I recently wrote about the virtues of a well traveled life. However, I wanted to expand upon the subject of destinations. Travel does not always have to involve some place far away. Local travel counts too...a bike ride to a local park, a day trip to the next county over, or a weekend getaway to a local city or campground. Such short jaunts can all prove to be therapeutic and make many great memories.

If at all possible, walk or ride your bike to your local destination, or when arriving at your destination. If you know me, you know that I frequently proclaim the virtues of daily exercise, and especially walking. Humans are built to move. We have muscles, joints, and tendons that need to be used on a regular basis to maintain system integrity. Movement brings us physical wellness, and can definitely contribute to our mental wellness.

A wonderful aspect of local travel is that it can be ultra simple. You don't need to worry about packing too much or too little, planning every detail, spending a bunch of money, etc. Instead, you can generally be care free about it.

So if you are not the away-from-home traveling kind, you don't want to spend a lot of money, or if the period in your life is not right for a far away trip, no worries. Local travel is an enjoyable and worthy alternative to more distant or exotic destinations. There are many places nearby to explore and enjoy.

A note on weather: No matter if the weather forecast calls for a chance of rain, or if the temperature may be above or below your normal comfort zone, get moving outside anyway. Spending a little time outdoors each day is good for the soul regardless of the weather. Keep things simple, get outside, and get going. You will be happier for it.

Remember when you were a child and your imagination would come alive when dreaming about some mystical, far away place you had never been? As an adult, do you recall how anticipation builds before embarking on a trip to a new location? No matter our age, travel can have a profound influence on the quality of our lives.

Just the mere act of thinking about, imagining, or planning some kind of trip can bring much happiness. During the trip, our cares and troubles fade away, as new experiences inundate our senses. Feelings of elation and relaxation soon set in. The journey transforms our state of mind for the better. And as an added bonus, we will forever have the memories to reflect upon long after the trip is over.

A life well travelled can definitely be an important component in a life well lived. Regardless of your age or condition, give yourself the freedom to dream about travel. Where do you want to go, and what do you want to see? What locations fill your mind with thoughts of joy and wonder?

Create a "To See" list. Start planning and start traveling. If you cannot physically get to a certain place right away, visit it via your imagination with maps, books, videos, and the like.

As I have written about before, atmospheres are powerful. So use travel to enrich your life by finding ones that you enjoy. Set upon new journeys, and embrace the magic of places and spaces.

Traveling should be a good experience. Yes, there are various inconveniences that come along with traveling, but in general you can make traveling a happy experience if you so desire. Following are some tips to make your journey more enjoyable....

1. Travel light. This is the first and foremost rule so that you are not lugging around extra luggage and weight. For a practical strategy on packing lighter, see my separate article on this.
2. Dress comfortably. Wear what makes you comfortable and confident. Good shoes are paramount. (Note: the first two rules can be compared to taking a walk in the park. Would you rather wear comfy clothes and shoes while simply walking your dog, or wear a suit and dress shoes while pulling a fifty pound wagon and carrying a thirty pound back pack? You see my point.)
3. Plan out your trip in advance. A few minutes of basic planning pays off by making your trip less stressful. Look at a map, gather your tickets and hotel information, etc.
4. Avoid the rush, and leave in plenty of time. Arrive early at the airport early, leisurely stroll through baggage check and security, use the restroom, and chill at the gate. When you arrive early, you will be happier and more relaxed in general. Wether you choose to entertain yourself or get a little work done before you board is up to you. Same goes for driving to your destination.
5. Pack a snack. Having tasty food within reach is a basic human comfort.
6. Take a water bottle and stay hydrated. If flying, it will need to be empty before going through security, but then you can fill it afterwards. Most airports now have water bottle filling stations with filtered water.
7. Take stuff to entertain yourself. For me this is books, magazines, and my journal. For my wife it is books and movies on her tablet.
8. Listen to music that you like. It is as simple as plugging earphones into your smart phone or tablet now a days.
9. Reward yourself along the journey by doing something fun or buying something you've been wanting. For instance, when driving somewhere and arriving early, seek out that museum you've been wanting to go to. Or when flying, do a little shopping at the airport or a local specialty store.
10. Travel with people you enjoy spending time with. A good companion or fun group can make your trip a memorable adventure.

Remember that great experiences are more valuable than material things when it comes to human happiness. So turn your journeys into happy events that will enrich your life.

I must admit, I used to be the guy at the airport checking a large suitcase crammed full, while also lugging around a back pack and/or a heavy computer bag every where I went. All for a short business trip or weekend get-a-way. I spent hours packing and unpacking. I felt like I was traveling around with boat anchors tied to my ankles. As a result, travel was a strenuous and stressful event.

