Engage in the Creative Process

One of the best phases of the journey is the planning process. It can be overwhelming, but when broken down into tiny chunks and worked on daily, or every other day it is more than manageable and very exciting. The journey doesn't begin on the first day of travel. It really begins when the thought of the journey is seeded in your mind. By fully embracing the idea, and creatively putting pen to paper (or keystrokes to your computer) we begin to engage the universe to manifest it.

So I was debating where I should create a travel plan. Sometimes I like to be a feather in the wind and go where the wind blows. However, by nature I am meticulous about planning and the details, so I chose the route of creating a tentative plan and allowing LIFE to bring what it may on the journey and flex my plan to fit LIFE'S little surprises.

A long time ago, one of my good friends Meredith told me to pro-actively share your plans/ideas with others. Ever since I had the idea of traveling the US and Spain, I have shared my story with others. The personal benefits of sharing is that you remove any self doubt about following through, you continually feed your soul with positive energy about the trip, and you freely solicit great suggestions and feedback from your friends and strangers about places to visit, to eat, to stay and people who can assist you on your path. And occasionally you seed the idea of a similar journey in an another at the perfect time in their lives when they need it the most. Sharing is a very powerful process not only to the giver but the receiver as well.

One of my passions is to use technology to positively influence the world. I decided to actively use technology to create my plan, share my story with others, and engage others through feedback and suggestions.

Facebook and Google's various tools have been great assets in this process. Google Docs has allowed me schedule and outline my travel plans as a spreadsheet. It gives me a high level view of my entire travel plan. By sharing this with others I have starting to get fantastic feedback from friends of the cities I am planning to go to. Please keep the feedback coming!

Travel Itinerary (Google Spreadsheet)

Today I decided to take the spreadsheet one step further and use Google Maps to visually pin the cities on the map. I ran into my neighbors Jon, Sarah and Ella at Lex Coffee. I shared my story with them and gave me great suggestions of places that I must visit in Nashville, TN, and in or near Los Angeles. I just realized that I could document every suggestion in Google Maps and as I drive through the cities and I could visit those locations if time allows. Brilliant!!!

Suggestions of Attractions, Restaurants, Music ... (Google Maps)

So friends if you have suggestions of attractions along the way that I must see, restaurants/diners that I must feast at, cultural music performances that I must hear, search for it, and pin it to the map. Or you can just comment, fb message, or email me. You never know if your suggestion will influence someone else who lives nearby to visit your suggestion including myself.

Alsten Tauro (Facebook)

Then there is Facebook: the tool that allows us to share socially. If it weren't for facebook much of this trip wouldn't have evolved to what it is now. Facebook allows me to search for friends who live in the cities I plan to visit, to chat and reconnect with them, and to actively share my blog posts with friends and family who are socially connected to me.

Finally it is this blog, that allows me to document my journey from start to finish, and share my experiences with others. If you wish to share my blog with others please do. The more the merrier. I hope through sharing my journey I am able to positive impact others in some way that leads them closer to what they are called to do - as I search for my own calling.