Abundant Future
Explore the World. Enjoy Abundance!
Travel for mindful souls. Is it even possible? Would it help to connect to a place and co-create its future?
Friend: “I was in Costa Rica and had such a wonderful time.”
Me: “Great! What did you do?”
Friend: “I went rafting and it felt so great! So adventurous! I can still feel the rush!”
Me: “And what else did you do?”
Friend: “I met so many wonderful people! All just like me. So adventurous. We got drunk together and had so much fun!”
Me: “Hmmm…” “What else you notice?”
Friend: “The scenery was so beautiful! The river. The mountains. The picturesque villages.”
Me: “All this enjoyment. What a gift. Did you consider giving back?”
Friend: “What do you mean? I paid for it! The hotel was expensive enough!”
Me: “Hmmm…”
I worked up my courage and spoke my truth. Always hard for me. I don’t want to spoil the fun. I don’t want to be a party-pooper.
Me: “For the first two experiences, you don’t have to travel far next time. The local roller coaster will give you your adrenaline rush. Join the climbing club for some excitement. And it’s not so difficult to meet like-minded people here to get drunk with on the same global beer brand.”
My friend thought long and hard.
Friend: “It wouldn’t be the same though.”
Me: “Exactly. But you missed out on the best bits, it seems.”
Friend: “What best bits?”
Me: “Connecting to local people. Broadening your mind, your perspective. Giving back to this nature you enjoy so much. By helping local people restore the soil, the oceans, the rivers. Learn. Be part of it. And then have a local beer in the local pub with local people who are so different from you…”
Friend: “Hmmm…”
Re-inventing Tourism
It’s not easy to re-invent tourism for life within planetary boundaries. And to be honest, I don’t even know if it’s possible.
Transport will always pollute and masses of people will destroy the gems of this world. In China, as this picture shows. Or wherever these gems are located.
I don’t have all the answers.
Maybe we’ll only solve it with science-fiction-solutions such as teleportation. The quantum physicists might find ways to move beyond our 3D world and crack the codes of the 4th and 5th dimensions. Time and space.
“Beam me up, Scotty!”
— in Star Trek, teleportation is a reality.
Who knows?
But I do know that my soul is nourished by travel. I just love the impressions that new surroundings give me. I love the nature experiences that are so abundantly available in other countries than my own.
Flat, boring Holland, with her seashores never far from an industrial port, is what I know. And don’t get me wrong. We have beautiful parts in The Netherlands, too. And I enjoy them.
But what I really want to experience, are roaring oceans. People in colorful dresses. Smells and sounds that amaze me, get my imagination flowing. And (sub)tropical food to spice-up my world.
And I also know that travel made me a better person. More compassionate. For me, it’s easier now to understand people outside of my own bubble and to really connect.
Abundant Mindset
So let’s explore how we might be able to co-create the future of tourism together. Let’s unbury our abundant mindset and take a giant leap into the unknown.
Nature is abundant. We’re part of nature. So there might be a way forward.
Daniel Christian Wahl, writer of the book ‘Designing Regenerative Cultures’ writes about tourism and many other topics and asks us lots of interesting questions to sharpen our minds.
In one of his recent articles he uses this image:
Poor imagination.
Well, imagination is something I know. I can provide enough of it to fuel all airplanes for a whole year!
So let me share some of my ideas with you.
Mindset Change for Hosts
In order to find some solutions for tourism, I think we’ll need a mindset change on both sides.
Maybe the people living in tourist locations can start by strengthening the fulfillment of their own basic needs first. Food, drinking water, energy. Instead of building high-end hotels and producing souvenirs to bring money in.
Then they can invite travelers who are prepared to really connect with them. And contribute to their environment.
They can unleash the local economy by unleashing the abundance of nature first. Regenerative agriculture will provide food, feed, and resources for products that fulfill basic needs.
They can build other economic activities on top of that. Using synergy as a driver for economic health. I wrote about it in this story about Bali, Indonesia.
Mindset Change for Travelers
In our travelers’ minds, an abundant mindset might start with an aware mind. Less clutter.
