Setting Your Vacation Mindset: How Intentional Travel Can Transform Your Next Getaway
Discover how cultivating the right mindset before, during, and after your trip can make your vacations more meaningful, memorable, and fulfilling.
Introduction: More Than a Break — The Power of Mindful Travel
When we think about vacations, excitement often centers around destinations, travel logistics, and bucket-list experiences. But as Amanda Bauner and life and leadership coach Angie Robinson highlight in Episode 166 of Me and the Magic, the real magic might just lie within us — specifically, in the intentions and mindset we bring to our journeys. Cultivating “vacation mindset” can unlock deeper presence, joy, resilience, and even self-discovery. Here’s how you can harness the power of intention for your next adventure.
1. Why Setting Intentions Matters
Most of us invest significant time and resources in planning trips: researching destinations, booking accommodations, and crafting daily itineraries. Yet, we often overlook one of the most crucial parts of the process — deciding how we want to feel and who we want to be on our vacation.
As Angie Robinson shares, setting intentions isn’t about rigidly planning every moment. It’s about “beginning with the end in mind” and asking, “What do I truly need right now? What do I want to feel as I return home?” By envisioning the emotional and personal outcomes of your journey, you align your choices and expectations with a higher purpose—maximizing the investment of your time, money, and energy.
2. Crafting Your Pre-Trip Mindset
Getting started with intention-setting doesn’t have to be overly complex. Amanda and Angie suggest asking yourself a few guiding questions:
- What feeling do I want to come home with?
- When people ask about my trip, how do I want to answer?
- What’s most important this time—relaxation, adventure, inspiration, connection, or something else?
From there, define one or two main priorities for your destination (e.g., “immersing myself in the holiday magic at Dollywood” or “feeling inspired”) and consider what might get in your way. If work intrudes, how will you respond? Being proactive gives you the awareness and flexibility to manage distractions or obstacles and stay aligned with your desired experience.
3. Staying On Track During Your Vacation
Once you arrive, it’s easy to let plans or emotions sweep you away. The secret: revisit your intentions daily. Whether through a quick note in your phone, a voice memo, or a mindful check-in each morning, remembering your ‘why’ helps ground you.
Angie suggests pivoting when necessary. Life happens — maybe you get sick, the weather changes, or your original schedule doesn’t feel right anymore. Ask yourself: “Do I like my reasons for making a change?” As Amanda experienced, changing course (like shifting from a business retreat to a true rest vacation) is not failure — it’s alignment and self-care.
4. Resilience When Things Go Wrong
Travel rarely goes exactly as planned. Flights are delayed, excursions get canceled, kids get cranky (or, let’s face it, adults do too). Emotions are inevitable. The trick is not to resist or suppress feelings, but to process them, then refocus on what you can control and how you want to move forward.
Amanda and Angie advocate for compassion and flexibility: experience your feelings, then gently return to your intentions. Maybe you find new opportunities in unexpected changes, or practice gratitude for the magic that did happen.
5. Post-Vacation: Keeping the Magic Alive
Returning home can feel bittersweet or even like a crash back to “reality.” Angie recommends practicing gratitude — recapping highlights, journaling lessons, and weaving favorite trip memories into your daily life. Simple rituals, like looking through trip photos, lighting a souvenir-scented candle, or scrapbooking, can extend your vacation’s spirit into everyday moments.
And, if all else fails, start planning your next adventure!
6. Simple Steps to Get Started
If intention-setting feels daunting, begin with one word: relax, connect, adventure, inspire, or present. Let that word be your anchor, guiding your choices and experiences. Remember, transformation comes from small, thoughtful steps.
Final Thoughts
For Amanda, Angie, and the Me and the Magic community, intentional travel is about more than destinations—it’s about who you become along the way. Next time you pack your bags, take a moment to set your intention. The magic isn’t just in the place; it’s in you.
For more insights, catch the full episode and start setting your own vacation mindset today!
Connect with Our Guest
Connect with Angie Robinson on Facebook or Instagram, and check out Angie’s website to see what Angie offers as a leadership development coach. Also, listen to Angie’s podcast, Leadership Magic.