Travel and Personal Growth: Cheryl Nelson of Prepare with Cher On Why & How Traveling Can Help Us Become Better Human Beings

An interview with Maria Angelova

GRATITUDE. Take a pause and look at your surroundings. Look around in your own community. Look around when you travel. Be thankful for what you have and for what you have the means to do. Not everyone is as fortunate. I am grateful to have a roof over my head, have food to eat and have my health back.

Thankfully, the world is open for travel once again. Traveling can broaden our horizons and make space for people to become more open-minded. How can travel give us the opportunity for personal growth? What are some ways that travel can help us become better human beings? As a part of our series about “How Traveling Can Help Us Become Better Human Beings”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cheryl Nelson.

Cheryl Nelson is an award-winning TV Host, Meteorologist, CBM, and Certified Travel & Preparedness Expert. A spirited entrepreneur with two decades of on-camera experience, Cheryl is the founder of Prepare with Cher, LLC, a boutique media & preparedness consulting agency specializing in travel, natural disaster and home/family preparedness. Cheryl has been featured on Fox News, KTLA-TV and The Weather Channel, and contributes to publications such as HuffPost, Travel + Leisure and Martha Stewart.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

You would never know it today, but when I was a child, I used to run away from the camera! However, that didn’t stop me from being the boss of my little sister. I may have been called “bossy” on occasion, but maybe that just meant that I was a born leader. Ha-ha, I am a Capricorn, so I’ll go with that. We grew up with two loving parents in Connecticut and moved to Richmond, Virginia when I was 9 year old.

What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.

I knew at 9 years old that I wanted to be a broadcast meteorologist. I loved maps and I loved weather. After moving to Virginia, I became infatuated with snow. It didn’t snow nearly as often as it did in Connecticut and I wanted to understand why. After watching the local TV meteorologists’ forecasts, I would make my own forecasts and even tell my friends not to bother doing their homework if I thought the next school day would be a “snow day.” While I had no problem talking about weather to my family and friends, I was that shy little girl who knew that I would have to ‘come out of my shell’ if I wanted to communicate about weather to the public. In my 9th grade French class, we had to make a video in French about a topic of our choice… mine was giving a weather report for snow in French! In college, I participated in several pageants to try to become a more confident speaker. I went on to get my degree in Meteorology with emphasis in Communications from Penn State University. One part of meteorology that I love is that weather is everywhere. The most unique place that my job has taken me was north of the Arctic Circle to Barrow, Alaska!

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?

Hands down, this influential person was my academic advisor at Penn State, Jon Merritt. Without him, I may have given up on my dream of becoming a meteorologist. While I expected to take a lot of classes in math and physics at Penn State, I didn’t expect to take the same amount of math and physics classes as an engineering student. But, Jon saw the passion that I had for weather and he believed in me. While others suggested I have a back-up plan and even choose a different major, Jon gave me the courage to persist! The struggle was real and I had to work harder than I had ever worked in school… but I did it. I got that Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology from Penn State!

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or take away did you learn from that?

In 2009, I was working as a Broadcast Meteorologist at WAVY-TV (NBC) in Norfolk, VA, where we only average about 5 inches of snow per year (however, many years have no measurable snow). I was working the morning shift and the night prior, all the meteorologists in the area were forecasting 5–7 inches of snow. This is a big deal in Norfolk. Schools cancelled classes for the next day, VDOT trucks were out pre-treating the roads, milk and bread were flying off grocery store shelves… you get the picture. When I woke up at 2:30am, I noticed stars in the sky, so it definitely wasn’t snowing yet. As I analyzed current conditions and the weather computer models, I noticed that the air was a lot drier than anticipated, thus I lowered the forecast to 1–3 inches of snow and presented this new information on the morning news. Unfortunately though, the atmosphere never moistened up…in fact, the sun was out that morning! By 9am, it was clear that snow was not going to fall north of the Virginia — North Carolina state line. Viewers were not happy, to put it lightly! The angry phone calls and emails started coming in… “You should give your degree back!” “My dog can forecast better than you!” “You should jump off a bridge!” “You dumb blonde ______!” As you can imagine, I took these comments personally at first and was pretty upset. However, over time I realized that no one is perfect. Meteorology is an inexact science and we, as meteorologists, have to predict the future. No matter what our experience is or how much data we have, not every forecast is going to be right. We live and learn. Like you, we try our best and we are human.

Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?

“How you make others feel about themselves says a lot about you.” Words hurt. The words you communicate to others are more of a reflection of you, than a reflection of them. Speak to others how you would like to be spoken. Although someone may seem happy on the outside, they could be struggling on the inside. (After being verbally accosted for the busted snowstorm, I struggled on the inside for quite some time). Yes, we all get upset or angry from time to time, but try to take a time out to collect your thoughts before speaking. If I’m upset about something now, I pause and think before I speak. The world needs more kindness.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

After covering all types of natural disasters as a Broadcast Meteorologist, I founded Prepare with Cher, LLC in 2019 to help people prepare for whatever life throws their way. I focus on natural disaster, travel and home & family preparedness. I want people to empower themselves to prepare for the next storm, be ready for travel mishaps, and know how to keep their family safe, both at home and on the go. While we can’t plan everything that happens in life, we can do our best to prepare.

OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. In this interview series we’d like to discuss travel and personal growth. Let’s dive deeper into these together. Based on your research or personal experience, why do you think travel can lead to personal growth? Can you share a story?

While my parents certainly did their best to provide for my sister and me when we were growing up, we didn’t have the means to travel abroad. Our big childhood trip was to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL and that was amazing! However, I didn’t know what else the world had to offer — I had no idea what I was missing. While I was a student at Penn State, my first college boyfriend, who came from an affluent family, was well-traveled and cultured. After he and I broke up, one of the things that he said to me was that I “wasn’t worldly enough.” At the time, I was offended and hurt by his words, but now I understand what he meant.

In 2010, I accepted a job at the U.S. Joint Staff as a Media Planner/On-Camera Talent. One of the expectations of this job was to travel globally to military conferences and exercises. I’ll admit that at the time, I was terrified! I had never wanted to travel to a country where the primary language wasn’t English, because I thought I would be lost. Yet, my first international trip assignment was to… Germany. I couldn’t run away. This was part of my job. As a gluten-free vegan, one of my main concerns was not being able to communicate my dietary restrictions to restaurant waitstaff… but I adapted! I translated my dietary restrictions into German and wrote the information on credit-card sized, laminated cards to present to waiters when placing my food orders. To my surprise, all my waiters were accommodating and kind. I was able to eat without worry, I stepped outside my comfort zone and matured in the process, and I officially caught the “travel bug!” Now whenever I encounter people in the U.S. who don’t speak much English, I am much more patient and helpful to them than I would have known how to be in the past. I can put myself in their shoes now — these people are brave, just like I was! Since then, I have traveled to all 50 U.S. states and to over 30 countries.

A recent survey from Psychology Today showed that over 80% of participants found that travel helped them with problem solving or decision making. Why do you think this is true for so many people?

When I travel, I am now prepared for the unexpected. Cancelled flights, lost luggage, wrong directions, etc.! When people travel, we have to adapt to the situation and make a decision on the spot. We can’t pull the bed covers over our heads and hope the problem will go away. We are in the problem and we are forced to find a solution. Many people work best under pressure. As a broadcast meteorologist, I had to do make quick decisions and work under pressure often in severe weather situations. As a traveler, I’ve had to think quick on my feet too. I recall a specific time when I was traveling from Edinburgh, Scotland to Budapest, Hungary. My flight to Amsterdam (layover city) was delayed and I realized that I was going to miss my connecting flight to Budapest as a result. I did a quick online search to see from where flights to Budapest were arriving. I then checked to see what flights were flying into those cities from Edinburgh. I found another itinerary on a different airline with a layover in Frankfurt and presented it to my gate agent. I only had thirty minutes to get to my gate, but she made the change for me, and I made it to Budapest that night!

