It’s Go Time!

What does wellness mean? How do you get there?

That’s exactly what I’ll be investigating as I travel the American Southwest in search of places and people that embody and embrace this way of living.

Most of us strive to be healthy, and, personally, I’ve always found I’m more productive and centered in all areas of life when I’m active. A morning surf session or run sets me right for the day. In fact, for the past few months I’ve been training for my first ultra marathon — which I ran this Saturday along the Pacific Crest Trail.

But on this journey, I’ll be going beyond exercise and eating right to explore the outer limits of wellness. I’ll be looking at tried-and-true methods developed over centuries in cultures around the globe, to be sure. But I’ll also be exploring trends and techniques that are on the forefront of mind-body balance.

In my days as a Nat Geo Young Explorer, I worked to help keep our river and coastal environments healthy — which is, to me, inextricably connected to our own wellbeing. I like to think of it as a win-win: we take care of the environment and it takes care of us! That’s why I’ll be driving a hybrid (Ford’s new C-MAX) on my Road to Wellness tour. 

Follow along at nationalgeographic.com/curioustraveler, on Twitter @CuriousTraveler, and on Instagram @ShannonSwitzer.