Every time I have the opportunity to travel, I am as giddy as a kid who just found out she is going to Disney World for the first time. It was my first major trip when I was little and I remember every second of it still.

Though I do sleep a lot better now before my trips and I am not so easily brought to tears with excitement, I do look forward to my trips no matter how many I take or whether I am alone or with my family.

And maybe that's why it doesn't really matter where I'm going and if I am going for work, I'm just really happy to be there. That makes me a better traveler, an eager learner, and an overall happier person.

I know not every trip can be exciting, or fun. Some times our reasons for traveling are sad ones or take us away from people we love. Those are not the ones I am talking about here.

I am talking about that trip you wanted to take but now is causing you stress cause the lines are long, and the flights are delayed, and they don't serve food, and you got stuck in the middle seat next to a snorer.

I say take a moment to reflect back on the joy you initially had when planning this adventure and hold on to it as tight as you can till you get there and back.

It's incredible what the anticipation of your inner child can do and how far it can take you in your travels and with the people you meet in the process.

So, yes, I am still not jaded or bored. I get excited each time and take nothing for granted. And when I get caught up in my head with the perils of being a traveler these days and my inner child has failed me, I refer to my own kids - gotta love 'em - who never seem to really care or mind, cause they always have their eyes on the prize: the destination and all the fun ahead. It's a big, big world out there, lucky us each time we get the chance to venture out into it and discover.

As a solo female traveler, Fox puts a premium on safety and organization. "Having a coordinator of the project in the country you are volunteering in is a big plus," she says.  Although she didn't encounter any problems along her volunteer path, she says that People and Places was always accessible and made weekly contact to ensure that the project was going to plan. "Knowing that you are safe and working with an agenda means that more can be achieved," says Fox. "Flexibility, a sense of humour and a constant smile is often the way forward."

We caught up with Fox to find out a bit more about what inspired her to volunteer abroad, why she landed where she did, and what the "ah-hah" moments have been so far.  She breaks it down in seven questions.

WOTW:

WOTW: Why did you choose to volunteer with People and Places?
JF: I wanted to volunteer again; however, as a 65-year old woman, I wanted more security when traveling to the project as I had to negotiate my own way.  I took several months to look at various companies. People and Places appealed to me because the costs were itemized with most of the money going directly to the country involved. The website details each project, and co-founder Kate Stefanko was always a phone call away to answer any queries.  I was also happy that after I decided on a project, I had direct access to previous volunteers by email and phone, not just an internet review.

WOTW: Why did you choose this particular project and place?
JF: I was brought up walking the Lakeland fells (of the English Lake District) and I love being in the mountains. After Sikkim, I wanted to return to the Himalayas.  I chose Pokhara; it is not too far off, yet still a busy town in the mountains. Having experienced People and Places planning, the following year I was happy to be more remote and enjoyed the peaceful setting of Yangrima.

WOTW: Can you give me a quick snapshot of what a typical volunteer day was like?
JF: I tended to get up for sunrise and mark books.  After breakfast, I'd leave for a short walk to school at about 8:30 a.m. Assembly began at 9 a.m., and then lessons until lunchtime with a short morning break.  I would eat a packed lunch with the other staff.  Afternoon lessons, then back to the lodge around 4:00 p.m. for a cup of tea and lesson planning for the next day.  In Pokhara, there was a formal meal in the evening. In Yangrima, I chose to go the local women's English lessons from 5.30-7:00 p.m., and then home for dinner and an early night.  School days are from Sunday morning to Friday midday. On my free day in Pokhara, I went to the town. In Yangrima, I read or would take walks; often, local women would ask me in for tea. 

WOTW: What has been the most rewarding, touching, or memorable experience for you during your volunteer travels?
JF: The fun children have in learning when their teacher starts to use interactive methods in the classroom.  The happiness of the children, the total acceptance of life as it is, the children's great desire to learn, the friendliness of the village people in Yangrima, the sunrise and sunsets in Pokhara. The very touching children's notes when you leave, often written on scraps of torn paper. My evenings in the lessons for village women - these were not part of my placement but I loved going.  Every evening they all turned up with an exercise book to learn, laugh and sing.

WOTW: What has been the biggest challenge for you volunteering?
JF: In both placements, the walks to school were uphill and I was pleased I had tried to build my fitness a little before I went.  Sermathang, the sherpa village where Yangrima Boarding School is located, is 2800m high (more than 9,000 ft.), so for the first week you notice the altitude when walking uphill.

WOTW: Do you have any tips or advice for first time volunteers?
JF: Choose a company carefully.  Ask where the money goes if it is not obvious on the website.  Make sure you have a secure network in place, so you can relax and enjoy your placement. Also, don't go with too many preconceived plans; just listen and go with the flow.  Life goes very slowly and the baby steps from each set of volunteers builds up and contributes toward the bigger picture.  People and Places provide reports from previous volunteers, so that there is some continuity in progress.

* VSO is a U.K.-based independent international development organization that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries.

Running-Bored with your running routine? How about changing the route, throw in some sprints, run with a fitness buddy or run with different music playlists for different days of the week? For a completely different experience you can also take it indoors and use the time to watch your favorite shows, movies or even read using the " chip clip trick." With the chip clip trick, you place your book or magazine on the reading rack of your cardio machine (you can also purchase lucite reading racks that fit directly over the front of your machine) then put a clip on both the left and right pages of your book so the pages stay secure and don't move. Gently unclip and re-clip the right sides as you flip from page to page and notice how much longer you're able to stay on the machine because you were absorbed in your reading! Even if it takes a few tries to make this work, it's worth it. Think about all of those great books you've been eager to read. Here's an opportunity to get to them while getting fit at the same time.

Bored with lifting weights-Sure dumbbells can get a little boring sometimes so try varying your routine or try using a kettle ball, medicine ball, resistance machines, resistance bands or using your own body weight as resistance. There are so many great exercises you can do without any equipment at all like lunges, squats, step-ups, push-ups, chair dips, planks and other great core exercises. Kickboxing can be great too just make sure to use correct form to prevent injury. If you're trying something new, it's wise to sign up for a few sessions with a certified Personal Trainer who can create a program for you based on your goals, preferences and lifestyle while teaching you the correct form so you can get the most out of each repetition.

When you're bored with your exercise, your body gets bored too and you won't get the results you're hoping for. With just a few tweaks to your fitness plan, you can keep your workouts fresh, fun and interesting.

This is just a fantasy because:

1. I never win anything,

2. I don't buy lottery tickets, and

3. Even I could travel first class like those 1 percenters, I still would be traveling from O'Hare International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, so I still would have to brave the crowds and chaos before I could settle in to that first class seat on the plane.

The new direct air service began flying between Chicago's Midway Airport and northern Michigan's Pellston Regional Airport last summer. The service runs on weekends and costs just $205 each way. Kids 12 and under fly free through March 18 when flying with a fare-paying adult.

Because the airline flies out of the charter operations building on the south side of Midway Airport (known as an FBO or fixed base operator), there are no long security lines. In fact, there is no security line at all, so there's no need to arrive two hours before your flight, empty your water bottle, take off your shoes or be sure you have followed TSA's 3-1-1 rule.

Instead, the very pleasant flight attendant checks your ID against the passenger manifest and asks if you packed your own bag. Then an equally pleasant fellow collects the bags and stows them aboard while the passengers lounge around watching television and sipping the complimentary coffee.

On board, the personal attention continues. The drinks (including the alcoholic ones) are complimentary, the pretzels and peanuts come in full size bags and there's enough room between the seats to cross your legs. Just like there is in first class. Or so I'm told.

But then again, that is the beauty of Dream South Beach - it brings you back to your youth.

The hotel defines everything Miami is meant to be: the sleek black and white entrance is graced with bellmen in crisp white pant suits and flowing white shirts. The black check-in desk at the other end of the room provides the perfect contrast to the white lobby area. The guestrooms are all designed with one focal point in mind: the bed. A regular guestroom is perfect for one person, and suited me quite well during my solo weekend in Miami Beach. The shower and separate bathroom are encased in glass, but not the kind that fogs up when the lights go on. If you're sharing a room, make sure you're comfortable with your guest because there's a lot to be "seen" when you get behind those doors. There's limited counter space for your toiletries, but if you don't bring your entire work life with you on (like I did) you'll have plenty of room for doing your makeup and primping at the desk and full-length mirror in the bedroom area.

Here are a few things to know before you go:

The hotel will charge you a mandatory $7.99 per day fee in addition to your room rate that includes the use of two lounge chairs at their "Luxury Beach Hut" (the pool area located at the top of the hotel); 1 pair of flip-flops; and WiFi throughout your stay. The fee is non-negotiatable, so regardless of whether or not you use the pool or keep the flip-flops, you'll be charged.

The Dream South Beach also shares rooms and space with the Tudor House, located just next door. Tudor House is lead by Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, best known for his New York hot spots The Lambs Club and The National. Don't miss a chance to dine here while you're at the hotel. The charcuterie plate is great for sharing and the restaurant offers fresh fish and oysters daily. If you can, grab a table outside and dine in the heart of all the Miami madness (it makes for a great conversation)!

The hotel is only three levels - if you prefer a quieter night's sleep, request a room on the third floor. At night, the lobby plays some great dance and disco music that seeps up the stairs, which is perfect if you're planning an impromptu dance party but slightly distracting if you just want a good night's sleep. 

All the aspects of the guestrooms at Dream - lighting, television, etc. - are controlled electronically. The panels are located near the guestroom door and also near the bed. They can get confusing, so consult the Dream guestbook when you arrive for instructions. It's no fun accidentally shutting off all the lights when you really just wanted to up the dim switch in the bathroom.

There's no denying that Dream exudes the tech-savvy, sexy attitude of South Beach. For solo travelers, you can't beat the location or convenience of the hotel. You'll feel safe thanks to its location on Collins Avenue, and you won't have to go far to enjoy the beach, Miami's best shopping or the eccentric nightlife that makes Miami legendary.

The benefits for the company, employee and community are innumerable. VolunteerMatch.org cites that volunteerism improves employee performance, encourages teamwork and increases morale. For the company, fostering a "give back" attitude helps build brand awareness and increases employee loyalty. As for the community, such a dynamic connects skilled volunteers with community needs and creates a quantifiable social impact. It's a win-win-win situation, really.

At Artitudes Design Inc. (link: www.artitudesdesign.com), a small Seattle area graphic design firm, all full-time employees are offered a Service Project PTO benefit. This program grants employees 40 hours of Paid Time Off (PTO) each year to use for volunteering for a non-profit, federally tax-exempt organization in their community or abroad.

Andrea Heuston, Artitudes' founder and CEO says, "I believe that we, as a company and individuals can have such a positive impact on the world simply by providing a culture that embraces positive values within the workplace." She leads her business from the place that stirs her passion for positively impacting the lives of humanity and empowers her employees to help create positive social change. "I have always said that happy employees make for happy clients," says Heuston. "Our employees benefit from helping others in their area of passion, and in turn, the company benefits from the employees that bring a different perspective back to the office."

One of Artitude's employees, Wenwen Ni, used her Service Project PTO last May to spend a week volunteering at an orphanage in San Carlos, Costa Rica. "I had always wanted to volunteer abroad, and when Artitudes announced that employees would be receiving paid time off to volunteer, it was the inspiration I needed to plan my trip," says Ni. She got to experience the challenges of working with children from a variety of backgrounds, but also see the benefits that a stable environment offered.

"After the trip, I returned to my job with a renewed sense of professional purpose and appreciation for my company," says Ni. "Not many firms would be generous enough to offer this benefit, and in addition my co-workers were all so supportive - they even decorated my office to welcome me home!"

While these goals can inspire us to be, do and have more, we're often left with a keen sense of disappointment if we fail to achieve them.

We feel frustrated, upset, and angry with ourselves as we identify a failure to reach the goal we set as somehow failing ourselves. We may assume that failing to achieve the goal means we're not capable of change. So often, we also respond to these setbacks by giving in, giving up and staying exactly where we are.

So, here's a thought...

Then, once we've identified what it is we'd like to change, what if we simply committed ourselves to implementing, taking on, doing or trying just one more...

For example, what if you committed to reading just one more page of that inspirational book you picked up. Then, day after day, you simply implemented the "One More Principle" when it came to reading. Can you imagine the feeling of success you'd have over time when eventually you managed to finish the entire book? What if somewhere within that one extra page you read, you were struck by exactly the right words you needed to read at the time? What if that extra page led to a new idea, a new way of thinking, feeling, acting, believing or behaving?

Reading just one more page of a book isn't a huge commitment but over time, the impact would be profound and the sense of accomplishment would increase your confidence and eagerness to keep moving forward.

As far as your health is concerned: What if you committed to eating just one more healthy meal each week. Over the course of a year, that's an additional 52 healthy meals you'd be eating in exchange for 52 unhealthy meals you would have had, had you not implemented the "One More Principle." Eating just one extra healthy meal each week (given that we have at least 3 to choose from each day) doesn't seem like a big deal but exchanging 52 unhealthy meals for 52 healthy ones may just be the thing that gets you to commit to a new way of living.
Maybe that one change leads you to lowering your blood pressure, cholesterol level or getting off of a medication. Maybe that one change reduces your incidence of digestive issues or helps get you back to a comfortable weight and size. Maybe that one change boosts your confidence and inspires to do or try something you were uncomfortable with in the past.

What if this new level of wellness inspires you to then seek out new ways to feel better as you notice an improvement in your mood, level of energy and overall well being? You may notice you're sleeping better, laughing more and being more productive each day. All of this coming from the idea of simply adding one more...

What if you committed to doing one more minute while doing your usual cardio workout? For example, you're on your treadmill or going for a walk outside and you simply committed to adding one more minute to your routine. What if that one minute you added was the one minute you needed to come up with a solution to a problem that's been sitting on the "back burner" of your mind? What if in that minute, you had that brilliant idea or came to a new conclusion about a decision you've been putting off?

As far as your relationships are concerned: What if you spent one more minute of focused attention on those you love? Could that extra minute be the one where the dearest people to you feel more loved, valued and appreciated? Could that minute have been the difference where your partner or child opened up about something they've been meaning or trying to say and finally felt comfortable enough to share with you? If so, can you imagine the impact adding one minute of focused attention would have in your relationship with your partner, with your kids or with your friends?

As far as your business is concerned; What if you made one more call to get the word out about what you do, took one more minute to speak with your key staff members or spent one more minute showing your clients/customers/patients/students how much you appreciate them? What if in that minute, you learned just what your team needed, cleared up a misunderstanding with a prospect or found out what it is that encourages someone to want to work with you? One minute isn't a deal but when it leads to a happier staff, better communication and more satisfied clients, it sure is.

What if you took one more minute to appreciate all that you have, all of the blessings you've been given and all of the opportunities that have come your way? What if you took one more minute to show your gratitude for the kindness of another person, for the health you've been given, for the laughs you shared with another and for beauty that surrounds you?

It's those seemingly insignificant little bits of extra effort, focus, time and attention that over time yield big results. So with this in mind, what's your "one more?"

Be clear with expectations. As a volunteer, I'm comfortable working about 6-8 hours a day. If you make me work much more than that, I start to feel like I'm being taken advantage of. While I'm working with your organization, I also want to get a sense of the local culture, so I prefer five or six day work weeks (like in the real, paid working world). Work a volunteer to the bone and you can almost guarantee a decrease in productivity and enthusiasm. It's all about balance.

Be honest about the living situation. Don't tell me I'll be staying in a bed and breakfast, when the digs make a beer-soaked fraternity house look luxurious. I can live without hot water, compostable toilets, paper-thin mattresses, bed bugs and no heat - but only if I'm prepared.

Define the role of the volunteer. If I've signed on to assist a preschool class, I'm not prepared to come up with lesson plans or take over a class entirely when the teacher doesn't feel like showing up. Be specific in what you expect from me and I'll do my best to deliver. I'm not a mind reader, so communication is key.

Give me space. I'm a work in progress when it comes to getting along (better) with a wide variety of personalities and cohabitating in close, often very rustic quarters. I try to be as respectful as possible and learn from the rotating roster of global do-gooders I encounter, but definitely require some down time to process what I'm doing and check in with myself. I've run into several volunteers who operate on verbal auto-loop of all-about-me stories and have had to politely inform them that every single second of time spent together does not need to be filled with conversation.

Give me the tools to do my job. I want to do a good job, really I do, but if you don't give me the tools to my job (whether it's information, support or supplies), I can't be as productive as I'm sure we'd both like.

Volunteers, what else have you found helpful in your efforts to give back? I really like what   DC Central Kitchen has done. This Washington, D.C. organization drafted a volunteer Bill of Rights so everyone is on the same page.

1. The first step is to re‐evaluate the previous year. Start by asking yourself "How did it go? How did you handle things? Did you handle yourself the way you wanted to?" Find your answers using the areas we typically struggle with most.

Nutrition/Healthy Eating: How did you handle yourself with food? Did you do a lot of social/binge/emotional or mindless eating?

Fitness/Exercise: How was your fitness? Were you motivated, did you enjoy your workouts and did you get the results you wanted?

