The one thing that makes travel (and work) way better

I shared a post this week about our recent trip to Belize—where I snorkelled, ziplined, hiked through Mayan caves, and swam in a bioluminescent lagoon (located next to a crocodile-inhabited river, which definitely added to the thrill).

You can check out the glowing blue blob photo and the full story here on LinkedIn.

But today I want to share something else that’s completely changed how I experience travel—and life, really.

Years ago, I heard Brene Brown talk about prepping for a Disney trip with her family. She was packing a stack of books, and her husband gently suggested she may want to revisit her expectations for how much relaxing (or reading) was going to happen.

That moment? It stuck with me.

So now, before any trip, I set one simple expectation for myself. Just one thing I’d love to do or experience. That’s it. Everything else? A bonus.

I started this with my son Jackson on our trip to Yellowstone, and I’ve done it ever since. In Belize, that one thing was overcoming my fear of ziplining. (Mission accomplished, for me and my youngest!)

Here’s what I’ve learned: When I stop overloading the trip with expectations, I’m able to actually enjoy what’s happening—however it unfolds.

And it turns out this mindset isn’t just for travel.

It’s a game-changer at work too.

As leaders, we often pile on expectations—of our teams, ourselves, our timelines—but here’s the catch:

Expectations are useless unless they’re communicated.

If your team doesn’t know what success looks like, how are they supposed to meet it?

What’s the one thing you want your team to focus on this week? Name it. Share it. Then let the rest be a bonus.

Here’s to fewer expectations—and more meaningful impact.

Shannon