From wanting to be a doctor, an entomologist, photographer, journalist, veterinarian, conservation biologist and a lawyer, to finally realizing her dream of becoming a traveler, a wanderer, here’s how Jess Wandering journey.
Women Fitness President joins the Travel blogger Jess on her travelling journey and lots more!
Namita Nayyar:
A healthy morning ritual that you follow?
Jess Wandering:
As a travel blogger, I’m on the road more often than not, so having a solid routine can be hard to maintain. But regardless of where I am, I try and stay off social media for the first hour of my day. This helps me clear my mind, and plan out my priorities for the day, without getting emotionally hijacked by everything online.
Namita Nayyar:
You have taken quite an off-beat career. What motivated you to take this up?
Jess Wandering:
I was actually a lawyer for a few years before I transitioned into the travel and adventure industry. I always loved being out in nature growing up, and I lost touch with that side of my personality as I got further into my professional legal career. When I realized how unhappy I was, I started spending more time out on hiking trails around my home in Washington. That time outside had a significant impact on the way I saw myself and how I wanted my life to proceed. That’s when I knew it was time for a change.
Namita Nayyar:
Share the best part of your job as a travel influencer?
Jess Wandering:
That’s a hard one! It has been such a rewarding and unexpected journey. But one of the best parts is just opening up people’s eyes to how beautiful our world can. I love it when I receive a message from someone who has gone to a location after seeing it on my Instagram or blog that they never knew existed before. Being outside makes so many people happy, and to play even the smallest role in facilitating that relationship with nature is a great feeling.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises are an integral part of your home workout routine? 5 must-do morning stretches?
Jess Wandering:
I really like to mix up my home workouts! It helps me stay motivated and mentally engaged. I tend to rotate between yoga, HIIT type workouts, and jogging. I like these workouts because I don’t need any equipment, and I can easily incorporate them into my schedule while I’m traveling as well. So there are no excuses!
Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to jesswandering.com?
Jess Wandering:
Jess Wandering is a travel blog dedicated to bringing you captivating stories, bucket list destinations, and off the beaten track adventures from near and far. But at its core, it’s my way of sharing my experiences with others in hopes that it will motivate them to get out and build the type of memories that last a lifetime. I genuinely believe that we, as humans, are more likely to care about and protect people and places that we have personal connections to. So I started jesswandering.com to try and help people forge those connections.
Namita Nayyar:
Your meal before and after a workout?
Jess Wandering:
I actually prefer to workout first thing in the morning. So I tend not to eat much of anything before workouts. But after workouts, my go-to breakfast is a big smoothy or yogurt bowl with fruit and honey.
Namita Nayyar:
Three Favorite meals from across the world?
Jess Wandering:
Tacos, Pho, and falafel gyros! And also Thai and Indian curries lol.
Namita Nayyar:
Top three destinations you wish to go to?
Jess Wandering:
There are honestly so many places that I would like to travel to. My list grows and changes every day! But I would love to explore Morocco, French Polynesia, and Nepal, just to name a few.
Namita Nayyar:
Define Women Fitness for WF viewers.
Jess Wandering:
I think women fitness is that level of mental and fiscal health that allows you to live the life you want to live. It’s not about size, shape, or any external physical factors. Instead, fitness should focus on what the body needs to allow each individual to live their best life.
Namita Nayyar:
Share your workout in a week now during the lockdown?
Jess Wandering:
I’ve actually managed to get into more of a routine under lockdown than I’ve ever been able to maintain on the road. My workouts at home involve a lot of YouTube home workouts, Instagram live sessions, and runs around my neighborhood. I like to mix it up!
Namita Nayyar:
Your next destination right after the lockdown?
Jess Wandering:
The truth is, I have no idea. There are too many unknowns right now. Too many variables. I don’t know when the lockdown will be “over.” Or what that will even look like when it does happen. I have a feeling that when I start traveling again, it will be very local. And I’m actually excited about that! There are so many places that I still haven’t spent time exploring in my own backyard.
Namita Nayyar:
Social media is instrumental in today’s era. Two things you love and hate about it?
Jess Wandering:
I love the community that social media offers. I’ve met so many beautiful, talented, creative people through social media, and they provide an endless stream of inspiration. Plus, my social media community has blessed me with this amazing chapter in my life. I’m forever grateful for the individuals that have chosen to follow me over the years. Their support has allowed me to see and do some truly memorable things.
At the same time, my least favorite thing about social media is the comparison vortex that it creates. It can be so easy to fall into the trap of comparing our day to day lives, with the highly curated highlight reels that we see on social media.
Namita Nayyar:
Staying fit to you means?
Jess Wandering:
Actively cultivating the physical and mental energy, you need to chaise after your dreams!
Namita Nayyar:
Athleisure brands that you love?
Jess Wandering:
I wear a lot of Beyond Yoga, Vuori, and Athleta.
Namita Nayyar:
Any advice you would like to give to your younger inner self?
Jess Wandering:
No! If I could go back in time and tell my younger self something, I don’t think I would do it. Not because I don’t have regrets, or haven’t made mistakes. But because I think those mistakes are integral to growth. I’ve learned more from the miss-steps that I’ve taken in life than from anything else, and I wouldn’t want to deprive my younger self of those experiences. Even when they were hard, sad, or heart-breaking, I came out the other side a stronger, more well-rounded person.
Namita Nayyar:
Resolutions or goals for 2020?
Jess Wandering:
I’m trying to work on developing some little habits for happiness that I can incorporate into my everyday life. Easy things that will hopefully make a big difference in the long run like reading more, spending less time on my phone, getting outside at least once a day, drinking more water!
Namita Nayyar:
Message for your 785K followers on Instagram?
Jess Wandering:
You are enough! Just the way you are. Comparison is at the core of a lot of unhappiness. It prevents us from embracing those things that are uniquely ours – which is tragic because our unique attributes are the things that have the most potential to make us successful. But here’s the thing – success is not a limited resource. In part, this is because success means different things to different people. Figure out what success means to you, go after it with all you’ve got, and know that there is enough to go around. Do not fall victim to the scarcity mentality!