Your Brain Travels Further If You Travel Slow
Your Brain Travels Further If You Travel Slow
The best way to gain insights, ideas, solutions, and inspirations
It felt like a slow-motion movie passing through the mountainous landscape in the Alpine region of Austria and northern Italy. I had to catch up with work from the past weeks, as I was busy with the last preparations and execution of my annual photography event.
But I didn’t. I allowed myself to surrender to the rhythm of the train, the rolling green hills, and the impressive Alpine mountains in the background. I wanted to recall all the interesting, informative, and inspiring conversations and insights I got during the photography event.
Be Okay To Just Sit And Look
For a change, I consciously enjoyed the ride and view and let the thoughts flow. And with being okay to just sit and look, the mind started pouring out the many impressions from the past weeks. It was the best way to have insights, ideas, memories, and inspirations popping up in my head. And, writing them down – as I never walk out of the house without a notebook and pen.
We have a hard time allowing ourselves to take the time to just think and let our brain mull over the things we experienced, heard, and observed. But how else can we generate ideas, gain insights, and learn?
Slow Travel
We can consider this train ride also as slow traveling. If you enjoy the ride instead of being busy “using the time” of your journey to get things done to check off your To-do list, you can pay attention to your thoughts and the messages your unconsciousness has prepared for you. It wasn’t easy for me to surrender to just sit and watch and let stuff bubble up, but I am happy I did, as tons of inspirational thoughts came up and I truly enjoyed sucking in the wonderful landscape.
Slowing down and traveling slowly also means sometimes forgetting about your smartphone camera.
Traveling Without Camera Slows You Down
Traveling and visiting places with constantly having a camera in front of your face deprives you of experiencing the very place you want to experience. You think you see “more” because you capture on a little chip what you see around you, but you actually see “less” because you only see with one eye, the lens, instead of your two eyes.
Keeping up with your camera makes you miss the moment, the smell, the details, the taste, the sounds, the character and feel of a place you are exploring. You are creating images and stories in your head as a result of what you observe and notice. Which is IF you take the time to observe and notice. Slow travel means perceiving, appreciating, noticing, and enjoying the magic and novelty of a different, and often wonderful, place. Unfortunately, most of us are rushing these days while traveling. Robbing ourselves of deeper experiences and meaningful connections.
Traveling with Camera Slows You Down
On the other hand - consciously using a camera and capturing what you experience or observe can also be part of slow traveling. It takes time to really observe, perceive and see scenes, images, and stories you want to capture on your journey, be it near or afar. The camera can be a great tool for slowing down and making you perceive what is going on around you or observing a place with greater attention.
It all comes down to your awareness and allowing yourself to take time and pay attention.
Go slow and you see, understand, learn and create things that make you grow and eventually faster than the hurried world around you.
Book Recommendation
What is ENOUGH?
Our collaborative Book project „ENOUGH: Unlock a life of abundance starting right where you are” which we released last November is since End of August published in German with the title: „ENOUGH: Erschließe dir ein Leben in Fülle, egal, wo du gerade stehst“.
If you prefer to read the book in German….this is your chance.
You can find both titles on any country’s Amazon or other online bookstores.
Sixteen professionals and entrepreneurs across the globe came together to write and publish this book. We share our stories, wisdom, and skills in hopes that we will inspire you to create a successful, meaningful, and abundant life on your terms. We have learned that in life and in business, it’s not always easy to take action, but it requires taking that first step.
You are enough. Trust that you have everything you need to take that first step and unlock your own creative potential to make a contribution, connect with others, show that you care, and live a life of abundance.