25 Reasons Why Travelling is Good for the Soul
A change is as good as a rest, they say - but why not combine the two and take a break somewhere your mind, body and soul can rejuvenate? If you need a little inspiration to pack your bags and leave home, here are 25 to get you going...
- Travel gives you the freedom to really be yourself. Liberated from the pressures of work and society, a holiday can give you the space to re-prioritise your life - and of course, to have a good time.
- You'll meet lots of new people - and perhaps make some good friends.
- Travel can help you realise how lucky you are - to have the money, time and freedom to go almost anywhere you want.
- Travel can help change your perspective on your own life - and the world in general.
- You'll be reminded that life is short and the world is big - and full of opportunities! Staying in one place for too long can have a limiting effect.
- Travel can boost your confidence - you'll realise you can survive in strange and exotic lands, and excel.
- It may teach you to live in the moment. Daily pressures can mean we always focus on the future (or the past), rather than right now!
- Sunshine therapy - the sun tops up your vitamin D levels, your mood and your tan (but don't forget to wear sunscreen!).
- Travel gives you the time to catch up on your favourite authors, or to indulge in pastimes you love - from painting to photography to water-skiing! On the subject of books, best-selling travel writer Paul Theroux recommends “Reading a novel that has no relation to the place you're in,” because a book about your destination can take some of the magic away from your own raw experience. On the other hand, it's your holiday, so read what you want!
- Taking a holiday can make you feel alive, with new adventures, friends and memories around every corner.
- Travel might make you realise that you can accomplish much more than you thought - from climbing a 4000m mountain to doing a 10-day silent mediation.
- You'll see that life takes many forms - and that existence back home is only one of a myriad of ways to enjoy it!
- Travel can help make you a more tolerant, accepting and relaxed person - just ask anyone who's travelled across India by train...
- A holiday can make you realise that life is not meant to be lived through a laptop, tablet or smart-phone.
- Travel can make your problems at home seem much smaller.
- You'll realise how little you need to live: packing a small bag of the essentials will ensure you can move around more spontaneously, without getting your suitcase trapped in revolving doors, or bumping your oversize backpack into people on buses.
- You'll get to try some exotic foods - often for much less than you could back home.
- "A rolling stone gathers no moss" - meaning, at least for a while, your responsibilities will evaporate in the sunshine.
- You'll get into interesting, challenging and thrilling situations that you (probably) never could in your home town...
- You might open up to the strangers you meet - in a way that might not feel possible in the UK.
- You may meet an attractive stranger and fall in love (or lots of attractive strangers).
- You'll be able to fill up your Instagram with amazing photos of the cool places you've been.
- You'll get the chance to write about the people you meet and the things you see. As Paul Theroux says, “Keep a journal”.
- Travel gives you the chance to disconnect from the internet, emails and social media. In terms of a ‘digital detox', a holiday is an ideal time to try one (not least because you might not always have a wi-fi connection).
- If you travel alone, you'll be forced to stand on your own two legs - and realise just how strong and resourceful you are. As Paul Theroux says: “If you really want to find out about a place, you need to be as free as possible to be spontaneous. You also need to be lonely, because loneliness is a great teacher, too. Loneliness in travel directs you and tells you about yourself. You don't become lonely unless you're alone.”