Travel and Personal Growth: Bonnie Barnes On Why & How Traveling Can Help Us Become Better Human Beings
An interview with Maria Angelova
Try new foods- Don’t be afraid of calories. Making a conscious choice to try new things opens your taste buds to things you may not have known you liked, so when you are home you add variety to your life. Because each place has a different way of doing things. One trip I had grits, not usually a fan of grits but it was made with cheese and a little cream, YUM.
Thankfully, the world is open for travel once again. Traveling can broaden our horizons and make space for people to become more open-minded. How can travel give us the opportunity for personal growth? What are some ways that travel can help us become better human beings? As a part of our series about “How Traveling Can Help Us Become Better Human Beings”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bonnie Barnes.
Bonnie Barnes is Vice President of Sales for Ketone Labs. An impressive background as an award-winning bodybuilder, triathlete, certified nutritionist, and former gym owner and personal trainer. Passionate about guiding individuals towards optimal physical and mental health choices. Bonnie is dedicated to uplifting and positively transforming those she interacts with. Her insatiable curiosity about life is constantly fueled by her extensive travels around the world.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Growing up as one of eight siblings, resources were scarce, but my imagination was boundless. This early creativity led me to craft and sell my jewelry creations. The entrepreneurial spirit was ignited within me at a young age. By 16, I was navigating life on my own, juggling two jobs while absorbing as much knowledge on sales, personal development, and wellness. This independence forged a profound connection with my inner self.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.
At the gym, a magnetic entrepreneur’s zest for life mirrored my innate curiosity. Drawn to his vibrancy, I discovered he traveled the world, negotiating business deals and soaking up life experiences. His stories fed my soul and the curiosity I held since a child and that feeling of wanting to discover what it is that makes me think that there’s more to life.
Unexpectedly, this same man inspired me along my way, introducing me to an Ed Mylett podcast. As Ed’s words on life mastery flowed, I reflected on my own life that year: a divorce, a fresh start, and a desire to awaken the person inside of me I had forgotten. Realizing “This is unfolding for me,” I launched a new career, and followed my heart trusting my intuition on how to move forward. This journey taught me the transformative power of choice, especially when fueled by courage and insatiable curiosity.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
I feel people come into our lives as we need them. While no single individual stands out, several people entered my life precisely when I needed them. I believe that as we evolve, we reciprocate by guiding others in their moments of need.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?
In the dance of communication, tonality is as powerful as the message. There was one time, a straightforward email I had sent to a brand was misconstrued as dismissive, not due to my words, but because of the emotional state of its recipient. Their world was chaotic that day, making them perceive my simplicity as offensive.
This incident made me realize: our words may echo differently depending on the listener’s perceived state of mind at that moment. It emphasized the unpredictability of reactions, as we’re often blind to the personal battle’s others are facing at the time of receiving communication.
This experience reshaped deeply how I wanted to communication moving forward. Now, I craft messages with heightened empathy, ensuring they feel anchored, understood, and valued. I lean into words that exude presence, kindness, and clarity. And striving for gracious follow-ups.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” — Brene Brown.
In life, we constantly face choices. It requires immense courage to leap into the unknown, trusting that even in the midst of uncertainty, our inner strength will allow us to soar. It’s in these moments that we truly unearth the power within ourselves.
