A Trip Can Be Amazing and Still Be the Wrong Choice

Here’s something people don’t like to admit:

You can plan a perfectly good trip and still come home feeling off.

Nothing went wrong.

The hotel was great.

The destination lived up to the hype.

And yet—you’re tired, underwhelmed, or quietly relieved it’s over.

That doesn’t mean you chose badly.

It means the trip didn’t match where you actually are right now.

The Problem Isn’t the Trip. It’s the Fit.

Most travel disappointment has nothing to do with logistics.

It’s not the flight.

It’s not the hotel.

It’s not even the money.

It’s the mismatch.

A great trip at the wrong time becomes work.

Too ambitious when you’re already depleted.

Too secluded when you need social.

Too fast when your body wants slow.

Too performative when you don’t want to be “on.”

We Plan Trips We Think We Should Want

This is where people get stuck.

They book trips based on:

• Who they used to be

• What looks impressive

• What everyone on social media seems excited about

• A version of themselves with more energy, patience, or tolerance

Then they feel guilty when they don’t enjoy it the way they thought they would.

But wanting something different now isn’t a failure.

It’s information.

The Filter I Use Before I Book Anything

I don’t ask, “Would this be fun?”

That question is too vague.

I ask three things instead:

What do I realistically have energy for right now?

Not what sounds adventurous. What I can actually handle and enjoy.

What do I want to feel more of when I get home?

Rested. Clear-headed. Grounded. Like myself again.

Who am I traveling as right now?

Not who I was ten years ago. Not who I think I should be. Who I am now.

This Is the Part People Don’t Like

You don’t need the same kind of trip every year of your life.

Acting like you do is how people end up disappointed and confused about why.

The mistake is expecting a trip to deliver something you don’t actually need right now.

The Right Trip Does One Thing Well

The right trip doesn’t impress anyone. It’s no one’s trip but yours.

It doesn’t prove anything.

It doesn’t need a story attached to it.

It supports your life. It gives you what you need.

When a trip fits, you come home steadier. Clearer. More yourself. And quietly ready for whatever comes next.

That’s not a smaller way to travel.

It’s a smarter one

BrB