- Less clutter in our heads (calm our thoughts)
- Less clutter in our emotions (feel them intensely and then flow again)
- Less clutter in our physical lives (less stuff)
With that clear mind, we might explore:
- Traveling with the best choice of transportation available
- Connecting to local people
- Giving back to local communities and nature
In a practical way, this might mean:
Staying longer
We can stay longer in one place. Really get our feet on the ground and blend in. Feel what it’s like to live there.
Choosing Transportation Wisely
We can choose our travel methods wisely. Plane for long distances. Train, boat, bus, bicycle, and walking for middle-to-short distances.
Simple Luggage
We need so much less than we think we need. How many times have we come back noticing that we haven’t used everything we brought with us. Well, I certainly did…
How bad would it be if we had to use the local laundry sometimes?
And leave the souvenirs where they belong. Out there. Take pictures home instead.
Connecting to Locals
Social media know our preferences so well, we’re always fed the same stuff we already know. Like-minded people. Comfortable opinions.
So boring!
The real adventure is to connect to local people for real. See what their lives are like. Eat their kind of food. Talk with them. Laugh with them. Celebrate life together!
Learn a language to have meaningful conversations…
Giving Back to Nature
Many places in the world are struggling to bring the abundance of nature back to their homes. But there are so many projects going on now. Restoring the land. The soils, the rivers. Restoring the oceans.
And you can be part of it.
Do. Learn. Travel. Get involved.
Volunteering
One way of getting involved in restoring abundance in a faraway country is volunteering. Here are some examples of volunteering and giving back to nature while traveling.
Ecocystem Restoration Camps
Do you want to learn how to live within planetary boundaries? Make friends for life? And bring buckets full of knowledge back to the place where you live?
Ecosystem Restoration Camps might be a good destination for you.
And even if you’re not prepared to travel, but are dedicated to restoring ecosystems, you can become a member.
You can support others to learn.
Marine Volunteering Opportunities
The ocean needs activity from many of us to be restored. In Africa, there are opportunities to become involved as a volunteer in restoring the oceans.
But also here: don’t just stay with your Western friends inside your bubble. Your comfort zone. Get out there in your free time.
Make local friends. Blend in…
Projects Abroad
Projects abroad is a meaningful travel provider. All their projects work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
How great would it be to create a better & more sustainable future for all? Together with people from all over the world.
Go with the Flow
Personally, I do not participate in organized volunteering. We do it differently.
As freelancers, we attract many international projects. In Berlin, in Greece, in Spain, in Indonesia.
We attract them by being active in our local community and online abroad. Seeing where our expertise can add value. Giving abundantly and connecting for real.
Many of the people we interact with, we’ve never met (yet).
And then, at a certain moment, the time comes to visit. It might be a conference we get invited to as a speaker. It might be a project we want to help realize. It might be some other reason.
When the reason is valid enough, we travel.
It’s our way to meet the most wonderful local people, participate in the most valuable local projects, and nourish our souls.
Inviting Different Perspectives on Travel and Living Abroad
Well, these are my thoughts on the transition of tourism. But you might have completely different ideas. I would really welcome the perspective of some of my writer-friends-from-all-over-the-world.
It’s not always easy to connect to local people for real. For example, we are learning Bahasa Indonesia now. But we participate in projects in Spain and Greece, as well.
We would have to learn many languages in-depth before we can really have a meaningful conversation with locals and blend in.
Do you have tips? Thoughts?
About travel from a multi-continent perspective? Some of you even live abroad. How do you blend in? Do you ever think about giving back to local communities and ecosystems? And if so, how?
Perhaps you can shed some light on travelers’ darkness for me. Keno Ogbo, Woei T, Elisabeth Khan, Henery X (long), Eliot Kersgaard, Salam Khan, Livia Dabs, Rasheed Hooda, Daniel Clark, Andy, Selma, Timothy Key, Shin Jie Yong, Agnes Louis, Dr John Rose, Besom & Bletherskite, Tony Young, Jr., Daniel Christian Wahl, jenny andersson, Anna Pollock.
If you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. Or somewhere among the locals, contributing to their world and having fun…
Thank you, Mike, for adding your wise energy to my words on travel.
Further reading
Food connects. Perhaps this story gives some clues.
Waking up is certainly something wise to do…