Enduring my marriage was an emotionally taxing journey. Societal and cultural conditioning creates deep beliefs within us that a successful marriage must look a certain way. We are shown images of large homes, luxury cars, and the idea that our partners are entirely responsible for our emotional well-being. However, one day, a realization struck me: what if I took charge of my own emotions? And stopped taking responsibility for my spouses emotions. What if I was the one to address the sources of my unhappiness? This introspection led me towards a deeper self-understanding. If I could confront the darker parts of my soul and heal the discontent, and then if I was still unhappy in the marriage, it would confirm to me that the relationship had run its course. Now, I make decisions not solely based on logic, but led by intuition. Trusting in that inner voice has often revealed that the pieces fit together perfectly in hindsight. By confronting our fears head-on, we strip them of their power, and suddenly, the horizon seems endless.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
I started a podcast called “Power of Perseverance,” where I interview successful founders of health supplements and talk with them about their health journey and what brought their innovation into the health and wellness space. Some of these founders have discovered powerful healing ingredients that only came to them by going through their own challenges to heal, which lead the way for others to solve their own health issues. Through that discovery they created something that could change the lives of many. What if a meaningful life was all about trusting your heart to take you where you are meant to be and through the process you gain wealth, health, and the lifestyle of your dreams? What I hope to do is inspire others through these shared podcast stories to take a chance and pursue something they feel can change the world, because that innovation might just change someone else’s life, as the company I work for has changed mine.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview about travel and personal growth. Let’s dive deeper into these together. Based on your research or personal experience, why do you think travel can lead to personal growth? Can you share a story?
- Self-Discovery: When you’re taken out of your familiar surroundings and routines, you may discover new things about yourself. This could be hidden interests, talents, or food preferences that you never knew you had. You get to sit with your thoughts and reflect on life and asses your values.
- Gratitude for Home: Being away can also make you see your home in a new light. It can make you appreciate the comforts and conveniences you take for granted, as well as the aspects of your own culture and area that you especially value that you may not have thought about before.
- Building Confidence: Navigating new places, often where you don’t speak the language or know the customs, can build your confidence and self-reliance. From figuring out transportation to mapping and finding your way around, exploring details with an open mind of no fear and be open to the opportunity of whatever comes your way.
My solo trip to Paris after a challenging divorce was a testament to this. It granted me freedom, independence, and moments of self-reflection, redefining my perspective on life. Interesting feelings came up as I navigated the airport, found my shuttle, and arrived at my hotel. After the daytime activities for which I was there for in obtaining business skills, I would sit in my hotel room alone in the evening and with that time, used it to reconcile events in my life that I hadn’t had time to do before with no distractions. It was a very healing time for me to be able to find that confidence in myself to establish my own independence internally and open my mind to see the world full of possibilities.
A recent survey from Psychology Today showed that over 80% of participants found that travel helped them with problem-solving or decision-making. Why do you think this is true for so many people?
Stepping away from a routine can help declutter our minds for clearer thinking. A change of environment can stimulate new neural pathways in the brain and promote creative ideas. It comes with unexpected situations, and we have learning opportunities to navigate this challenge and test our adaptability such as flight delays or lost baggage. As I spoke of earlier, time for reflection. We increase our confidence learning to trust our judgements and decision-making abilities. We are forced to be more present because our surroundings are unfamiliar, and we choose to be even more aware and it leads us to see things in the moment. For business its also great for networking, because you never know who you will meet on your travels, it may just be the one person who is key in your next business adventure or connection to lifelong friendship.
Do you think travel enhances our mindfulness, optimism, or sense of gratitude? How? Can you please explain with an example or story?
Travel exposes you to a variety of cultures, new customs, and other ways of life, broadening your perspective and worldview. The news is filled with opinions and fear. When you see the diversity, the world has to offer it can challenge your preconceived notions and help you become more open-minded when its seen first-hand. People fear what they don’t know. I heard that Paris was dirty and the people rude so I assumed that to be true until I visited and found that not to be accurate. The people were gracious, kind, and helpful to assist.
Surely not everyone who travels automatically becomes an exemplar of human decency. What are a few reasons why some people completely miss out on the growth opportunities that travel can offer?
Picking touristy spots, luxury accommodations or not interacting with your travel companion can isolate you from exploring one’s thoughts about the area, keep you from seeing diverse experiences in the organic environment. I have seen some tourists act with entitlement and disrespect local people thinking they are superior; this behavior contributes to negative stereotypes of tourists. If we choose to avoid discomfort and need the routine, we don’t overcome those mental challenges to pivot. While it’s good to be a planner, be open to spontaneous experiences. There was one instance when my partner and I had our plans completely changed on a trip, this gave us the opportunity to do a different activity that arose that we would have not thought of before and truly enjoyed. When we don’t slow down enough on trips to give ourselves quiet time for reflection, we don’t reflect on our lessons and give them positive charge to remember them with feelings of gratitude. Put the phone down, we can overshoot photograph and lose sight of being In the moment, don’t forget to have a mental photograph of the feeling not just the photo.
