Shownotes
Zoa Conner’s vibrant podcast episode takes us on a journey through the often-overlooked relationship between travel and wellness. With her background as a physicist and wellness advocate, Zoa brings a unique perspective on how travel can be a powerful tool for enhancing our health and happiness. She dives into the importance of considering our well-being when planning any trip—whether it’s a weekend getaway or a long-haul adventure—insisting that we must prioritize our needs to truly enjoy the journey.
Throughout the discussion, Zoa shares her personal journey, illustrating how her approach to travel has evolved over the years. She candidly reflects on her past experiences, where she often sidelined her wellness for work and family obligations, leading to missed opportunities for joy and self-care. Now, she actively incorporates wellness practices into her travel plans, from selecting peaceful accommodations to scheduling time for yoga and nature walks. Zoa’s anecdotes resonate with listeners, encouraging us to rethink how we approach our own travel plans.
The episode culminates in two actionable steps Zoa presents for listeners eager to enhance their travel experiences: first, taking her Wellness+Travel Profile Quiz to discover personalized tips for well-being on the road, and second, scheduling a strategy session with her for tailored advice. With a light-hearted tone and a wealth of knowledge, Zoa inspires us to embrace travel as a means of nurturing our health, making every journey a chance to feel better, not just older!
Take The Wellness+Travel Profile Quiz: intentional-vitality.com/quiz
Share this episode : https://sustain-your-vitality.captivate.fm/listen
Find Zoa:
Zen and Vitality with Zoa (zenandvitality.com)
Intentional Vitality Retreats (intentional-vitality.com)
Music Credit goes to Lemon Music Studio at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4XWZhZ32YrVV5lvpF7cr1E?si=tnbSklR7SJyPNKiHP4MbHA
Transcripts
Welcome to Sustain youn Vitality, the podcast that gives you a nurturing kick in the ass so you can take action every day to feel better, not older.
Speaker A:Your lifestyle holds the power to change how you feel and no matter your age or health issues, you are in the driver's seat.
Speaker A:I'm your host, Zoa Connor and I am a PhD level physicist, a well being lifestyle alchemist, a travel strategist and a retreat leader.
Speaker A:Zenin Vitality with Zoa is my functional wellness studio.
Speaker A:Join me for an intentional Vitality retreat for a whole new way to use travel to support your well being.
Speaker A:I'm here to help you figure out how to lower your stress, increase your energy, put yourself into a healing state, boost your drive and pleasure in life, prevent disease and feel the best you ever have in your whole life with no regrets later.
Speaker A:Let's go.
Speaker B:This episode of Sustain your Vitality is about factoring wellness into your travel planning.
Speaker B:So I think that travel is about more than where you go and what you do.
Speaker B:Travel can and should be an important part of your wellness oriented lifestyle.
Speaker B:Your well being should be a factor when planning your trips, just like it is when planning anything else.
Speaker B:What kind of trips am I talking about?
Speaker B:I think wellness is a factor in every single trip.
Speaker B:This is true even when you go see your family.
Speaker B:It's true even when you travel for work.
Speaker B:It's true even when you're on vacation.
Speaker B:It's true even when you're taking your kids somewhere.
Speaker B:And it's true even when you go on a retreat.
Speaker B:It's true even if the trip is just for the afternoon.
Speaker B:It's absolutely true that wellness should be factored in if the trip lasts for a few weeks or more.
Speaker B:When I was in my 20s, I went back and forth to Japan a lot.
Speaker B:That was where my PhD work was.
Speaker B:I ignored my wellness.
Speaker B:I just focused on the work.
Speaker B:I got sick and I worked through it.
Speaker B:I slept poorly and I pushed through it.
Speaker B:I set aside tiny bits of time to do things like Christmas shop in Tokyo only when I was encouraged by other people.
Speaker B:Looking back, I see so many missed opportunities and I would do things differently if I had the chance.
Speaker B:In my 40s, trips were all about family.
Speaker B:I did the minimum for me, focused on meeting my family's needs.
Speaker B:I yielded because I could and because it was important to me to support my family.
Speaker B:The destinations, the food, well, mostly the activities with just a few extras for me when they were all settled and happy.
Speaker B:Now, however, I am on equal footing with my family or with even my highest Priority.
Speaker B:Yeah, that evolves.
Speaker B:But in the moment, the dance of life is to be enjoyed as a give and take.
Speaker B:So what do my trips look like now?
Speaker B:Well, what does factoring wellness look like into a trip?
Speaker B:Because that's what I do every single trip.
Speaker B:I take trips on my own timetable with the right spacing for me.
Speaker B:How long between trips and a schedule that works for me.
Speaker B:Yeah, I work it in around my business hours.
Speaker B:Yes, I work it around my garden and my animals.
Speaker B:Yes, I add fun things into necessary trips.
Speaker B:Yes, I desire efficiency in my travel and minimize lost or wasted time.
Speaker B:I make how I choose to spend the time feel less wasted and more beneficial.
Speaker B:So if I am driving to see my family, I will plan for more than just a quick stop to pee.
Speaker B:I plan to stop for a walk along a rail trail or a little hike in the woods to commune with the trees, ground my feet and support a calmer nervous system for the rest of the drive.
