I started my travel blog, Unplan-It Earth, a little over a year ago. I couldn’t imagine at the time how it would change my outlook on the world. I am floored by how holding myself just a little bit accountable with a blog has completely changed my life.

A year ago, I never would have booked a plane flight to Las Vegas only a week in advance to visit a state park I’d only learned about the previous fortnight. I would have spent months dreaming about a trip but never would have pulled the trigger or wanted to use vacation days to visit. Instead, I had the weekend of a lifetime in the Nevada desert.

With this newfound affection for spontaneity, I’ve grown as a person and now say “yes” much more often. Want to go on a hike tomorrow? Yes! Try a new class? Sure! Drive to Houston this weekend to learn about dinosaurs? I thought you’d never ask!

Trips don’t have to be week-long events with detailed timetables. In fact, overplanning now stresses me out – it always did, but I always thought I just hadn’t planned enough. Now, I think about travel with a much more go-with-the-flow attitude. Pick a place to go, book flights and accommodations, and just do it! Maybe plan one major site for each day, but don’t stress about seeing everything in one trip. I can always go back, and it’s more important to enjoy the experience.

This year, I’m looking forward to much more travel – I’ve already been to Boston, California, Michigan, and Nevada, in addition to some great day trips in Texas, and can’t wait for bigger trips to Denver, Montenegro, and Sedona.

Keep Thinking,

Annie