How to Make Family Travel a Priority
I know it’s hard to scroll through Instagram longing to visit the countless incredible places that show up on your feed. You want to travel, but feel as if it’s never the right time. There’s something going on at work. You need the money to replace your washing machine. The kids aren’t old enough yet.
These concerns are completely valid. But there will never be a point in your life devoid of all worries and obligations, a time where you can explore the world completely carefree. And there’s no guarantee that the trip you’re banking on for the future will even be possible—natural disasters, political unrest, and personal health issues can and do occur unexpectedly, throwing a wrench in your plans.
I want you to start seeing travel not as a life distraction, but a life enhancer. It teaches you about yourself and your surroundings to make your daily life richer and more worthwhile. It enlightens your children with curiosity, flexibility, and a greater understanding and acceptance of those with different backgrounds. It imparts new skills while building up your old strengths and leads to massive gains in both your personal and professional lives.
I was very fortunate to travel with my parents from a very young age, but by the time my brother, their fourth child, was born, travel slipped down the priority list. My brother Andrew wasn’t as lucky as me and could not go anywhere until he reached high school. So I made a commitment to myself that I would not let that happen to my family. With this goal in mind, I created a business and lifestyle that allows me to travel frequently while also helping other families “showcase the world.”
Planning a family vacation might seem scary, but I’m here to help you through it. Here is how you can make family travel a priority:
Find Your Why
We are much more motivated when we attach emotions to our goals, and we all know how easy it can be to lose sight of our priorities. It is extremely common for us to cite family as our number one priority, then constantly put quality time with our loved ones aside when work projects come up. But when I started to find the inspiration behind why I wanted something, I found that this inspiration completely transformed the goals I had set, and even gave me motivation to achieve them.
Your priorities should be the things that give your life meaning and purpose. In my life, traveling takes great precedence because it awakens my sense of curiosity, my deep desire to learn and experience new things. It both quenches and ignites my thirst for knowledge, and I want my children to experience that. I want them to develop an understanding and acceptance for different cultures and beliefs and opinions, I want them to feel comfortable not knowing everything, I want them to always be on the quest for more knowledge. This is my why.
But if you want to travel simply because “everyone else is doing it,” you will quickly lose motivation. Rather, you need to dive deep and uncover why traveling is so important to you.
Assess Where You Are Spending Your Time
What do you think the number one reason I hear for not traveling is? You guessed it: not having enough time.
But when you tell yourself or others that you “don’t have time for that,” what you are really saying is, “I’d like to, but it isn’t a priority right now.”
Patrick at Mindful Ambition said something that really spoke to me: “Living your best life means spending your time in a way that accurately reflects your priorities. But far too often, time isn’t spent wisely. You begrudgingly spend it on the priorities of other people. Or on commitments you let into your life without considering their implications.”
Track where you are spending your time and see how it aligns with what you say your priorities are.
You need to spend some time reflecting here. If you need a little help, make sure to purchase my Make Family Travel a Priority Workbook, which will walk you through all of these steps in depth, with printable templates to keep you organized and on track. Plus, you’ll receive two BONUS gifts with your purchase!
I find that when I schedule my priorities on my planner, it is much easier for me to stay committed to them. Check out my blog post on Planning Your Annual Travel Calendar to learn exactly how I did it.
Build It Into Your Budget
The second most common excuse I hear for not traveling is that it is too expensive. Now that you have assessed how you are spending your time, let’s see where you are spending your money.
Take a look at your current expenses and make sure that your spending aligns with your priorities. This is how my family is able to travel so often—I always look at my vision board filled with my priorities for the year before I make any purchases, and it saves me from mindlessly buying unnecessary stuff.
I use the zero=based budgeting method and set aside money for travel every single money. Set up a separate account for travel savings and have the budgeted amount automatically transferred over each month so you don’t accidentally spend it at Target or waste it on a night out.
Make a rule that any “found” money goes into that account. For instance, if you get a tax refund, gift check, or work bonus, deposit it in the vacation account. And be sure to cancel any unused subscriptions—there is so much money that goes to waste there!
My Make Family Travel a Priority Workbook has my budget system, as well as additional tips for building up your vacation account.
Get The Family Involved in Raising Money
Believe me when I say that kids will be super excited to help you work towards a vacation, and you won’t find them complaining as much as usual when you ask them to start saving up! More importantly, there will be less meltdowns when you don’t get them the latest toy at Target. Your children’s ages definitely make a difference in how involved they can get, but most kids get really excited about saving if it’s for a vacation. Plus, it is a life skill that will help them forever.
Give yourself and the kids an allowance for cash expenditures, bank $5 bills. turn saving money into a game, keep track of savings on a large telethon style board, or have your kids find ways to financially contribute with a lemonade stand or other venture—this will also teach them money and business skills!
For more ideas, check out the workbook with 10+ ways to earn more based on how much time you have.
Share Your Plans With the World
Studies have shown that people who share their goals with others have better commitment to fulfilling their objectives.
Researchers say that sharing your goal with someone does more than hold you accountable. It also makes you more motivated simply because you care about what this person thinks of you. For example, telling a mentor or manager about your hopes to travel more could fire you up more than, say, a peer or friend.
Sharing your goals is so effective because it holds you accountable and you may even receive help. Beyond that, the more you share, the more you will also reaffirm your dedication to yourself.
If you are a little timid to share with your closest friends and family, you can start with me! I would love to be your accountability buddy, to check in on your progress, and to help you book those vacations when you are ready.
If you would like to receive a discount on my travel planning services AND receive the Make Family Travel a Priority Workbook as a bonus, click the button below!
Need a vacation but the idea of planning-it-all is overwhelming?
If you are ready to have the family vacation you’ve been dreaming of, without spending time researching, planning and making it happen, schedule a call today. I’m here to help busy working Moms plan, organize and book the perfect family vacation. With me, all you have to worry about is enjoying your well-earned time away with your family. If you are ready to stop trying to do everything on your own and see how I can help you schedule a complimentary trip planning session now.
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