Speaker B:Yeah, it takes a little longer this way, but I absolutely feel better when I arrive and I'm nicer to my family.
Speaker B:If I'm flying, I choose airports carefully.
Speaker B:I'm not interested in the busy airports where it would be a higher stress trip.
Speaker B:I'll skip the airports that are busy and confusing in favor of ones with better services, better signage and less chaos.
Speaker B:Sometimes where you park your car is almost the same cost as just the airplane.
Speaker B:So where you park your car can also be low stress and planned.
Speaker B:Sometimes it's about just knowing that there's a space waiting for you.
Speaker B:No surprise, full lots for the car, no lost tickets, just planning.
Speaker B:I also take stock of whether I want to travel or not.
Speaker B:How long has it been since my last trip?
Speaker B:What size trip do I need?
Speaker B:Do I even need a trip at all?
Speaker B:I plan on practicing yoga when I'm traveling because it makes my body, mind and spirit all sing in harmony.
Speaker B:I ensure that there's more than just an empty floor space for my yoga mat.
Speaker B:Ideally, there's also a beautiful view, uninterrupted time and sensory stimulation that's supportive of my practice goals.
Speaker B:It's going to be a lot harder for me to practice yoga if there's busy construction noise from next door or a loud party downstairs.
Speaker B:So I plan for those things.
Speaker B:I avoid them.
Speaker B:I plan for walks.
Speaker B:Maybe around town, maybe in nature.
Speaker B:Ideally, I would have the option of doing both.
Speaker B:When I went to Montreal, I could easily walk one morning along the streets and gaze at the tall, interesting buildings and people watch.
Speaker B:But the next day, walk along the nature trails of the park and the mountain Mount Royale and I could rest under the canopy trees.
Speaker B:I choose destinations that do more than just satisfy me.
Speaker B:They thrill and feed me from the inside out.
Speaker B:They might serve a particular purpose, either business or personal, but they can and should do more.
Speaker B:When I choose destinations for my group retreats or for your private well being, metamorphic intensive wellness is at the forefront of my mind.
Speaker B:I am assessing noise and light levels of your accommodations, what you can see out of the windows where you can walk to, how the potential destination will support or challenge your brain and nervous system and so much more.
Speaker B:You can do all this for yourself and more power to you for doing it.
Speaker B:I certainly have done it for myself.
Speaker B:But if you are new to factoring in your own well being into your travel plans, I'm here to help you with two simple steps.
Speaker B:Step one Take my Wellness plus Travel Profile Quiz.
Speaker B:You will receive your travel identity and seven tips on how to make your travel more supportive of your wellness.
Speaker B:You can use your profile to create parameters for trips that will support your overall well being.
Speaker B:Step two if you want to go up one level is to schedule your Wellness plus Travel Strategy session with me.
Speaker B:This is a meeting of the minds.
Speaker B:We will break down how your past trips have hindered and helped your well being and you'll take with you seven action steps to make your future trips reliably raise your well being.
Speaker B:You can check out the links to both the Profile Quiz and the Travel Quiz Strategy session in the Show Notes and I will see you next week.
Speaker B:If you liked what you just heard and want more, you can check out.
Speaker A:My book Wellness in Sustainable Travel and Embodied Practices for the Midlife Earth Conscious Woman.
Speaker B:Or you can check out one of.
Speaker A:My two websites using the links in the Show Notes.
Speaker B:I have two great ways for you to start working with me.
Speaker B:I would love for you to take.
Speaker A:My Wellness plus Travel Profile Quiz and discover which Greek Goddess travels like you do.
Speaker A:You will get tips for planning your next trip sent directly to your email.
Speaker A:I would love to meet you with a free new client Wellness Consultation where we can discuss what working with me might look like for you.
Speaker A:The Show Notes have the links for both the quiz and my calendar to make an appointment.
Speaker A:If the the Sustain youn Vitality Podcast is helping you understand what you need to feel fabulous in every way with the least amount of effort.
Speaker A:Please share the show with someone who also needs it.
Speaker A:Sharing is easy, just use the sharing link in the Show Notes.
Speaker A:The Sustain youn Vitality Podcast is a gift from Zenin Vitality with Zoa LLC and Intentional Vitality Retreats based in the State of Maryland, usa.
Speaker A:All the podcast things planning, recording, editing and producing have all been done by.
Speaker B:Me, Zoa Connor, Ph.D. even though you can call me doctor, I'm not a.
Speaker A:Medical professional and your safety is your responsibility.
Speaker A:By listening to this podcast and understanding any movement, nutrition, lifestyle or health protocols discussed, you understand and agree to take full response responsibility for your actions.
Speaker A:Zen and Vitality with Zoa are not responsible for any injuries or issues that may occur.
Speaker A:This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical, wellness, nutrition, lifestyle or movement and fitness advice.
Speaker A:Always practice any fitness or movement related activities in a safe environment.
Speaker A:I make no claims about the effectiveness of the techniques or protocols discussed or.
Speaker B:Any specific results you may achieve.
Speaker B:I recommend you consult with your health care professional before changing your diet, exercise, routine or healthcare plan.
Speaker A:Zenin, Vitality with Zoa and the guests of this podcast are not liable for any injuries or health problems that may arise from following the information presented.