Do you think travel enhance our mindfulness, optimism, or sense of gratitude? How? Can you please explain with an example or story?

Not everyone is healthy enough to travel. For the first six months of 2022, I didn’t know if I was ever going to be healthy enough to travel again. In January 2022, when I was visiting a friend in California, I became very ill. I tested negative for Covid and the flu. The urgent care doctor thought it might be my gall bladder. A few days later, when I had returned home to Virginia, my husband took me to the emergency room. I had emergency gall bladder removal surgery, but didn’t get better. Days turned into weeks, into months. I was severely ill from Epstein Barr Virus, Sepsis, an abscess and a cascade of complications. Thankfully, a team of incredible medical professionals and blood donors’ blood — in the form of blood transfusions — saved my life!

As I slowly became stronger, in April 2022, I decided to plan an “around the world trip” from my hospital bed. Travel is therapeutic for me. The thoughts of being above the clouds in an airplane again and exploring new places and cultures gave me the will to fight. By the grace of God and prayers from many, I made a full recovery. Our “around the world” trip, planned for later in 2023, will take us from the U.S. across the Pacific Ocean to several Asian countries, across the Indian Ocean to South Africa and then back across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S..

After six months of no travel, of course, I couldn’t wait until then to travel again. Since my recovery, I’ve happy to say that I’ve been on several flights. My first trip was to Boston, MA for the New England Emmy Awards (I was nominated for a TV story I produced and hosted about the impacts of climate change on coastal New England whales). Although I had lost a lot of weight, had three drain bags attached to my body, and was still quite ill-appearing, I was determined to fly to Boston to attend the New England Emmys! As I gazed out the window at 35,000 feet, tears came to my eyes. I was so thankful to be alive and to be able to travel again. Travel feeds my soul and allows me to fulfill that need of exploration that so many of us have. As my wheel chair picked me up at the jet bridge at Boston-Logan International Airport, I looked around at my fellow travelers, some also in their wheel chairs, and smiled. Although we were from different places and had different stories, we all had the will to travel and experience life. This experience has opened my eyes in so many ways. I am thankful for the family and friends in my life, my health and the opportunity to experience the many cultures of our world.

Surely not everyone who travels automatically becomes an exemplar of human decency. What are a few reasons why some people completely miss out on the growth opportunities that travel can offer?

Some people may feel stressed or uncomfortable when they travel because they are outside of their bubble or normal surroundings. Don’t take your stress out on the people around you. Be kind to the airport gate agents. I noticed that if people aren’t relaxed, they can miss out on what’s happening all around them. If people worry about the future, they won’t stop and enjoy what’s happening in the present. Although I am guilty of planning travel itineraries, I have to remind myself to allow some time to wander too. Visit the local farmer’s market and smell the flowers. Have dinner at the mom and pop restaurant. Talk to the locals. Get a sense for their community.