I have since learned from the errors of my ways, and now I take great pride in being a light, yet practical packer. I now travel light, happy, and free. Here is how to do it....

1. Use the smallest suitcase possible for your clothes and shoes
2. Take much, much less by packing smart
3. Take a single small backpack or other small bag for your electronics and other accessories

Now let's break this down and get into the details....

1. Use the smallest suitcase possible for your clothes and shoes

• Get an under-the-seat carry-on suitcase or the smallest carry-on suitcase you can find otherwise. This will force you to be creative when packing and take less stuff. It also makes maneuvering in and around during the trip much easier. The majority of my trips - business, leisure or otherwise - are made using the tiniest of carry-on suitcases.
• If a mini carry-on suitcase will not do it for a longer trip, use a normal size carry-on or a small suitcase meant to be checked.
• A mini carry-on suitcase is easier to actually carry-on and stow away. It gives you the option of putting it under your seat, or above in the overhead cargo bin. If you choose to store it in the overhead cargo bin, the mini-sized suitcase fits much better and is lighter to lift.
• Even if you plan to check your luggage at the airport, use a carry-on anyway if at all possible.
• When choosing a small suitcase, find a truly lightweight piece of luggage. There are weight differences between similar sized pieces of luggage. But trust me...lighter is better.

2. Take much, much less by packing smart

• Make a list of what you think you need. This will help you bring focus to necessities and reduce the stress of possibly forgetting something. Keep this list and refine it over time. I keep a generic packing list that I refer to everytime I pack for a trip. This makes the packing process straightforward, fast, and reliable.
• Realize that you probably will need only about half or even a quarter of what you think you will need, especially when it comes to clothes and shoes. So lay out what you think you should take, then remove as much as possible. Make it a game to see how little you can actually take. Over time, you will learn to get by with less and less.
• If it makes you feel better, you can always do laundry or use a cleaning service at your destination if you need to. Most hotels, resorts, houses, villas, and other destinations have guest laundry in some form or fashion.
• Also know that if really need or forget something, you can always buy it when you get there. Chances are the majority of your trips will be to destinations with shopping opportunities.
• Travel in a versatile pair of shoes that you can wear throughout your trip no matter what the occasion. Then pack a single additional pair only if necessary. For instance, when traveling for a short business trip, I travel in a comfortable pair of dress/casual shoes that can go with slacks or jeans. I then pack my running shoes for exercising or any casual excursions. For a vacation trip, I usually wear my running shoes, and pack a single pair of flip flops. A word of caution: shoes add weight and take up a lot of room so you must use self-control here.
• Pack versatile clothing like pants that you can wear with either a dress shirt or casual shirt, etc. I have found the more casual you can dress, the lighter you can pack and the more comfortable you will be during your journey. Focus on a single outfit for each day and accent as needed to fit the occasion. Avoid packing multiple outfits for each day at all costs.
• Minimize the size of your toiletry bag. Use the smallest one possible or even a quart sized plastic bag. Buy travel sized containers like toothpaste, a toothbrush, shaving cream, deodorant, etc. Do not take normal-sized anything if at all possible.
• Maximize space in your suitcase by packing a toiletry bag and shoes towards the bottom, and clothes throughout the rest of the area. By having the heavier items towards the bottom of the suitcase, it will not tip over as much when standing upright.
• Roll-up all of your clothes, from your pants and shirts to even small items like your undies. You will fit more in your suitcase and minimize wrinkling of clothes. I find it easiest to roll pants by folding in half (one leg over the other) and then rolling from the bottom up. For dress shirts, I lay them flat on the bed and fold the sleeves over the chest (like crossing your arms), then roll from the bottom. Once the shirt is rolled up, I sometimes then fold the roll in half so it fits better in the suitcase.
• Pack socks and other small items in the various nooks and crannies between your clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc.

3. Take a single small backpack or other small bag for your electronics and other accessories

• Get yourself the smallest, most comfortable bag you can find for your electronics and accessories. You will carry this bag for the virtual duration of your trip, so keep it small and light. I personally find a small "day pack" back pack the most versatile and comfortable to travel with.
• Take only the absolute essentials for this particular trip...no need to take the charger for your laptop when you will only be using your iPad this trip. You get the concept.
• If you have a large traditional laptop computer, consider leaving it behind or buying a much smaller tablet computer. The day I switched from a traditional laptop to a smaller tablet computer, my business travel became a much more compact, lighter, and pleasurable experience.
• Upon arrival at your destination, you can unpack this bag as you see fit to free up space for your excursions.

​If you implement the three packing tips above, you are on your way to a much more enjoyable trip. Remember, happiness can be found not only at your destination, but along your journey.