My Notion Template for Soulful Travel Planning
Sacred Travels, Issue 3
If planning and organizing is my love language, then planning for a trip is like…Christmas? My own personal Super Bowl? Like taking on the final boss in a (warm and fuzzy) video game? I don’t quite know the right simile here, but I think you get it.
Even for the not-so-systems-minded, planning a trip is inherently gratifying. It’s a dopamine playground. It’s creative, anticipatory, and affirming. And science backs that up: research shows those who have a trip planned report feeling happier — but here’s what’s really fascinating: happiness peaks in the weeks leading up to a trip then returns to baseline post-trip. The anticipation of travel is often more mood-lifting than the trip itself.
This National Geographic piece goes deeper: the act of envisioning our trip fires up creativity, energizes the brain, and primes us for connection. The temporary and novel nature of a trip make it one of our favorite things to savor and think about.
Our recent travels to Thailand culminated in over 1.5 years of active coordination and planning. And with 15+ travelers in the mix, it was fun to see the anticipation amplify with all our plotting and dreaming and questions and what-ifs.
So…this is a hard pitch gentle invitation: to make your planning process a *thing* in itself. To treat it less like a checklist and more like a ritual of weaving together dreams, details, and desire.
Here’s how I’m thinking about it.
A conscious travel framework — from intention to departure.
Intention: Start With Your Why
Ask yourself: Why this trip? Why now? What are my goals?
Every trip has its own arc and intent. Some are about total relaxation and rejuvenations; others focus more on adventure and action. And then there are the journeys with more personal missions.
For our Thailand journey, it was all about returning — to a place we love, to memories that shaped us — and sharing that love with dear friends and family. We stepped into the role of tour guides, curators, and cultural translators. That intention shaped every decision, from the temples we visited and how we navigated night markets, to the overall pace we moved at and how we filled our days.
Setting specific intentions helps release what your journey will decidedly not be. In my case, I knew going in that our travels to Thailand this time around would be less about us (my husband and I) discovering new gems, and more a tour of the greatest hits.
Some further reflection:
What is the deeper purpose of this trip?
What are three small moments you’re most looking forward to?
What do you hope to feel more of, or let go of, while you’re there?
Discovery: Your Research Playground
Here is where the trip begins to take shape. Where the energy turns from “one day” to “maybe this day.” Start sketching and scaffolding the basics: when, where, how.
Let yourself wander through possibilities — read blog posts, skim review threads, save Reels and TikToks. But also protect your peace: information overload is real. Choose 1–2 playgrounds where you’ll do most of your research. (Tripadvisor rabbit holes are fun…until they’re not.)
Pro tip: The happiness boost is highest when you play an active role in planning. So be involved. Don’t hand it all off.
Visualization: Make It Real
Close your eyes and run a mental “day in the life” of your trip. Start to imagine:
Who’s waking up first?
How are you dressing and getting ready?
What are you doing first?
How are you getting around?
Where are you ending your days?
What needs to be packed, prepared, communicated?
This is where your trip stops being a vague idea, and it helps you plan with care — not just for yourself, but for your fellow travelers’ energy levels, accessibility needs, and interests. It’s the little details and considerations that make a big difference!
Rehearsal: Ideas Into Action
Once you’ve started to sketch your trip, try a dry run.
Map out a rough itinerary and rehearse it in detail with others traveling with you. Pack a few early bags and start collecting what you’ll bring. Print your lists. Notice what feels tight, what feels open, and where you might need to scale back.
This is the part where you channel all your prior thinking and mental preparation into action.
I’ve spent the last few weeks building out a Notion template that turns all of this — intention, discovery, design, planning — into a living, flexible, gorgeous workspace.
It’s the dashboard I wish I had years ago — a central container for everything from deep planning to reflections and memory keeping. A calm, clear space to map your trip, set your intention, and get excited 🌞
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
🪷 Intention-setting prompts: Craft the inner journey alongside the logistical one.
📌 Discovery canvas: Drop in your research — links, reviews, videos, places to eat, TikToks worth revisiting — all in one clean, categorized space.
📅 Itinerary builder (two styles!): Whether you love a hyper-detailed daily planner or a looser, choose-your-own-adventure map — both options are there. You can toggle between views based on your planning style.
🧳 Pre-filled packing lists that go further than “how many socks.” This checklist includes the practical + the soulful: from swimsuits to scent anchors, baby wipes to books.
📓 Travel journal + memory keeper: A space to document on the go — designed for pic drops, deep reflections, and notes to self.
💸 Budget + spending tracker: Plan, track, and reflect on how you’re spending (and where you want to).
📂 Important documents hub: Organize travel docs, confirmations, and emergency info all in one place.
✅ Task & to-do tracker: A running list for pre-trip prep and while-you’re-there logistics.