aerial view of waves crashing on the beach

About Us

Hi there! If you want to learn more about why we’re here, what we do, who we are, and how we got here, you came to the right place! Continue reading to learn about Mind Over Matter Travel, who we are, and our role in your future travel plans 😊

What is Mind Over Matter Travel?

At Mind Over Matter Travel, we make adventures possible and purposeful with our travel booking, itinerary planning, and travel coaching services. It is our job to take the guesswork, stress, and hours of research out of your travel experience. As regular travelers, we also offer a more personalized experience by sharing our insight from life on the road! 

Our approach focuses on what we call purposeful travel. What does that mean exactly? It means not just using travel for escapism but seeking meaningful experiences that accomplish a specific goal or lead to the betterment of yourself or others. We help achieve this through unique, cultural, foodie, and bucket list experiences.  

Whether you are looking to book your next trip or for travel tips and inspiration, we are here as a resource through our blog and services!

Why Mind Over Matter Travel?

The phrase “mind over matter” can be interpreted many ways, but is generally used to describe the use of willpower to overcome physical problems. Here at Mind Over Matter Travel, we embody the “mind over matter” mindset by:

  1. Pushing limits and boundaries knowing that you are capable of more than you think
  2. Recognizing the power of the mind and its ability to take you places you never thought possible
  3. Discovering the impact that travel can have on your mind to improve yourself and your lived experiences
  4. Understanding how your mind impacts your travel experience
  5. Choosing the expansion of your mind over materialistic possessions to seek a more fulfilling perspective of the world 

The “mind over matter” mentality is exactly how we approach our life, the way we travel, and the way we help others travel.

Our Story

You may ask how we got to where we are now! We both are from a small farm town in central California and traveled the U.S. a lot growing up. Yet, our love for travel really stemmed from our time studying abroad during university. Spending nine months studying in and backpacking around Europe forever changed our perspective of travel (and our lives). We decided in those months that the conventional life was not for us. Our main focus shifted to finding ways to see and experience other parts of the world. We spent the next three years traveling when we could and saving money to travel even more!

In 2021, we took the leap and transitioned to becoming full-time travelers. We sold our stuff, DIYed a Ford Transit campervan, and traveled across the U.S. for a year, visiting all 50 states and 54/63 national parks. After a year of vanlife, we traded in our van for a backpack to take our adventures abroad. We backpacked the world for three years visiting 50+ countries. Our past travels have shown us that we learn much more about the world and ourselves while on the road.

Our adventures around the world and experience helping others travel led us to become experts in the field of travel. We have also become well-versed in why most people don’t travel. That’s what ultimately led us to our passion of helping people overcome limiting mindsets by showing them that travel is possible. We take it a step further by taking the guesswork out of travel planning to make the experience seamless.

Who is behind Mind Over Matter Travel?

There are two driving forces behind Mind over Matter Travel: Elaina and Zac. Elaina is the writer, and Zac is the photographer. And, of course, we are both the travel experts!

Meet Elaina

Hi, I’m Elaina, the writer and travel planner behind Mind Over Matter Travel! I studied psychology and sociology at UC Santa Barbara and love learning about people and how our minds work. While I had a different career in mind during college, I’ve found what I learned incredibly beneficial throughout life and in our travel business.

Elaina wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants sitting on a rock next to the ocean in the Azores

Here are some fun facts to get to know me:

  1. I’m a Sagittarius and feel that it’s 100% fitting.
  2. I earned my master’s degree in nonprofit management in 2020 and run my family’s foundation.
  3. I used to think I was a dog person, but now we have 2 cats as part of our family, and I spoil them (even though I’m allergic to cats).
  4. I love to play games but can be super competitive. And don’t even get me started with escape rooms… I’m obsessed.
  5. Some of my favorite things to do in my free time include concerts, amusement parks, pickleball, reading, puzzles, and, of course, games.

Meet Zac

I’m Zac, the photographer and travel planner behind Mind Over Matter Travel! I have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, but who cares about that; it’s not like I use it.

Instead here are some actual fun facts to get to know me:

  1. I’m a big nerd who also enjoys the outdoors just as much as I enjoy rolling dice and playing games. 
  2. I’ve always thought about becoming an archaeologist. I love learning about history and culture, but I’d rather travel and learn from people who are alive. 
  3. I love animals. I will absolutely say hello to someone’s dog without interacting with the owner. 
  4. Just like Elaina, I am also super competitive when the mood strikes me.
  5. I prefer to be behind the camera rather than in front of it. You’ll see my photos on this website and our Instagram.
Zac wearing a black shirt sitting in front of rocks and trees

What Next?

If you have read this far, you may be wondering about the next step for your travel adventure. For travel inspiration or destination itineraries/tips, visit our blog. If you already have a trip in mind or want to embark on a bigger, long-term adventure, explore our services.

Either way, thanks for being here, and we hope to be a key part of making your adventures possible and purposeful!