Travel Tips from #PILOTINA – A World Adventurer with a Purpose

Each adventure is unique and filled with amazing opportunities.” ~ Jacqueline Ruiz

I have been an author for over fourteen years and about the same length as a keynote speaker. As more invitations to share my story started coming in, I decided to surrender to the magic that it represented.

Initially the invitations were coming in from my local state of Illinois, but then I was asked to travel to other states, and now from all over the world. As I managed my businesses, nonprofit, and my new career as an author/speaker, it became evident that I had to be strategic, resourceful, and organized in order to keep my energy up during these trips.

Over the years, I have discovered many different ways to make my trips more enjoyable and stress free, and now I am ready to share those tips with you!

Identify Your Dress Codes

This simple guide that I created helps me organize my wardrobe for every single trip, and also for the amount of packing space I will need so everything fits. Don’t forget to plan for any items you will buy while traveling!

• Travel Comfy (TC)
• Comfy Nice (CN)
• Business (B)
• Dressy (D)
• Super Dressy (SD)

Choose a Prominent Color

A friend of mine shared this trip while on one of our trips. I noticed she wore a lot of yellow during that trip which prompted me to ask her about it. She then revealed her amazing secret of choosing one color and matching every other piece of clothing and shoes to that color.  I thought that was brilliant!

Travel Sizes for Everything

I used to travel with normal size products at the beginning, but now I am obsessed with everything mini. This includes sample perfumes, travel size lotions, mini products. When you purchase a perfume, ask for samples, or simply purchase a refillable container to take your favorite perfume with you.

Types of Shoes

There are three types of shoes needed for every woman’s trip: gym shoes, high heels, and flats. When you do this, you have every type of dress code covered and it will save a ton of space in your luggage.

Work Out Every Day

While on your trip, make it to gym every morning. No excuses! You will feel energized, accomplished, and ready to conquer the day. Find the best workout for you and do it for at least 30 minutes.

Eat Healthy

Eating healthy is key to keeping up your energy and vitality. It allows you think clearly and have alignment with joy and gratitude which leads to more inspiration.

Recap Daily

It’s super important to take inventory of your accomplishments daily. It gives you focus for the next day.

Create an Intention or Name the Trip

Every single trip you take has a clear intention. Name it with a word or phrase that reminds you about your mission for that trip or what you are trying to get out of it and help others achieve.

Bring a Symbol of Faith or Companionship

A teddy bear was given to me by a friend right before my first solo flight. Since that day, I have never left it behind and have also gifted almost 3,000 teddy bears to otherts during my trips. I also bring a rosary, a special pen, and a metal angel wing.

Bring Something That Makes You Happy

Along the same lines as the above item, bring something that makes you happy by just looking at it. It will get you back on track when you are down, or your energy is nonexistent during the craziness of your trip.

Capture “Micromoments”

Document the “micromoments” that you experience throughout your trip. They will remind you that even if you are having a bad day, feel a little sick, or are tired, you can always count on micromoments to be grateful for.

Create a List of Follow-Up Items

It is important that every trip is closed by creating a list of follow-up action items that denote the importance of that trip. Are there people that you should follow up with after the trip? Is there anything that you should mail? Is there an email that you should send to set up a follow up conversation?

Study the Place You are Visiting Ahead of Time

Research the place or places you are visiting to get the most of it.  It is said that knowledge is power, and knowing the history or details about where you are will help you truly appreciate all of your experiences there.

Functional Backpack

A functional backpack is one of the most powerful tools you can travel with. Secret pockets, extra space for writing utensils, and plenty of space to keep your important documents is something that I have gotten from Tumi.

Bring a Little Cash

No matter where you go, it is important to have a little cash on hand to take care of the bellman, concierge, etc. Make sure to exchange some local money at the airport so that you don’t feel the anxiety of not having anything to use for tips.

Take Vitamins

It is almost impossible to get all the nutrients your body needs in the right amount each day with just with the food we eat. Therefore, it’s very important to take your daily vitamins to give the extra boost of nutrition and energy.

Bring a Creativity Kit

Creativity is an incredible outlet to express your emotions and inspiration. I usually take watercolor pencils, Japanese .388 mm pens, and sketch notebooks.

Download Audiobooks, Podcasts, or Shows

Internet and WIFI access can be sketchy depending on your trip, and sometimes they don’t fully function on the plane, so it might be a smart idea to download any of the shows, movies, or podcasts you want to watch or listen to ahead of time on your device.

I hope that these tips and tricks help you manage your energy, maintain a high level of enthusiasm, and make your trip enjoyable!