Travel (and Be) the Change You Want to See

Many millennials nowadays treat travel as a rite of passage en route to adulthood. Not-so-young people often use it as a way to press reset and recapture the adventure and wonder of their youth. We travel now more than ever -- some estimate that international tourism contributes more than 7 trillion dollars every year to the global economy. For most of us, it is not difficult to see how travel can be a catalyst for individual growth. It attracts us for this reason. 

There is also potential for travel to be a force for collective evolution. As our lives become more global and more mobile, how we travel is how we live. And whether we are out there finding ourselves or losing ourselves, while we are on the road we have a tangible social, political, economic, and environmental impact on everything we touch. Being a conscious traveler means paying attention to – and deliberately choosing – what kind of impact we have. 

The question is: how can we uplevel the power of travel as a positive, global force for both individual growth and collective evolution? 

1. Share stories

When I say "share stories" I don't mean weaving hero tales about the extreme whitewater rafting trip that you went on, or the intense week-long Himalayan trek that you completed. Of course, it is great to share with your friends at home about these adrenaline-pumping, envy-inspiring accounts of your adventures.

There is also a much more powerful genre of stories that we have access to as travelers. These kinds of stories might seem more mundane. Often they are the moments of day-to-day life that you take for granted on the road. The fruit seller who smiles at you every day as you pass by her stand, or the cafe owner who cracks jokes with you, or the taxi driver who returns your lost wallet, invites you to his home and proudly shows off photo albums of his family.

It's easy to forget how uncommon our most common travel experiences are, to others who don't have the same opportunity to see the world. Yet they are the windows to humanity that help us see that we are all more similar than we are different. These are the experiences that surprise you, that touch your heart... the stories of finding connections and kindness in unexpected places.

We live in a world where media tend to propagate what sells. Perpetuating the myth of an "us" and a "them" is all part of business as usual. The people you meet while traveling as well as the people you leave behind back home, will all be impacted by what you choose to notice and what you choose to share.

2. Spend wisely

We can be aware of what we are paying for, whether on the road, or at home saving up for the next adventure. Where money goes, power flows. We vote at the polls once a year (or every four years). At the cash register, we vote every single day. That impact is multiplied in countries where the value of your money is much greater relative to the local cost of living.

It is good to ask questions about the businesses we support and promote when booking a bungalow, buying a scarf, or choosing a tour. We can flex our purchasing power to support enterprises that reflect our values. Or avoid attractions that use exploitative or unsustainable practices. What we choose not to do, as travelers can be as important as what we choose to do. 

For example, the Girls Love Travel group on Facebook has helped raise awareness about the cruel practice of "crushing" elephants and some so-called marine sanctuaries that feed and keep non-captive sharks, effectively removing them from the ecosystem. These activities continue because travelers are willing to pay for these experiences. If we educate ourselves before we buy, we know what we are voting for with our dollars, pounds, or Euros.

3. Walk softly

As we wander through the world, we leave a mark. Things like "Don't Litter" are patently obvious, but there are subtler ways that we leave traces. Do we carry a reusable water bottle or do we buy plastic water bottles every day? Do we use a plastic straw every time we order a drink at the bar, or do we remember to refuse to use a straw? Do we take public transit when practical or do we always jump into an Uber cab? While we may not eliminate the effects of our presence, we can try to reduce it. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. Plastic is forever.

While visiting the bioluminescent bay in Vieques in 2012, I remember being asked to forego bug repellant and sunscreen, despite the mosquitos and unforgiving sun. We were told that chemical residue would upset the fragile pH balance of the water that allowed the microorganisms to thrive. I complied (begrudgingly), but I’m not sure every tour operator was strict about issuing and enforcing these guidelines. Sadly, the glowing bay has since gone dark.

Standing awestruck in Son Doong, supposedly the biggest cave in the world, in Vietnam, I saw paths worn into the fragile landscape and delicate cave formations starting to crumble, after only two seasons of tours. The cave opened to the public in 2013 and only around 600 trekkers had been through the cave at the time of my visit (June 2015). We change a place merely by being there. We can meet this awareness with gratitude instead of guilt, and allow it to motivate us to leave a positive impact that equals or exceeds the wear and tear on the environment that is inevitably caused by our presence.

4. Carry a big heart

Our actions affect the people whose lives we touch in our travels. We can help build bridges or reinforce stereotypes and separation. I once witnessed a backpacker leave his rented bicycle behind at a bar in Laos. The staff graciously brought it inside overnight so it wouldn’t get stolen. When this guy retrieved his bike the next day, the manager suggested that he leave a small tip ($5) for the Lao staff to reward them for their integrity, since selling the bike would have reaped more than their monthly salary. He refused. It made me wonder if the Lao staff will be so helpful and honest next time.

We can reinforce honest, ethical behavior or incite the opposite. Our day-to-day interactions have unseen ripple effects. It is a simple idea, but sometimes a difficult practice, to try to evoke empathy even when you are miserably lost or tired or hungry. The persistent touts who follow you from the train station in Delhi may be annoying, and it takes effort to conjure compassion and call on patience while remembering they are simply trying to make a living.

5. Check your ego

It's easy to get carried away with a travel-related ego project – adding to our country count, collecting passport stamps, acquiring likes and followers along the way. (Guilty.) Instead of inducing envy by shopping, we give ourselves props for drool-worthy destination hopping. What takes away from the richness of our journey is when our trip devolves into a game of "been there, done that, did it better." Travel bucket lists can fuel this madness, tempting us to keep checking off another item to add to our growing list of travel accomplishments.

We can never win at that game. Someone else will always have been to more places, stayed somewhere longer, or serendipitously had some incredible experience that you didn't have. Relax. It's not a competition. No one else can ever have your experience, and you can never fully replicate someone else's. Without even trying, each of us is always in a particular place at a particular time, where no one else has been before or will ever be again. And we bring our own unique qualities to each here and now. That combination makes magic.

6. Wherever you are, be there

Social media is a great way to connect, to share, and to educate. But as with anything that we take on as an extension of our "self" (ego) social media can run amok if left unchecked. As a frequent solo traveler, it’s easy to turn to social media when I feel lonely. I like to inspire and inform other travelers or aspiring travelers, and I take comfort in knowing someone is witnessing some slice of my journey. It feels good to share as a way to connect. The problem is when that practice becomes a habit, and that habit morphs into an obsession.

In our media crazed culture, we get so focused on documenting our travels for others (or even for our future self) that we often miss the moment entirely. What’s your reflexive response to seeing something beautiful? Is it to immediately put a screen between yourself and the source of beauty? Remember to put the camera down for a few breaths before or after you snap that Instagram pic, and be where you are. Take in the sights, the sounds, the smells, the textures… soak it all in, fully. Don't let the 3D-richness of your real life experience be diluted by a screen.

Travel clearly has costs. There’s the carbon footprint of flying, the energy to store the photos we take, the erosion caused by our actual footsteps... It is up to us as travelers to see that the benefits outweigh the costs. Let’s start traveling with the kind of presence that allows experiences to leave meaningful impressions on us. From there, travel can help us build communities, strengthen economies, heal misunderstandings, and connect as humans.

Wendy May is a leadership consultant, executive coach, and creator of Life Reboot — a unique retreat experience for women seeking to shift the meaning of work. Wendy has found that many principles used to shepherd organizations through change can also be used to guide individuals who are making changes within themselves for the "soul purpose" of work freedom and fulfillment.

Learn more about Wendy’s coaching and retreats at kaistara.com