Travel is good for us because it transforms us fundamentally. By taking a desperately needed break from the daily grind, unplugging from the pushes and pulls of technology, and immersing yourself in new places and activities, you’ll have an easier time releasing your unwanted habits. Additionally, it’s empowering when you surround yourself with those who don’t know your life story. It serves to reinforce the willingness to broaden those horizons, to get yourself unstuck, and to begin to move in directions that might be new and exciting.
There are quite a few more reasons for traveling. Here’s a quick look at a few.
It Can be Good for Your Health
When you’re traveling you have the chance to skip the alarm clock and catch up on your much-needed sleep. Additionally, the quality of your sleep is better. Vacations that are active, such as hiking or golf trips, can help overcome the stress of your job. Getting a bit of sun during the colder months, like in Mexico, can help to fight against Seasonal Affective Disorder if you happen to live in climes that are deprived of the sun in those months. After hiking Machu Pichu or cruising the Caribbean, you’ll likely return home feeling more refreshed and able to tackle whatever might come your way.
Another health-related reason to travel may be to get treatment for an illness or condition. In some cases, seeing a specialist in another city is a necessary step. If the treatment is for a drug or alcohol addiction, a change of scenery is not just an aesthetic consideration. By leaving your comfortable neighborhood where all your friends are, the ones supporting your habit, you remove one stumbling block to your recovery. If you find yourself in need of help with an addiction, contact one of the drug treatment programs in Cincinnati or Tampa for example. Pick somewhere that offers you the best chance of getting and staying clean.
It Creates Jobs
Many jobs worldwide are supported by the travel industry. Think about it, those comfortable outfits you need for your vacation were created by someone who might not even be in the same country you’re in. The servers at the restaurants you’ll dine at on your trip are paid by your travel dollars (or pesos). All those people who work on cruise ships wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for people like you who crave the open water. So just remember when you’re laying on a sunny beach in Destin that you’re helping to support jobs there.
It Can Bridge Cultures
Travel can open your eyes to any new culture you might visit and assist you when it comes to gaining a better understanding of the world. It fosters things like empathy and tolerance. Additionally, it assists those in other countries when it comes to gaining an understanding of where you’re from. Remember that when you’re in another country, you’re an ambassador for your own, so go out of your way to be nice to people. Be polite to shopkeepers, tip your chambermaid, and be patient with the servers at the places where you’ll dine.
Don’t forget the fun! Travel can bring a bit of joy into an otherwise dull life while you also have the opportunity to reconnect with your family. Think about it. Aren’t at least a few of your best memories things like building sand castles on a beach somewhere with your kids, or maybe even exploring a brand-new city hand in hand with your significant other? That happiness is a contagious thing too.