In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Maria Baltazzi. Happiness explorer and travel designer Maria Baltazzi is an Emmy-winning veteran television producer and wellbeing teacher whose extraordinary life has taken her to every corner of the globe. Her remarkable journey across all seven continents, walking over 8,500 miles for charity, summiting Kilimanjaro twice, and trekking to Everest Base camp in search of her own road to happiness, is a testament to her commitment to making a positive impact. With a Ph.D. in Conscious-Centered Living and an MFA in film, Maria is well-equipped to inspire others to embark on their epic treks toward happiness. Maria also offers script consulting services through Stage 32, the premiere writer’s platform with over a million members and going. You can choose to attend Sojourn Wholebeing classes, experience transformative adventures with Sojourn Explorers, or delve into Maria's insightful award-winning book, "Take A Shot at Happiness: How to Write, Direct & Produce the Life You Want,” which, accompanied by an interactive app, offers practical, creative, and inspiring ways to embrace conscious living. Christine and Maria discuss: · The inspiration for Maria’s book and how it surfaced during her time as a TV producer · The intersection between wellbeing and travel · How we can understand happiness as a state of being and not a destination · How Maria’s book helps readers develop their own relationship with happiness Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Maria Baltazzi. 🌎​​​​​​​​ To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website.  Support the podcast on PayPal. Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes! 🌎​​​​​​​​ Get your copy of Take a Shot at Happiness: How to Write, Direct & Produce the Life You Want.  Visit https://mariabaltazzi.com to learn more about Maria and connect with each of her projects. Book your next solo or small group travel experience with Maria and Sojourn Explorers. 🌎​​​​​​​​ Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here! Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman. Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast. Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Maria Baltazzi (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo. Support the Show.