Lately, I have found it difficult to keep plugging away at my little travel business. I have been overwhelmed by the sadness and the weight of everything happening in our world due to war(s), natural disaster displacement, and even the gun violence in the U.S. that continues to tear through our communities here at home.

When I made the decision to get into the travel industry, the world looked a little different. We were beginning to open up again after many months (years) of staying at home. It seemed that the world was waking up to some of the atrocities being felt by our communities of color and disadvantaged for so long, and many were proactively making efforts to be better for each other and for ourselves.

In my previous life of working in non-profits, when crisis hit across the globe, I knew that we would be communicating messages of support and mobilizing on the ground to help those in need. While the work was heavy, I knew that we were doing our best to make a difference. Now that I am on my own and operating a small business, it seems harder to connect to that much needed work, while maintaining “business as usual.”

But I have reminded myself that I started this business precisely NOT to do business as usual. I believed then and I believe even more strongly now, that the only way we can understand each other and promote peace and goodwill with others is to get out of our comfort zones and experience each others’ cultures first-hand, dig deeper into understanding by going on informational tours and experiences with local businesses, getting up close and personal with nature to understand the need and actions to take to preserve the natural assets and wildlife that make our world better to live in.

It doesn’t always mean we have to get on a plane and travel to far away places. There are plenty of ways that we can do this at home by visiting local museums and taking tours led by and owned by BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) communities. We don’t even have to leave our back yards or local parks to understand the beauty and nature of our planet.

So rather than taking a pause from promoting travel of any kind, I am doubling down to encourage you to take that break and rest if you need it. Put your grief and sadness to use by getting out of your comfort zone to experience and explore something or somewhere new and reacquaint yourself with the hope and goodness that still exists in our communities and on our planet.

I am also pledging a portion of all my planning fees through the end of the year to support organizations that are providing rest and replenishment, as well as life-saving services to the people suffering most right now: Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).

I hope you will join me in doing a small part to make a difference.