I LOVE me a good TED Talk.

They’re a great way to learn something new or to gain greater insight into a concept you might already have an interest in. From time to time, I’ll go on a TED Talk binge and watch a slew of videos in one go. On one such occasion, I stumbled upon a talk by journalist Judith Fein, titled Deep Travel- Connecting on the road and in life. Her talk focused on the idea of connecting with other people; where you encounter these people doesn’t really matter, whether you’re travelling away from home or you’re mulling around your own locale.  Throughout her talk, she raised, what I considered to be, a lot of valid and thoughtful points regarding the lessons that can be brought about when we engage with other people.  One idea that perfectly underscored the talk was the notion of a ‘traveller’s mindset’.

At times, I used to find it difficult to articulate the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind why I love to travel and move around so much (often to places that are a bit far from home; Halifax,  Canberra,  Melbourne, Vancouver, Melbourne again,  Lake Louise- it’s been a lot of moving in the past 12 years). But this talk and the notion of the ‘traveller’s mindset’ provided me with so much comfort, because I’d stumbled upon someone who was finally able to describe one of the elusive pillars that props up my love for new places and experiences.

Fein explains the ‘traveller’s mindset’ as a headspace where one is curious and excited about ‘the other’.  In case you don’t have the time to watch the talk (but, if you do, I would highly recommend it), Fein describes ‘the other’ as the ‘outsider’ that we have sort of built up in our minds.  In this day and age, there can be a bit of a disconnect between people and who we perceive as being ‘too different’ from what we’re all about.  However, according to Fein, the other side of this coin manifests as the ability to look at our differences as exciting opportunities to learn and connect with one another, rather than seeing these differences as barriers.

Throughout her talk, Fein supplies the audience with examples of ‘connecting’ from her own travels.  From an encounter with a young woman in Tunisia to experiencing generosity from locals in Malekula, she transforms her encounters into thought-provoking stories.  What stood out  to me the most was how Fein used keen observation and curiosity to emerge from her travels with a deeper understanding of other peoples’ perspectives, rather than just terrific photos with picturesque backdrops (because those are amazing,  too!).  She implores people to consider the world around them and, above all else, to ask meaningful questions.  During her talk, she supplies the audience with a few examples of what could constitute as “meaningful questions”. There are four questions on the slide she displays. As many people know, I’m a fan of bullet journals (and journalling, in general). After I first watched this TED Talk, I rewound the clip and jotted those four questions down in one of my journals. I then decided to adapt three of the questions, so I could start a new tradition for myself. Each year on my birthday (which also happens to be Cinco de Mayo, what whaaat), I revisit my adapted questions to check-in with myself. The questions I answer in my journal each May are:

1. What was the most important thing you learned from someone else this past year and why was it so important? How has this impacted your life?
2. What was the hardest thing you did this past year and what made it so challenging? What did you learn from this challenge?
3. What brought you peace of mind or calm this past year?

When I run through these questions each Cinco de Mayo, I use it as an opportunity to reflect. I think about the year I’ve had and assess what the previous twelve months have brought me. In turn, this helps me get an idea of what I want out of the next year. Whether the goals I set for myself are domestic, international, local, or within a 5-block radius, these questions and Dr. Fein’s talk have stuck with me and continue to provide a bit of format to the somewhat structure-less way I see the world.

The idea that travel can be so much more than hopping on a plane, running around snapping photos, hopping back on the plane, returning home, and showing people the places you visited without being able to recall where you were or why you enjoyed it is a refreshing perspective that I find myself thinking back to on an increasingly regular basis. As Fein states in her talk, “life is travel and travel is life”. Moving great distances isn’t always required in order to “travel” or to learn something new; I tend to characterize most things I do as “adventures” because that’s how I see it. When I’m grabbing a tea at our hotel’s café- “tea adventure”; when I’m going to Banff to ‘laptop’ and enjoy a glass of wine- “Banff-night-out adventure”; when I’m walking down Lake Louise Drive to the village for groceries- “long walk adventure”.  Even if I’ve done something a million times before, no two experiences are ever the same and there will always be something new to notice or someone new to chat to (should they be down for a conversation). The only prerequisites for a ‘traveller’s mindset’ are having an open mind and approaching life with a willingness to consider things from new perspectives.

Sure,  it’s fair to acknowledge that not every person you come across will be the prime candidate for a conversation; being safe and having street smarts are important, particularly when you are a solo female (believe me, I’ve had my fair share of awkward or unusual encounters).  However, I think that there is typically room for balance between being vigilant and being open to new people and experiences.  As Fein explains, despite a need for being aware of the safety checks you surround yourself with, there is also a wealth of knowledge and insight that one can gain by engaging with people and seeking to understand their way of seeing things.

I first came across this talk in the summer of 2017 and have revisited it frequently.  The outlook that “the goal is to make your life a deep and meaningful trip” resonates strongly with me.  Yes,  life has its ‘ups-and-downs’ and it can be incredibly challenging and unfair, at times. Not every moment will be enjoyable and we all go through trials and tribulations. At the end of the day, though, despite those trials and tribulations,  I still see life as a remarkable opportunity to make connections, learn, experience, soak in beauty, and live. It was so nice to stumble upon this TED Talk that night in 2017 and to be reminded that there are people like Fein out there who not only understand the brilliance of a ‘traveller’s mindset’, but who can articulate it so effectively as well.

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