38: Redefining Family Travel, A Mindful Approach to Planning Summer with Intention
In a recent episode of the The Wand(HER)wild Podcast, host Monica shares a workshop within the Wand(HER)wild community looking into the transformative power of mindful family travel. Speaking to a live virtual audience, she led a heartfelt and thought-provoking workshop on how parents can reimagine their summer travels through a more intentional, connected lens. Rather than rushing from destination to destination or simply ticking boxes, Monica invited her community to reflect on deeper desires for their travel experiences—ones that honor presence, self-awareness, and shared joy.
Drawing from her own experiences as a mother, expat, and former corporate leader turned entrepreneur, Monica offered a compassionate and empowering approach to travel planning. Her goal? To help families design vacations that nurture the individual and collective soul.
The episode began with Monica grounding the group in the core concept of mindful travel. She cited a definition that described it as "a heightened awareness that allows travelers to slow down and pay attention to their surroundings." This practice, she explained, ignites curiosity, cultivates self-discovery, and opens the door to meaningful connections—both with others and with the self.
With her signature warmth and clarity, Monica guided listeners through a quadrant-based journaling reflection, encouraging them to explore their inner landscapes before mapping out summer travel plans. The journaling process included four main quadrants:
Quadrant 1: Reflecting on Childhood Vacations
Monica invited participants to remember their own childhood vacations. What moments were most impressionable? What did they love, and what did they long for? This exercise wasn’t about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, but about uncovering the roots of each person's travel values. Participants were also encouraged to reimagine how they would have liked their childhood experiences to feel—a way of setting the stage for how they might shape their children's memories now.
From there, Monica asked a powerful follow-up: “What feelings do you want everyone to have when returning home this summer?” By emphasizing emotion and experience over itinerary and output, she reframed travel as a relational and spiritual journey.
Quadrant 2: Designing for Everyone’s Joy
In the second quadrant, Monica encouraged participants to consider the needs and personalities of everyone joining the trip. What would each person want to feel or experience? Whether it was a toddler seeking play, a partner craving rest, or a grandparent hoping for quality time, Monica stressed that summer travel can (and should) accommodate everyone.
Importantly, she also posed a reflective question for the listener themselves: “What do you want to experience—just for you?” And more than that: “How will you advocate for yourself to receive it?”
This theme of self-advocacy was central to Monica’s message. For many mothers, vacation planning can become yet another extension of labor. Monica encouraged women to get clear on their own desires—whether solitude, adventure, or stillness—and to make space for those needs without guilt.
Quadrant 3: Creating Deeper Connection with Place
The third quadrant shifted the focus toward the destination. Monica asked listeners to envision how they would interact with the local environment, businesses, people, and stories. Where were they staying? How would they arrive? What footprint would they leave behind?
Her prompt was both grounding and expansive: “Can you create space for local businesses, genuine conversations, sustainability, and footprint awareness?”
This section encouraged listeners to slow down and be present with where they are, rather than rushing to check off bucket list items. By engaging with the spirit of a place—its people, culture, food, and environment—travel could become a living lesson in empathy, gratitude, and conscious connection.
Quadrant 4: Inviting Stillness
Finally, Monica offered a poetic and profound invitation: to welcome stillness into a family holiday as if it were another guest. In a world that often glorifies over-scheduling and overstimulation, she urged listeners to simplify their itineraries and make room for rest, spontaneity, and just being.
The idea of stillness as a member of the family, rather than a luxury or afterthought, shifted the paradigm. Monica asked, “How can you simplify and leave room for nothing in your agenda?” In that nothingness, she implied, lies the potential for the most memorable and meaningful experiences.
The workshop closed with a reminder that participants could revisit their journal pages at any time—to call in inspiration, reflect on intentions, or remind themselves of what matters most. Whether the plans unfold exactly as expected or not, the mindset behind the journey could shift everything.
Before signing off, Monica shared that the Wand(HER)wild community would be hosting a virtual Pilates Fusion class the following week—an embodiment-focused offering aligned with the same values of presence and intentionality. She invited listeners to join, participate live, or catch the replay, and encouraged them to continue the conversation in the community WhatsApp group.
Family traveling in an airport with a young child
Questions to Consider:
What do you want to feel when you return home from your next trip?
What does your soul crave during travel?
How can you advocate for your own needs while planning for your family?
As Monica beautifully illustrated, mindful family travel isn’t about perfection or elaborate plans. It’s about tuning in—to yourself, your loved ones, and the wider world. It’s about remembering that meaningful moments often arise in the in-between: the quiet walks, the shared meals, the unscripted laughter.
For those feeling called to travel more consciously this summer, Monica’s workshop offers both a roadmap and a mirror. A way forward, and a chance to remember who you are at every step of the journey.
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Want more real-talk episodes like this? Listen to The Wand(HER)wild Podcast and connect with our community over on Instagram @wandherwild or through our digital events at wandherwild.com/community and retreats at wanderwildfamilyretreats.com.
