Last week, in my weekly newsletter for subscribers (are you a subscriber yet? If not, click here), I mentioned my favorite goal for this year: reading 75 books. It sounds a little bit crazy, but I think it’s within reach, especially since I spend a lot of time reading in the evening.

Another favorite goal is traveling. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to some marvelous, beauty-filled, jaw-dropping places in my lifetime, and I look forward to doing that again this year. Because Mart is semi-retired, we have more freedom, ability, and time to travel.

For me, one of the best things about traveling is the planning. Mart and I love to dream together about where we want to go and when. Planning ahead allows us to take our time, consider what we want to do, get good flights and accommodations, and make reservations for tours and dinners. It also allows us to put money aside specifically for the trip. In order to do all of this in advance, we start talking about and planning our trips the year before we actually take them.

Last fall, we decided on two major trips this year: Scotland (for the second time) in May and Utah in August. During our trip to Scotland in 2022, we were already talking about coming back in 2024. It’s the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s Olympic Gold Medal 400-relay, celebrated in the movie, Chariots of Fire, which is in Mart’s Top 10 movies of all time.

Last year, we had so much fun exploring Yellowstone with our adult daughter that we want to do another national park with her this year. We decided on Utah, which has no less than five national parks within a few hours of each other. So in August, we’ll head out west again.

As always, whatever beauty we discover, I will share it with you on Glimsen.

So now, let me ask you this.

The Gibbon River, just below Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone

Do you like to travel? Have you thought about where you’d like to go this year? You don’t have to go far, of course. Some of my favorite places on earth are within a few hours’ drive of my house. Don’t rule out staying close to home and exploring what your area or region has to offer.

Regardless of where you want to travel, the best way to make it happen is to write it down now on your calendar, planner, or list of goals. Then, as soon as you can (or as soon as makes sense), give the dates to your boss, employees, family, pet sitters, neighbors—anyone who needs to know so they won’t be surprised when you take off.

And while you’re on your trip, fully enjoy your experience and the planning you put into it. And make sure to take some time to dream about where you’d like to go next.

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