Changing Course Gracefully: A Travel Journal is a guided travel companion built around the PARQS Method, a five-part framework that helps travelers cultivate presence, curiosity, and self-trust. The book blends personal stories, reflective prompts, and practical tools. It moves from pre-travel preparation into deeper guidance for handling overwhelm, emotional waves, cultural differences, and everyday stress. The author uses her own memories from Cambodia, India, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand, and many other places to show how simple check-ins, grounding exercises, and honest self-talk can turn travel challenges into moments of clarity and calm. The journal prompts at the end encourage readers to apply the PARQS Method both on the road and at home.

I felt pulled into the author’s warm and steady voice. She writes in a way that feels friendly and grounded. The personal stories hit me the hardest. When she describes standing in a chaotic street in Siem Reap or crying alone in her hotel room in Varanasi, I felt that wobble in my chest, the kind you get when someone says something you’ve felt but never named. The honesty gave the book weight, and the small tools sprinkled throughout kept it from drifting into the abstract. I liked how she showed the PARQS Method in motion instead of just explaining it. It made the ideas feel practical, not preachy.

I also appreciated how gentle the writing is. The author never tries to impress or overwhelm. She steps carefully through each idea and lets the reader set the pace. Sometimes I caught myself nodding along because the language is simple and relatable. Some sections wrapped up neatly, and I found myself wanting the messier edges to be explored a little further. Still, the tone felt sincere, and I liked that she didn’t pretend travel is always magical. Her mix of humor, vulnerability, and practical advice made the book feel like a soft place to land.

This book feels like a gentle companion for anyone who wants to travel with more intention, or even just live with more intention. I’d recommend it to new travelers who feel anxious, solo travelers who want emotional support, and seasoned travelers who enjoy reflecting on the inner journey as much as the outer one. It’s also a great fit for people who like journaling and want prompts that feel personal instead of generic. If you’re looking for a travel guide that focuses less on where to go and more on how to be while you’re going, this book is a lovely choice.