I have to admit, I am a creature of habit. Familiar spaces, scents and routines make me so happy. I know that during an average week, I will meditate and go to the gym in the morning. Then I come home and have breakfast while catching up with family and friends on the phone before starting work. Evenings usually start with David and I cuddling with our dog Bernie on the sofa before we start cooking dinner. I’ve got my work schedule set far in advance, and I love sticking to it. Routines make many of us feel safe, but they can also hold us back if we are too rigid in sticking to them.

I started coming to Japan for work about three years ago, and I absolutely love it (I am in Tokyo as I write this to you). I was extremely excited when the opportunity to come to Japan presented itself, but part of me was quite apprehensive as well. Flying to a country that I had never visited before meant that I was throwing my routine out the window and signing up for a whole list of unknown experiences. Everything would be different, from the place I would sleep to the food that I ate and so much more. Even the language was new, which meant that I could neither read nor communicate with people or get around very easily.

Before we came to Japan for the first time, I bought so many supplies for our trip! You would have thought I was moving to a deserted island. I went out and purchased a waterproof jacket, rain coat and umbrellas because of the chance that it might rain. I brought snacks, coffee, deodorant, toothpaste, a plethora of toiletries, and pretty much everything else you could think of.

The funny thing is, once we arrived I realized that Tokyo stores sold literally everything I could have possibly needed and more. The rain coat and boots went completely unused. I discovered a brand of coffee here that I actually enjoy more than what I have at home! In retrospect, I think I was just feeling nervous and wanted to be able to control an aspect of this new experience.

These days Japan feels like a second home. We’ve made good friends here. I have my favorite restaurants and neighborhoods where I love to hang out. But these experiences could only happen because I was willing to explore something new.

Next month I will be traveling to Germany and Switzerland for a series of work events. I’ll be doing lectures, workshops and private sessions. And although I am so excited about it, I have to admit that I’m feeling nervous again! These are new cities I’ve never been to before, where languages are spoken that I do not understand. But I know myself well enough to see that I am just apprehensive about changing my routine.

So when I travel, there are a few things I like to do so that I can make myself feel more at home wherever I am:

• Stay in a short term rental like Airbnb when possible. This is quite popular these days, and can actually end up saving you money on food and laundry. Exploring a new area and eating out at restaurants is fun, but there is rarely any routine or familiarity to it. Staying at an apartment allows me to prepare some of my own meals and do my own laundry. For me, doing laundry is a quintessentially homey activity. If you’ve never rented on Airbnb before, make sure to choose a place that has no less than 20 positive customer reviews and never stay somewhere without any reviews. The more people who have stayed at a place and had a good experience, the more likely you will enjoy it as well. It’s also useful to know that you have the option of renting out someone’s entire place, or staying in a private room within someone’s home when they are also there. I prefer to have my own space, so I will only rent an entire place. But if you would like to meet new people on your travels, you might enjoy staying in a shared space. Either way, make sure you know which kind of place you are renting before you commit.
• Find a scent that reminds you of home, and then bring it with you on your trip. I personally love lavender and eucalyptus oils and use them at home all the time, so I bring a bottle of each whenever I travel. This is also true of doing laundry, so it can be nice to bring your favorite laundry soap if you have one as well. A familiar scent will go a long way towards making you comfortable.
• Select a color that reminds you of home, and bring a few things with you to invoke that energy. I personally love orange, as this color holds energy that increases a sense of balance and also perception in our lives. I use it a lot at home, so I make sure to bring a few orange items with me to give my travels a homey feeling. This could include clothing, a blanket, or healing crystals. You can also purchase flowers in your selected color, or simply visualize your selected color to imprint your energy on the space.
• Commit to a daily routine, at least one thing you will have time to do every day that you are traveling. For me this is usually a 20 minute walk every morning before I get my day started. Aside from getting some exercise, it familiarizes me with the neighborhood I am in and creates a comforting feeling of routine.

If you have any tips while traveling to make the experience more comfortable and familiar, let me know in the comments! And if you would like to learn more about my work, check out my upcoming Color Certification Program. I have taught it several times over the last few years and am so proud of what we have created. This program attracts supportive, kind and open hearted seekers from all over the world. It is only open to 20 participants, and early enrollment is open now.