*sigh* 

*as you look out the window taking in the best part of your flight*

Happy Summer TwN travelers,

Thank you for subscribing to the Takes with Nads newsletter. It is by no coincidence that you’ve secured a window seat to travel with me, and I brought an extra neck pillow.

The Solo Flow Series goal is to make travelers feel confident to fly and experience the world independently. Some of my best trips were when I commuted alone to meet friends along the journey.

Since the last solo flow (read it here), I updated my phone! Nonetheless, I am grateful for the technology challenges during my Europe trip because I learned the importance of balancing exploration and self-charging throughout the day. I could not aimlessly scroll online or constantly check messages to update everyone at home. Often, there were times that I prioritized using wifi and the last of my phone battery to memorize the train route and get to my destination on time.

Now in 2024, having revisited Los Angeles, London, Orlando, and NYC in just ½ a year, I have begun to formalize a pattern for what allows me to travel more often than I give myself credit for.

Before we continue, take a moment to acknowledge any doubts or limitations you may feel. Some thoughts I’ve dealt with are:

• They travel because they have money, I don’t.

• I’d lose my job if I ever tried to take time off.

• I don’t know where to go or how to start, and I don’t have time to figure that out.

• Traveling is a luxury, I’ll travel when I’m rich.

These thoughts, although ways our minds try to protect us, can limit us from creating the reality we truly want and can attain. Any feeling or thought trying to keep you where you are comfortable, are red flags for subconscious self-sabotage, in other words, fear.

Whether it means putting time aside to find a job that will allow time off or making a budgeting plan for your first trip a year in advance, there is always a way. And it’s always worth it.

Anyone who has planned a trip or traveled knows it takes quite a bit of resources and preparation to execute a trip. However, it can be helpful to use big-picture thinking when motivating yourself to begin your travel journey.

Develop big-picture thinking skills by:

• embracing a growth mindset; effort » innate talent

• freely brainstorm multiple pathways and options, and even state how you’d like your reality to look like

• play strategy games on the plane (Chess, Sodoku, Tetris, Mini Motorways)

• set goals and make lists

The only 3 things you need to travel add no weight to your luggage!

The first thing I do when I get the traveling itch is: