Nina Karnikowski is a writer interested in regenerative travel, ecological thinking, and the ties between our inner and outer worlds. The author of The Mindful Traveller, Go Lightly, Make a Living Living and The Writer Within, she contributes to The Sydney Morning Herald’s Traveller, The Australian Financial Review’s Life & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller, TIME and more. She also mentors writers, and leads workshops and retreats.
RECENT Work
Books
A memoir and manifesto about the ethics of modern travel. Nina Karnikowski takes an expedition to the very essence of travel, reflecting on the profound and transformative experiences to be had heading into the wild or just staying put, and demonstrating how to travel in a way that is as nourishing for the places we visit as they are for us.
Want to feel connected, inspired, calm or creative? Pick a card from ten categories and follow the journaling exercise to evoke that feeling. We have 70,000 thoughts each day: The Writer Within will help you slow down and sort through them, making for clearer, calmer, lighter days ahead. Not just for writers, but for anyone wanting to connect more deeply to themselves and the world.
Structured around hundreds of green travel tools – from avoiding single-use plastic to giving back to communities, from embracing slow travel to protecting wildlife – and including low-impact adventures and interviews with the world’s leading eco-adventurers, Go Lightly is full of ideas for how to say yes to travel that conserves, educates and inspires more than it destroys.
Make a Living Living is for anyone wishing to build a successful career doing what they love, outside the 9 to 5. It profiles 26 creatives from around the world - from a potter living in the Australian bush, to a tiny home builder in Japan, to a knitter in New Zealand - who share how they built their extraordinary lives. A series of interactive exercises help you live a life less ordinary, too.
MENTORING
Having written professionally for 17 years, published four books, taught hundreds of students and redirected her career to make a difference, Nina has the tools and resources to support writers and creatives craving a more intentional, purpose-led life and career.
She offers online mentoring sessions that can include working on writing projects, creating a book proposal, brainstorming and tools for more values-driven career development and more.
Nina also runs workshops and annual retreats in the Himalayas, offering tools and inspiration to spark creativity and connection. Information and bookings below.
“I’ve now joined Nina on two retreats in Nepal, and both have been genuinely life-changing. There’s a rare sense of ease on her retreats. No pressure, no competitiveness, just thoughtful people connecting deeply with themselves, each other and the place around them. I truly cannot recommend them highly enough.” - Jo, Melbourne
“Go Lightly is both a balm and a wake-up call for the modern traveller. Nina’s thoughtful facilitation creates space to slow down, reflect and reconnect with what matters. I left feeling re-inspired - not just about travel, but about life itself.” - Esther, Singapore
“I signed up for Nina’s retreat during a major transition in my life, hoping for space to rest, reflect and reset. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made. The Happy House was deeply restorative, andI returned home with more clarity, confidence and optimism. I loved it so much I came back again the following year.” - Sally, New York
PRESS
On the release of The Mindful Traveller, Nina is interviewed by Australian Traveller and Escape.
If you love travelling the world, why not take care of the world? A discussion with ABC Radio about regenerative travel.
Who magazine and the Australian Financial Review’s Life & Leisure section review The Mindful Traveller.
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