5 Habits I’m Trying to Bring More Travel to the Everyday in 2025 That I Think You May Want to Try Too!
Did you reflect on the previous year? Did you plan to make any changes for this new year?
Whenever the new year comes around, creating a couple of resolutions or even enough resolutions to fill a scroll is commonplace. Not for me though, I personally don’t care for resolutions; I’m more of a habit person.
A habit, defined by Cambridge Dictionary, is something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you’re doing it. The “not knowing that you’re doing it” part is what got me hooked on creating habits and turned me from an annual resolution maker into a persistent habit former. I want to not know or just not have to force myself to do something I’m doing even if it is something that I want to do! (I know, sounds crazy!) I just want it to happen; I want it to be automatic. So I want to experience more travel, the feelings of travel, the memories of travel.
Not only do I want to experience more travel, but I want to be inspired to actually travel more, spurred by small adjustments in my day-to-day life. Without much effort though!
So here are five easy habits to create more travel inspiration in my day-to-day life that I plan to try in 2025 and if you want or decide to try any of them also, let us know at info@offourcouch.com
1. Read books set in places where I love or want to travel
If you love to read like I do, I believe this will be an easy habit to incorporate in day-to-day life. To be transparent, I love nonfiction and it used to be all that I read. About a year ago though, I happened to grab a mystery from the front display case in the library that caught my eye. The mystery was fun but that’s not the part that hooked me. The story was set in Key West, Florida and reading about a place we’ve yet to visit but plan to finally experience this year was fun! It made my desire to visit Key West even stronger and since then, I’ve picked up mysteries and other fiction books set in Michigan and in London. I’m looking forward to traveling to even more places under the warmth and coziness of my blanket too while being inspired to physically set places in these countries, cities, and towns in the near future. If you have a book suggestion for my next bedtime vacation, send it my way please!
2. Add glimmers of travel throughout the day
Do you know what a glimmer is? I didn’t until I was strolling online and came across the term. Glimmers, if you’re not familiar with the term, are positive cues that trigger you in a good way- in a way that encourages happiness, calmness, or other positive emotions. I read these glimmers can be sounds like the laughter from a child or your favorite song or scenes like a sunrise, a sunset, or a rainbow in the sky. I know how these spontaneous moments always lift my mood and I thought maybe I could adapt the idea for travel.
This year, I’m setting up travel glimmers throughout the house. My porg plushie that I wear as a shoulder companion when we visit DisneyWorld, it’s hanging out on top of my spare change jar until it’s time to visit “The Most Magical Place on Earth” once again. I’m even going ol’ school and keeping a photo album. Yep, that’s right! I”m going to print pictures from my travels, put them in an album, and leave it out on the table to enjoy from time to time. I’ll still be making more changes throughout the year and adding more travel glimmers throughout my house and even thinking of some for the car too! I’m open for suggestions and let me know if you place travel mementos throughout your house.
3. Add even more glimmer
Different types of glimmer though!
My favorite item to collect while on vacation are shot glasses. I’ve been collecting them for over 20 years now so I’ve amassed quite the collection.
I haven’t chosen a cabinet or case large enough to display them so they’re mostly tucked away unless I pull one out to use. So the plan is to diversify and buy a variety of travel keepsakes for now on- reusable tote bags to use for a quick grocery store pickup proudly boasting a beloved state, t-shirts to wear with the names of my favorite cities, reusable water bottles spotlighting my favorite places to grab while on the go, a wide collection of items to remind me of all my happy places throughout the day. The more varied the souvenirs are, the more chances I have to be reminded of travel throughout the day.
What’s your favorite souvenir? What different items do you like to buy or collect to remind you of your travels?
4. Start a memory jar
I’ve said it before but this year, 2025, Is the year I start my memory jar! We talked about a memory jar in the December newsletter and if you’re hearing about this idea of a memory jar for the first time, a memory jar is a jar where everyone records their memories and favorite parts from the trips taken throughout the year and perhaps even events like birthday parties, game nights, and such. These memories are collected all throughout the year and at the end of the year, maybe New Year’s Day, the jar is emptied and all of the memories from the past year are read aloud and relived. My plan was to start a memory jar in 2024 but I never managed to cut that first strip of paper.
This year though I’ve recorded my first memory and I’m making a plan to add to the jar monthly.
Are you keeping a memory jar? Have you done one in previous years? Share your experiences with us! Plus, that’ll serve as an extra incentive to keep us going too!
5. Looking into the future
Sounds like I need a crystal ball right about now, doesn’t it? I don’t though…which is good since I don’t have one and the stores seem to always be out of stock. Thankfully, all I need is my calendar, knowledge of upcoming national holidays, and a somewhat reliable schedule of events we need to attend and competitions my kids are expected to participate in.
It sounds like common sense to plan to extend a trip to D.C. for a travel show by an extra day or two to make time to explore the monuments, museums, and other attractions D.C. has available. Just like it makes sense to take advantage of a 3-day weekend if we plan to maximize our time off and enjoy more getaways. Although it’s a pretty simple idea, it does require looking ahead and anticipating the future. Something I’ll readily admit I’m not very good at doing. However, it is something I plan to practice this year. And with my calendar and schedule in hand, I already see more travel in my future and that’s without the crystal ball!
Are you someone that likes to take advantage of long weekends, holiday breaks, and other annual time off?
What tips do you have for maximizing your time off and enjoying additional travel?
So, 5 habits to make automatic and just a natural part of your life to bring more travel to your daily routine and even inspire more travel! Are there any habits you would like to try? Any habits or activities you recommend to promote more travel. Feel free to share with us at info@offourcouch.com. We’d love to hear about it.