Thank you for that. Now for our main question; What are your “5 Habits You Should Develop In Order Make Travel Into An Opportunity For Personal Growth?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. EMPATHY. We have to remember that even if someone looks OK on the outside doesn’t mean that they are OK on the inside. People have different reasons for traveling… some travel via plane for work, others are going on a vacation or to visit family/friends, but others may be traveling to visit a sick loved one or attend a funeral. When I had to fly to Boston for my beloved Grandmother’s funeral, I probably wasn’t the friendly, outgoing person that I usually am. You never know what kind of battle someone is fighting on the inside, so please be kind and understanding to your fellow travelers. Offer to help them put their bag in the overhead bin. Give them a compliment. Offer to buy them a drink. Let them know that you see them. A smile goes a long way too.
2. PATIENCE. Nothing happens quickly when you’re traveling. If you’re stuck on a highway in traffic, you might feel like you’ll never get to your destination. The airplane boarding process can sometimes seem to take forever. Be patient and even offer to help the elderly person walking slower than you may want to be walking. I learned about true patience when I was recovering from my illness… as I slowly walked up the jet bridge toward my wheel chair in Boston, I knew that I was doing the best I could. Although my mind wanted me to move faster, my body couldn’t keep up. Put yourself in other people’s shoes. If you learn to expect delays when you travel, you won’t be surprised when things don’t move as quickly. Pack a good book or movie, listen to your favorite music, or even strike up a conversation with the person next to you. You’ll get to your destination eventually. Until then, don’t stress about what you cannot change.
3. BE FLEXIBLE. Yes, you probably have an itinerary when you travel. I am a planner and I like to make my schedule in advance. However, as a Meteorologist, I know that sometimes Mother Nature can have other plans. Storms happen. Flights get delayed and cancelled. You may not always get to your destination on time. A couple years ago, I was flying back to Norfolk, VA from Atlanta, as the remnants of a tropical storm were moving up the East Coast. We took off from Atlanta and a little over an hour later started our decent into Norfolk, as planned. After about 30 minutes, I noticed that our flight path had made several circles and had started to fly back south into North Carolina. Just after midnight, the Captain came on the plane’s P/A system and said, “Well folks, unfortunately the wind speed at the surface at Norfolk International Airport has remained above our safe threshold for landing. We are going to have to head back to Atlanta.” Everyone on the plane groaned. Some passengers were angry. While this wasn’t ideal, there was nothing we could do. Once we landed back in Atlanta at close to 2AM, I reached out to my executive producer at a major TV network I was working for and asked if he wanted passenger interviews. He was elated and I turned my night of no sleep into a workday and did some interviews and national live-shots overnight and the following morning once back in Norfolk!
4. BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR. I have phrase books/dictionaries in many languages. Before traveling to countries where English is not the primary language, I try to learn important phrases that will help me better communicate with the locals. Although this involves stepping out of my comfort zone, the effort put in usually does not go unnoticed. You can also write out phrases on note cards or on your phone, or show pictures to help you get your message across too. I’ve also learned that facial expressions and gestures can also help you become a better communicator. Remember that we are all human and just because one may speak a different language doesn’t mean that the person cannot be communicated with.
5. GRATITUDE. Take a pause and look at your surroundings. Look around in your own community. Look around when you travel. Be thankful for what you have and for what you have the means to do. Not everyone is as fortunate. I am grateful to have a roof over my head, have food to eat and have my health back. One of my favorite places to visit are national parks because there is so much peace and natural beauty within them! Be thankful you can breathe in that clean air. Be thankful you can see the scenery around you. Be thankful you can hear the sounds of the birds chirping and the trees blowing in the wind. When you visit different countries, be thankful you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet people from different cultures, see animals of different species and take in breath-taking scenery that you’ve never seen before. When you appreciate what you have, it makes you want to be better for others. Do your part to keep our planet green. Volunteer or donate to help others less fortunate. Let’s all work together to make our world a better place.

From your experience, does travel have a negative impact on personal growth too? Is there a downside to travel?

When people travel often, we can sometimes overlook what is “in our own backyards.” So I try to have a balance between travel exploration and being a member of my local community. Your local community is important and helps shape who you are. Get to know your neighbors. Attend local events. Volunteer with local organizations. Be thankful for what is around you at home too.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

Captain Lee Rosbach from Below Deck. Captain Lee has tremendous tenacity and strength, and he reminds me of myself. He’s traveled the world, experienced many cultures, worked with people of all backgrounds and went through a humbling health experience like I did. He is an inspiration to me in so many ways and it would be an honor to share a private meal with him.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Please visit my website, www.PrepareWithCher.com and follow me on social media at @CherylNelsonTV.

Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success.

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.