are some ideas for making travel accessible in different phases of life?

Recognize the reality of your situation and work with what you have.​

That might not be what you want to hear, but if you are on a tight budget then planning a trip to Europe isn't smart. But can you take a day trip somewhere new? Or find a new park you haven't taken your kids to yet? What can you do today to create a travel experience? We always think of travel as a huge, major production that has to be Instagram-worthy, but it doesn't. What is it about travel that you enjoy most? Is it meeting different people? Having a new cultural experience? Is it the food? Take what you love, and make it accessible on a small scale. Go to a farmers market and talk with the locals. Find a cultural experience to be a part of in your community, or learn how to make a new kind of food from a country you want to visit one day.

There is always time to 'Travel', even if it looks different for the phase of life you are in.

The second way that I'm looking at 'Time to Travel' is a recognition that you need to give yourself time to be away from your everyday routines.

Our family has a lot of big changes happening over the next few months and one day a few weeks ago I found myself overwhelmed thinking about everything coming up and how to do it all. I was cranky, running around frantically, which made my kids feel the same way, not to mention the weather was still up and down so we were all on edge. We had a camping trip planned but since we didn't know what the weather was going to do we almost canceled our plans the day of. But, I recognized that everyone in our family needed this small, one-night getaway if we were to survive the next few weeks. It didn't matter if packing for it was just one more thing to stress me out, or that I was so tired I could barely do it-I knew we had to make it happen.

And we did! The weather was chilly at first but the following day that we got away was beautiful. We were by the water, the sun was shining, we ate marshmallows at 10 am, had a picnic, and then went swimming. Then we spoiled our dinner with some late afternoon ice cream.​

It was exactly what we all needed to keep our sanity in check!

So how does travel affect your moods? How does it change your perspective? How does it give you the relief you need from your everyday life?

'Time to Travel' in this way could be as simple as driving to the store but taking a different route. It could be finding a new place to watch the sunset. What if your whole family jumps in the car, taking turns yelling 'left' or 'right' and see where you end up? It's changing your pace, adding variety to your experiences, and thinking in new ways. That's really what travel does for us.

As you think about your summer plans, whether big or small, I hope you consider that there can always be 'Time to Travel'. It doesn't matter the phase of life you are in, or where you live, travel can be accessible in a variety of different ways.

Travel near, travel far, or travel to a new place right in your city or neighborhood.​

It is a gift to take 'Time to Travel.'