By Sabriya Dobbins, Founder and CEO of Project Passport

People are looking to travel in healthier manners physically, mentally and emotionally. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness travel industry will top $900 billion by 2022. People are investing their health and wellness in every facet of their lives. In a Wellness Travel Trends Survey by Recommend Magazine, almost 50% of participants stated they were planning to take a wellness vacation in the next six months alone. But the question is, how can you incorporate wellness into travel?

1. Get sleep. Don’t force yourself to wake up early every single day. If you are not an early bird, don’t make yourself one for the sake of a vacation. Get your normal 7-8 hours of sleep so that you can enjoy each day wholeheartedly.

2. Eat well. You can still eat healthy while on vacation. Try to taste as much of the fresh fruit that they have, especially the unique fruits that you can only find in the country you are visiting. Still try the tasty desserts but in moderation as you would at home.

3. Walk more. There are plenty of bus riding tours in many countries you may visit. Decide to take the walking scenic route instead. Really experience the smells and the sounds up close and in person.

4. Say hello. Connections are amazing for our mental wellness. Getting to meet new people and making new friends allows you to feel excitement and happiness, kicking up the dopamine in your brain. In addition, you gain the opportunity to understand other cultures right from the source.

5. Be active. If you are able to, take a chance on dynamically active excursions. Mountain climbing, cave swimming, and obstacle course trekking are all great examples to stay physically active while enjoying your travels.

6. Express yourself. Write in a journal each evening to reflect on what the day’s events felt like. Was it a stressful day? Did you try something new? Write about the smells in the city. Describe an exciting encounter you had with a local. Take the time to lay your thoughts out so that you can look back and remember this experience and also track your emotional status.

7. Travel light. Of course, when one says travel light, you think of packing. However, we mean travel light by leaving negative people home. It is so important to experience travel in the best head space so if you have that friend or family member who makes you feel more stressed than happy, don’t travel with them!

8. Be safe. Have your safety plans in mind such as points of contacts and embassy locations so that you can experience a peace of mind while you travel. Anxiety tightly ties into mental health therefore, having a plan allows you to alleviate some worry.

9. Breathe in. If you have the opportunity to just bask in the nature of where you are. Do it. Just take some time to look at every detail around you. Every flower, every cloud, the grass, the trees, the world. The beauty of the world is mind-blowing. Think about some of the things you are grateful for. Be grateful for the moment.

10. Just dance. Not the game! We mean just dance when the music comes on. Follow behind the festival going in the street. Be spontaneous and sing in the karaoke bar. Be free! You don’t have to worry about people judging you because no one is going be thinking about your silly dance moves from that time you were halfway across the globe! Traveling takes away the chains of being “normal.” Even if for just that night, take the chance!

You can incorporate wellness as deeply as you choose when traveling. Maybe you want a simple vacation with a touch of wellness. Or maybe you are looking for a full blown retreat. Traveling well is not so hard after all.

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Project Passport is a mental empowerment retreat and event company created to help women connect with one another and gain the tools to improve their lives in the best way possible. Each retreat experience has a unique theme with carefully designed activities to help participants grow and experience transformation. We are making mental wellness the norm, one retreat at a time. Learn more at project-passport.com.