Hello Sojourners, 

I am just back from taking a group of eight pilgrims to walk the last 100 km of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Walking the Camino is always a profound experience. However, this year, even more, because our lives have been so altered and restricted by the pandemic. Also, because it is a holy year, holy years only happen when the feast day for St. James falls on a Sunday. It is when the UNESCO site of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela opens a special door that leads to the remains of the Apostle. Legend has it when you pass through this door as a pilgrim, all your past misdeeds are forgiven. I thought a lot about what that really means while I walked. What do I want or need to be absolved of, and why? This is a big question that I am still processing.

Also, I want to share that you can now look for 8 Good Things on the first Friday of every month instead of every three weeks.

To get you started this time around, here is an article I shared last time and thought I would again, “What THE WAY of the Camino de Santiago Can Teach About Happiness.” 

Enjoy! I hope you read something that inspires you!

P.S. Please share 8 Good Things with your family, friends, and colleagues. 

Oct 1, 2021

Go for a Walk

Ultimately, a mindful reflection about walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain by a Harvard professor who writes a weekly happiness column for The Atlantic.  Having walked the last 100 km of the Camino three times, I have to disagree with this writer’s initial description of it being a boring, unadventurous walk. However, I agree that the Camino is a walking meditation that one takes as a pilgrimage to be with one’s thoughts about life and your place in it. If you are open to slowing down your pace, savoring each step, while taking in the sights and sounds around you, it will be both life-affirming and transformative. How you walk the Camino is a metaphor for how you walk through life. At any point, you can always change your pace and perspective.  Learn more in this article from THE ATLANTIC.

Okay, so you may be hesitant to get on a plane to do a 100 km pilgrimage in Spain or go on safari in Africa because of the dreaded Delta Variant and all things coronavirus. However, you still can benefit from being in the great outdoors, even if you are only in your backyard. How? One, find a spot to take an undistracted pause to simply be still. Two, focus on one detail at a time. Consciously use your senses to engage in the sights and sounds around you. Three, hug a tree. Studies have shown that directly connecting with nature will increase feelings of joy. And four, if you cannot get outside, then watch a nature show — this will lift your spirits as well. Find out more in this THRIVE GLOBAL article.

What the Way of the Balinese Can Teach About Happiness

This article is the third and last one I wrote a couple of years ago about what other cultures can teach us about happiness. It seems relevant to share these articles again. I think we have learned and appreciated so much about others near and far from ourselves. These days, conversations around the oneness of our planet and its inhabitants are more prevalent than it was pre-COVID. Thank goodness for this pandemic blessing if there is such a thing.  Learn more in my article on MEDIUM.

Inspiration for those who are willing to jump the COVID travel hoops. If you do, you could very well be rewarded with some of the best ever travel opportunities, from fewer crowds to lower prices. Find out about these top destinations, along with excellent sustainability travel tips in this CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER article.

I love their idea of island hopping around the Greek Islands in a sailboat instead of a cruise ship. Sojourn Explorers just happens to have an itinerary for this if you are interested in sustainable travel.

5 Ways You Can Mentally Prepare for Pandemic Travel

One, be aware of the risk of getting the coronavirus and possibly spreading it to others. Two, research your destination’s COVID-19 case numbers and safety rules. Three, pinpoint the specific outcomes that worry you the most. Four, try to focus on the things you can control. Five, use grounding techniques before and during your trip. Get more details in this SELF article.

Top 10 Island Wellness Destinations

As we move toward the last quarter of the year, you may be more than ready, even well overdue, to disconnect to reconnect. There is an ever-increasing body of research showing that vacations can and do improve your overall wellbeing. As a wellbeing mentor and intentional travel designer, I think this is especially true these days. So is it time to put the busyness of life in pause? Learn more in this LUXURY TRAVEL article.

The Way

I thought I would share the 2010 film starring Martin Sheen and directed by Emilio Estevez that inspired many to walk the way in Spain. It is a story of a man coming to terms with the death of his estranged son as he makes the pilgrimage that his son was meant to do and ultimately realizes what is truly meaningful to him — some Camino de Santiago inspiration.  WATCH.

The Pilgrimage

For those who like literature, a provocative book by Paulo Coelho about a mystical journey following the Way of St. James. I listened to this book when I did the Camino de Santiago the first two times. What stuck with me most is the start of the book when our protagonist finds out the hard way that the way is for everyone, not just a few who believe they are privileged and better than others. READ. 

Sojourn Getaways

Next year I plan to do The Camino Portugues. It is one of the most popular and beautiful routes on the Camino de Santiago. It is an ideal way for pilgrims to have a rural experience while enjoying the Atlantic coastline.

Back by popular request, I am planning a third pilgrimage to Israel next year. So stay tuned.

Picture Perfect

A Dream Come True

Poco, the man on the right with the walker, was my Camino hero. Two years ago, he suffered a stroke that paralyzed most of one side of his body. His dream had been to walk the Camino de Santiago. Today, with the help of a loving family and cheering pilgrims, he did the same 100 km that I walked as a healthy, able-bodied woman. My heart cracked open every time I saw him on the trail. Look at that beautiful and inspiring smile of his.

Thoughtful

“We must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul,

just as a meal does for the body.”

~ Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage

Stay safe. Stay well.

ABOUT

Every three weeks, we bring you eight big ideas to help you live better.

Each edition selects topics that reflect The Sojourn Experience’s desire to serve the greater good, both inwardly and outwardly. We are a conscious-centered company with three portfolio brands. The first is Picture Happiness, which focuses on the art and science of happiness and mindfulness. The second is Sojourn Explorers, which curates transformational travel experiences to extraordinary places around the globe. Part of the money for each trip goes to nonprofit organizations we support. Sojourn Media looks to create partnerships with writers, producers, and directors to sell their projects to production companies and various platforms.

Special thanks to Astrid Martin, article and video content research, and Michael Tobias, editorial review and formatting, for their ongoing contributions to
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