Why You Need to Trust Your Gut When Travelling

Travelling to new and unfamiliar places can be exhilarating, but when you’re out there navigating the world, it can be hard to listen and trust your gut. These days we have a fountain of information in our pockets. Guidebooks, podcasts, blogs, social media and a plethora of apps for almost every problem imaginable. Nevertheless, one of the most important tools we have is our gut instinct. 

Trusting your gut on the road means tapping into your subconscious and using those basic intuitions to make decisions. Whether it’s picking a place to have a cheap dinner, getting from one end of a chaotic market to the other, or figuring out if that person asking for change is legit, your gut feelings are like the secret cheat codes for your adventure.

Why Your Gut’s the MVP

1. The Safety Samba: Your gut instinct is like your very own personal bouncer, sniffing out the sketchy stuff and telling them, “not tonight, mate.” For me, I usually feel it in the pit of my stomach and my chest feels tight. If something feels off, it’s your gut waving the red flag. This is not a red flag you should ignore like you usually might – (it’s okay we’ve all been there, he’s probably just busy but he’ll definitely text you soon). Find the quickest and safest way outta that situation and debrief with someone you trust later to get it off your chest.
2. Unexpected but Welcomed Experiences: Following your gut can sometimes lead to a change in plans; but this doesn’t have to be a terrible thing. Imagine you’re having a great time at a club in London but some creep is giving you the major creeps. You follow your gut and leave the club and end up back at the hostel where you have an incredible night making new friends and singing karaoke. It’s one of those off-the-chart experiences that you can’t plan for but it will stay in your memories forever. All because you trusted your gut and changed your fate for the better.
3. Snap Decisions: When you’re faced with choices, especially in uncharted territory, your gut can send lightning-fast signals to help you make smart moves. Your subconscious mind will have your back, so just let it take over for a second so you can get to safety. Remember, one of our most basic instincts is survival and your cerebellum is your ride or die, trust it.

How to Tune in to Your Intuition

• Breathe: Take a moment to centre yourself and focus on your breathing. It can be difficult because stress and anxiety might be fighting for the first position, but remember to inhale through the nose and exhale out your mouth.
• Listen to Your Body: Your body might be trying to tell you something before you even realise something is wrong. Pay attention to any hints of apprehension, uncomfortableness, tension, etc.
• Learn from the Past: Remember those times your gut had your back? Think of those situations and say, “Hi gut. Why, yes – I do remember that time you helped me out. Okay, I’ll trust you again. Thanks friend!”
• Awareness: Trusting your gut is crucial, but it’s also important to balance it out with some clear thinking and being aware of what’s going on around you. So, eyes off your TikTok feed, AirPods out, and use your 5 senses to understand what’s happening around you.

To wrap it up, trusting your gut when you’re travelling can add a tonne of depth and excitement to your adventures, all while helping you stay safe and make the most of your journey! So, embrace your inner instinct and welcome it as your awesome travel companion wherever you go 💙

Au revoir, Ahoj, Até já!

Priya x