Thank you for that. Now for our main question, What are your “5 Habits You Should Develop In Order Make Travel Into An Opportunity For Personal Growth?”
- Bring a journal- Write your experiences down with feelings. That creative flow is inspiration, and you can go back and read, feel those positive memories again, and reflections you had, its priceless. There are times I go back in my journals and read things I had forgotten happened on trips and it was amazing to experience it again by memory. For instance, I recall a humorous memory at an ice-cream parlor where they showcased edible jars of cookie dough. Believing that the display items were up for sale, we enthusiastically dug into one. However, to our astonishment, halfway through the treat, the cashier informed us that I had been indulging in an old display piece, which had long expired and wasn’t intended for consumption. I often revisit this memory in its full detail and chuckle at how it unfolded.
- Try new foods- Don’t be afraid of calories. Making a conscious choice to try new things opens your taste buds to things you may not have known you liked, so when you are home you add variety to your life. Because each place has a different way of doing things. One trip I had grits, not usually a fan of grits but it was made with cheese and a little cream, YUM.
- Plan ahead. Schedule tickets or tours ahead of time. Being able to read and get an understanding of the history of where you are going can open up opportunities for you to discover more than you thought and experience the place or thing with deeper meaning allowing you to be more present in the experience.
For example, before going to Greece I had read about the Gods and Goddess and familiarized myself with their stories of the history of The Acropolis, the city center of ancient Athens. As I walked the grounds, I imaged the stories I had read about playing out in my mind as I saw the temple and the immaculate details of the structure.
4. Have zero expectations. On a planned trip to Washington DC, I had a contact that could possibly get us into the white house for a tour. Last minute the tickets came together, and we toured the white house with awe of the history. That same trip we had dinner with a local at a fine dining restaurant. At the end of the dinner the manager liked us so much from the friendly conversation that they took us on a private tour to the roof and we got to see the white house and an incredible panoramic view of the city. We had no idea any of this would come together and made it magical to see how things can happen for us when we let go of what it’s supposed to look like and allow things to flow.
5. Disconnect and create boundaries. Be present in the moment. Turn off your phone, tell people your disconnecting, and create boundaries where you are not worried about the email, text, or noise with sectioned off time slots. There was a trip I took where I was still connected to work, instead of complete disconnect while on vacation I tried to do both. I had situations that kept me in worry mode, when really at the end of the day everything was okay and being connected was not needed. When I got back from traveling, I felt like I really had not decompressed and missed intimate moments with my companion. Don’t be afraid to disconnect and connect with the most important people and don’t feel guilty for it.
From your experience, does travel have a negative impact on personal growth too? Is there a downside to travel?
Traveling too much can take away a sense of reality when you are home. You may be hooked on the high of new experiences and being taken out of your routine for long periods can be stressful. It may not leave time for consistency with your loved ones or the time to build meaningful relationships with your close family relationships. So having it in moderation when you are traveling for work or pleasure is key. Find a balance and keep a home base you look forward to coming home to. Don’t depend on travel to keep your busy mind occupied.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them 🙂
That person would be Ed Mylett. It is his podcast episode that has fed me for the last few years and was the episode that after listening to it, I thought I am not living my life the way I want to and time to make a change. His podcast changed my life forever. I based some heavy decisions off listening to his words of inspiration which helped me get closer to myself. If I could meet him even just to thank him for doing the work he did so that I could find my way back to me again through that, I would be so honored. He has impacted me beyond the surface level and helped me find meaning in my life through his podcasts.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Fit.ceo.on.the.go
Platinnumbonniefitness
Bonnie Barnes on linked In
Facebook, and Tick Tock. I have a website in design for blogs to be found.
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success.
About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
Travel and Personal Growth: Bonnie Barnes On Why & How Traveling Can Help Us Become Better Human… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.