Empowered.travel is a company founded by Monika Lewicka that offers women the opportunity to transform their lives through travel and ancient Japanese psychology principles. The focus is on providing a four-stage self-guided framework across four weeks to help women through major life transitions or if they are close to burnout. The idea behind empowered.travel is to provide women with the support and structure they need to realize their greatness and balance their feminine and masculine traits.
The first stage of the empowered.travel framework involves taking time for deep rest in the moment. This stage is about leaving one’s usual routine behind and finding a place that invites solitude and silence. The goal is to experience the Japanese idiom ‘ichi-go ichi-e’ which emphasizes living in and appreciating the present moment without distraction. This stage also involves learning about Morita therapy, a Japanese psychotherapy technique that helps individuals to live with unpleasant emotions rather than trying to eliminate them.
After a week of deep rest, the next stage is to explore the Japanese principle of ‘ikigai’, which focuses on finding one’s purpose in life. This phase involves considering what one wakes up for in the morning and taking constructive action based on that purpose. The guided activities and tools provided by empowered.travel can help individuals to delve deeper into discovering their reason for living and what gives their life meaning.
The third phase of the empowered.travel framework involves travel that connects individuals to people, nature, and themselves. This is a time to go somewhere culturally foreign and immerse oneself in new experiences and connections. During this phase, individuals are encouraged to embrace concepts such as ‘gaman’, ‘wabi-sabi’, and ‘omotenashi’ to build resilience, embrace imperfection, and develop the spirit of selfless service. Keeping a diary during this phase can provide insight into oneself and help individuals track their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
The final and arguably most important stage of the empowered.travel framework is the time for solitude and introspection when individuals return home. This stage involves spending five to seven days reflecting on their experiences, reviewing relationships and hobbies, and identifying actionable changes to implement over the next 12 weeks. The focus is on the Japanese concept of ‘kaizen’, which emphasizes action-oriented growth and making small improvements that gain momentum. Traveling with Japanese psychology helps individuals to focus their attention and become more aware of their surroundings.
Overall, empowered.travel offers women the opportunity to undergo a transformative journey that combines travel with ancient Japanese psychology principles. By following the four-stage framework provided by empowered.travel, women can gain a deeper understanding of themselves, discover their purpose, and make positive changes in their lives. This unique approach to sabbaticals allows women to step away from their everyday lives, experience new cultures, and focus on personal growth and well-being.
