Did you know today is the last day of Christmas? You know, those “12 Days of Christmas” we hear in all the marketing hype really begins on Christmas Day, not the 11 days before.  (Click here for your history lesson. ) And so I have a question…

So, this is Christmas, and what have you done?

Another year over, and a new one just begun.

Ok, so it’s John Lennon’s question and one of my favorite songs so it’s really just a reason to use this lyric. But, come on it’s still a great question and one relevant as we begin mapping out 2016 and what we want to accomplish this year.

So, what is it you WANT to do this year?

And, how are you going to make it happen?

If “travel more” is on your list, then keep reading. Even if it’s not, and you’re looking for a bit of inspiration scroll on. I’ve pulled five of my favorite inspirational TED Talks to help fuel your wanderlust. Make sure to check out my bonus talk. It has nothing to do with travel, but everything to do with organizing your brain. It’s changed how I take notes, remember my “to-do” list and organize myself/work. It’s a great one…and as simple as picking up a pen.

Inspirational TED Talks to fuel your wanderlust

Top 5 Inspirational TED Talks For Travel

Pico Iyer: Where is home?
More and more people worldwide are living in countries not considered their own. Writer Pico Iyer — who himself has three or four “origins” — meditates on the meaning of home, the joy of traveling and the serenity of standing still.

Chris Burkard: The joy of surfing in ice-cold water
“Anything that is worth pursuing is going to require us to suffer, just a little bit,” says surf photographer Chris Burkard, as he explains his obsession with the coldest, choppiest, most isolated beaches on earth. With jawdropping photos and stories of places few humans have ever seen — much less surfed — he draws us into his “personal crusade against the mundane.”

Aziz Abu Sarah: For more tolerance, we need more … tourism?
Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian activist with an unusual approach to peace-keeping: Be a tourist. The TED Fellow shows how simple interactions with people in different cultures can erode decades of hate. He starts with Palestinians visiting Israelis and moves beyond …

Rick Steves: The Value of Travel
After spending four months a year for the last 30 years living out of a suitcase, Rick Steves reflects on the value of thoughtful travel. Sharing lessons learned from Iran to El Salvador and from India to Denmark, Steves tells why spending all that time and money away from home has broadened his perspective, enriched his life, and made it clear to him, as he says in his talk, “Fear is for people who don’t get out very much.”

Robin Esrock: Learn to travel — travel to learn
Robin Esrock’s success as a global adventurer, travel writer, TV producer and international TV personality was no accident, although it did start with one. Struck down on his bike at a Vancouver intersection, Robin hobbled away with a broken kneecap, and one year later, a modest $20,000 insurance settlement. It was just enough for him pack up his things, quit his job, and set off on a one-year solo round-the-world backpacking adventure to 24 countries. He named his journey Modern Gonzo, and committed to record his year of living dangerously, with online weekly reports, photography, videos, and interviews with every person he met. In doing so, he pioneered a new era of multi-platform, switched-on and wired-in travel journalism, leading to adventures beyond his wildest dreams.

Bonus Ted Talk

Jake Weidmann: Why Write?
Ok, so this inspirational TED Talk has nothing to do with travel, but rather how the pen, yes the thing we write with, has impacted cultures around the world and scientifically impacts the way your brain learns. When I saw Jake speak a few years ago in at the Ted X Mile High I was feeling completely overwhelmed and totally unorganized. I had no idea why since I had recently begun using all these great new organizational apps, and Evernote was “helping” keep everything in line for me. But, I couldn’t remember a dang thing!!! Listening to the scientific rational regarding the connections between the pen and how we learn (and remember) changed everything. I stopped taking notes on my phone and busted out my notebook right then, and have not gone back. While I still love (and heavily rely on) my online calendar and Evernote, my Moleskin notebook and purple sticky note tab get all the information first.

So, I’ll ask you again…

What is it you WANT to do this year?

And, how are you going to make it happen?

One Comment

  1. thank you so much for sharing this video!i really love it…

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