Mindful wander

Travel to broaden your view. It is more than just going to places of interests to see famous places, or perhaps do something that a place is renowned for just to check-in and get a selfie. Mindful wander means understanding the world in a different place compared to where you live.

Learn to understand why traditions, cultures, and food are different at each place. How did the way of life and the local thinking shape each of these? Take note of architecture and interior design as well. These are also shaped by the culture and history. By immersing yourself in a local culture and being more mindful of how people think, you slowly start to see things from their perspective.

It is important to understand how people think in each place. Only when you start to grasp how they think, especially how differently they think, then are you qualified to draw comparisons with how you live and think. If you don’t stand in their shoes and simply judge others living in a different place, you are only forcing your own views based on your own culture and living conditions.

Very often, I come across comments from people who have no idea of the local culture they criticise. They merely impose their own culture and views on the situation or way of life. Just because something is different from the way it is done back home doesn’t mean that it is something that should be condemned.

Before you start judging others, it makes more sense to understand the local way of life. Even better, live for a short period of time at the place so you can truly immerse yourself in the culture and society.

Understanding how people think and why they behave in certain ways can give you insights on how to improve your life and think of new ways to resolve problems back home. And then create mindful memories of your time in a place you might only go once in a lifetime.