I’m sure we can all think of some of the great merits of traveling, but I can guarantee you that we are also meeting fundamental needs and benefits that we may not have considered before. Let me explain myself:
Our Ancestors:
For the very first human communities, traveling was part of their daily life. Back then, we were nomads out of need since we hadn’t yet discovered farming and agriculture. Finding food was the main daily concern, so the search for new places with a better climate, fewer threats, and plentiful food sources was essential…
Note #1: Even our ancestors were travelling for a better climate and fresh, healthy foods - Is it any wonder that the Mediterranean countries have a thriving history of tourism…?!
The Doctor’s Prescription:
So, you visited the doctor and he told you that you need to walk for at least half hour a day to, for example, maintain a healthy weight, lose unnecessary body fat, prevent or manage various conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, even cancer, to improve your muscle endurance and your overall health… Yet, there you are, in front of your laptop, or your TV, dealing with some family drama on your phone, or watching just one more episode on Netflix, and suddenly that all important 30 minute walk has to wait for a later that may never come.
Why not introduce yourself to a new way of creating space for the good habits?
Note#2: Travel has been scientifically proven to change your mood and make space for a different mindset - that of The Wanderer.
It is impossible to follow your old daily patterns while abroad, since the new destination has so many fresh and different experiences, and an alternative way of life to offer. Your daily breakfast routine slumped on the sofa might be traded for say, an early morning walk along a beach as the sound of the sea replaces the mindless noise from the TV set.
Did you know, the sounds of the ocean have a measurable effect on mental wellbeing, helping to reduce stress. A 2013 study found that the sound of waves relaxed subjects more than soothing music, with the lowest concentrations of cortisol found in those listening to rippling water. Not convinced yet..?
What to cook today?
An annoying, frustrating, and frankly boring question (in my opinion) that you ask yourself daily.
I don’t know about you, but in my house, we are in constant search for recipes; watching endless video tutorials and flicking through cook books for something nourishing that won’t take hours to prepare. Then it’s off to the super market (AGAIN) to purchase all those things you need to create something nice for the day. If you are not a professional chef, cook, or a cooking lover, then you know the struggle I am talking about.
Well, travelling can help you out…
Note#3: A fancy restaurant, a simple tavern, or even a nice café can offer you plenty of new flavors and mouthwatering options to try.
As you explore food, you’re more likely to find inspiration for adapting, or even re-creating, the same food back home. Hotels around the world have invested billions in order to become culinary destinations, and the competition between them means we, the traveler, get to experience increasingly better quality food on demand.
Hotels offering all-inclusive arrangements were once a little ‘hit and miss’ in the kitchen, but they are becoming an increasingly fantastic option offering a variety of freshly prepared foods, and catering for even the most restricted diets: Spoilt for choice at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with snacks and beverages throughout the day, and all without reaching for your wallet...
YEP, I vote for that!
It's really worth it!
Picture your day: You wake early in the morning, get ready for work, spend hours in the office or at whatever job you have, and then return home only to fall into a frustrated cooking session, heating a ready meal, or ordering takeout. Again.
The moment you step out of your house, you’re into the daily loop, and without great efforts to break patterns and change, you remain in this habitual and mental cycle that is your daily life. Conditioned by your immediate society, your ethics and customs, the people you know, your family, your environment, even the trees that you pass by, your patterns form. Is it always easy to maintain? No, but you do it, because that is who you are, what you do, and that’s the way you’ve built your life. This though should not be used as an reason to stay stuck and not explore something else.
Note#4: Stop the mindless cycle. You are not bound to it and definitely, you are not a tree remaining motionless in it. Imagine stepping away from your daily routines, creating new ones, and evolving your habits and patterns into something which serves you better.
Expanding your horizons through travel can offer you better mental and physical health, improve your communication skills, boost your confidence, create life-long memories, give you real-life education, help you recreate your reality, form new interests, habits, and so much more.
The benefits of travel to your health and wellbeing will always far out-weigh the financial cost.
A week away from daily life, traveling, even has a psychological benefit equal to reading 500 books!
I can do it!
I found myself setting new goals and things I wanted to achieve while conscious of the challenge for this body of mine. I know you’ve been there too, and change is not the easiest thing to do; getting out of rut by adding in simple tasks like making myself leave the house for a coffee, for example. For starters, you usually need someone to go to have a coffee with: Besides the social aspect, sharing the time with someone can create accountability of it actually happening, and the feeling of security by not being alone. If you up the ante and replace that coffee date with miles of foreign travel, you might find initially the nerves kick in and your stress levels climb really high, BUT…
Note#5: It will give you a confidence boost in the long run!
While traveling solo can be extremely challenging (not just the travel itself but even the very thought and planning of it) research has shown that dealing with this type of scenario can dramatically increase your confidence, and your self-reliance, making you a stronger ‘you’ in no time. That is the kind of self-exploration we should all be looking for, to be able to make simple yet significant changes. And, who knows, booking that spot could easily lead you to finally being able to enjoy a cup of coffee out somewhere by yourself.
All in all, travel can be one of our greatest educators. Great for the inquisitive mind, providing movement for the physical body, reducing stress, and one of the nicest and most valuable elements is having experiences to discuss and share with loved ones when you get home.
If you’ve got some space in your calendar, give yourself the gift of travel this year.
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