I came to this solo trip determined to travel independently. No tour groups. No following somebody around with a little sign. No letting someone else tell me where to go or what to see. I was going to prove that I could do this my way.

Then Romania started poking holes in that plan. A couple of unexpected encounters made me realize that maybe my strong opinions about how people “should” travel were telling me more about myself than they were about anyone else.

And that got me thinking about judgment, how sneaky it can be, and how laughter can help us get off our high horse when we catch ourselves doing it.

You’ll hear about:

• What solo travel has taught me about independence and openness
• Why your judgments about other people might actually be telling you something about yourself
• How to recognize when a preference has turned into a judgment
• Using laughter to catch yourself, lighten up, and get unstuck
• Why being willing to try something different can open up experiences you never expected

Episode Timestamps

• [00:27] Hello from Tbilisi, Georgia!
• [01:15] What it took to get here
• [02:46] Today's topic: Judgment
• [03:19] My travel rules - my way or the highway
• [05:24] Two encounters that shifted my perspective
• [10:42] The big reveal: judgment is information about you, not the other person
• [11:29] The grad school blow-up 25 years ago that launched this lesson
• [13:14] Unpacking my travel judgement
• [15:54] Doing it different for the next three months
• [18:03] Bringing in the laughter - Missy, bike boy, and travel friends make it so much better!
• [21:94] Your invitation

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Laughter Revolution Digest, Marla's newsletter, out every two weeks: marlasimlett.com
• Email Marla directly: [email protected]
• Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for travel reels

If this episode hit home, hit subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, so you never miss an episode. And if you want more of my travel adventures, and what I am learning and laughing about on the road, subscribe to my Laughter Revolution Digest at marlasimlett.com. It lands in your inbox every couple of weeks, judgment-free.