Stress Control: How did you handle stress? Who or what was stressful for you and how did you handle it?

Emotional Health/Mindset: How was your emotional outlook? Were you as positive or optimistic as you would have liked?

Relationships: Take a look at your relationships. Were they supportive, loving, nurturing or toxic and destructive?

Business/Finances: How did you do with your business and finances? Did you reach your goals as far as the growth of your business, finances and career?

Personal/Spiritual Development: Did you grow personally and spiritually? What did you learn and were you living with passion and purpose?

Nutrition/Healthy Eating: Do you want to lose excess weight? Do you want to eat healthier? Do you want to cook healthier meals? Do you want to food shop more effectively? Do you want to take more time to pre‐plan your meals and snacks? Are you ready to end binge or mindless eating behaviors?

Fitness/Exercise: As far as your fitness, if you realize you didn't take time for fitness, what do you want now? Do you want to create a more exciting workout? Do you need more motivation? Would a workout buddy or new exercise program help?

Stress Control: When evaluating your stress, do you need a more effective outlet for better stress control? Do you want to learn to journal, meditate or to do yoga instead of eating or doing another destructive self-soothing behavior when you're stressed? Do you want to become very familiar with the signs and signals that let you know that your body is under stress to prevent the wear and tear stress can cause?

Emotional Health/Mindset: As far as your emotions, do you want to become more optimistic, positive, change your perspective, become less serious and have more fun?

Relationships: As far as your relationships, do you need to reset boundaries, would you like to have a closer connection with your partner or do you want to have stronger, more fulfilling and rewarding friendships?

Business/Finances: As far as business and finances go, did you reach your business goals for the year? Are you satisfied with how much money you earned, do you need to make changes within your business, with your team, with your marketing, your services, products or your strategy?

Personal/Spiritual Development: When you look at your personal and spiritual development, are you ready to commit to a daily habit such as reading something inspirational, leaning a new skill, starting your day with gratitude or meditation?

Once you come up with all those answers, be as specific as you can so that what you want becomes clear and it feels real down to the very last detail. The more clearly you can determine what you want, the more effectively you can create a plan to get there!

3. This next step is crucial but often overlooked. You want to consider every obstacle you may encounter. While money and time may be some obstacles you discover as you consider each area you want to improve upon, delve a little bit deeper and you may find fear, self-doubt and your current mindset to be the biggest obstacles of all!

4. Once all obstacles are considered, come up with a strategy to overcome every one of them. We often don't think of what may derail us or what may sabotage us. That's why when we're faced with those obstacles for the first time we tend to fall off track. With planning, we can fall of track with a strategy to get back on.

5. After you've discovered what it is that you want, it's helpful to set small, manageable goals based on what you want to achieve and the strategies you just created to get there. The reason why you break it down into small, manageable goals is to prevent overwhelm and encourage success. When you set a goal and you reach it, it builds your confidence and motivates you to continue. That's not to say the goals should be small...make them huge! Just break them down so you can feel a sense of accomplishment along the way.

6. Lastly, how will you measure and track your progress? How will you reward yourself? Will you monitor your progress and reward yourself daily or weekly? Will you reward yourself when you reach a specific goal or when you handled something in a way that made you proud? What's important is that you determine, set up and implement a tracking and reward system for many reasons. Besides keeping us motivated to continue, monitoring our progress and rewarding our efforts validates our progress and enables us to see what's working. It gives us a chance to "course correct" and helps us stay motivated, focused and on track.

How will your year turn out? While many things are out of our control, our thoughts, behaviors and actions are thing we have complete control over. Destructive behaviors can lead us to continue down a path that doesn't work for us while taking the steps towards creating new, positive behaviors brings us closer to becoming the person that's been patiently waiting to be unleashed. As always, the choice is ours. Wishing you a great start to your best year yet!

As hard as it is to believe, there are some people who still haven't gotten the memo. They don't know that they have to strip and de-shoe. They don't speak the language of 3-1-1. Since it's the holidays, more and more of them are flying. And it seems like they're all in the security line ahead of me.

I'm not that special. I don't even need to be that special. I just need to be regular. And get to my gate at O'Hare International Airport in less than an hour. It isn't such a big request. If the rookies--those people who actually listen when they're told to get to the airport at least two hours before a flight--had their own line they could take as long as they need, go through the scanner as many times as it takes to get it right and still make it to their gate on time.

Now that would be a present that keeps on giving to the rest of us.