Traveling.

What does it mean?

Why do people travel?

Do you travel more often?

What is the importance of traveling?

Why is travel so important?

If you have all these questions in your mind, then keep reading by the end of the article you’ll get your answers.

You must have traveled in your life for many various reasons. What was the experience like? Recall it now. How do you feel?

On your behalf, let me tell you. You must be having some positive sensations in your body or must be feeling content or a sense of fulfilment. Why is it happening so? Have you given a thought about it?

Why should you travel?

To answer it, I would like to quote here Jonah Lehrer, author of the book ‘Imagine’– “We travel because we need to because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same, but something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything.”

Traveling and sports are considered the ultimate teacher in our life. Travel teaches us a lot about life.

• It expands our brains by rewiring them.
• You experience Serendipity and synchronicity.
• It boosts our creativity.
• You become more spontaneous.
• It makes us more tolerant.
• You get to know yourself, your likes, dislikes.
• It strengthens our relationship.
• You become more adaptable to circumstances.
• You get memories for a lifetime.
• It makes us learn to manage order to the chaos.
• You become resourceful. You learn how to cope with the obstacles. 

And the list continues…….

If still, you’re not convinced, here are

Some notable researches about the benefits of travel:-

• Wisconsin medical society after doing a health study on rural women, concludes: women who take vacations frequently are less likely to become tense, depressed, or tired and are more satisfied with their marriage.
• Adam D. Galinsky, a professor at Columbia business Adam school extensively studied the relation between creativity and international travel says: foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility( the key component of creativity)and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate form.
• Short term vacation improves stress level and well being has positive effects on recovery, strain, and perceived stress.

When should you travel?

Although, We don’t need any reasons to travel. In my opinion, you should travel every 2-3 months. Just go to a new place where you’ve never been, every 2-3 months.

I am giving you some reason to travel.

Whenever you feel stuck in your life, just escape.  As they say, “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

When you’re going through a major transition in life like you just had a breakup, you got carrier setbacks, you’re recovering from any health issues, you lost somebody closed one and whatnot.

I would say just leave all behind and go out. Just go on the road. “Road has the answers to everything and we’re never short of questions.“

 “TRAVEL FAR ENOUGH, YOU MEET YOURSELF”

David Mitchell

Where to travel?

Anywhere in the world!

“All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.”

How should you travel?

After reading the above paragraph, you must be thinking of all those possible reasons why you can’t travel. Trust me, it’s all excuses. You are not your priority. You are taking yourself for granted. Your life exists because you are alive.

Some obvious excuses for many are: I don’t have time and, I don’t have money. I have so many responsibilities to take care of. I’m short of time and whatnot.

Here’s a secret, my friend Tomorrow you’re gonna die. Anyway, who the hell you’re working for, and why? You think the Lamborghini will extend your life span by three years.

You don’t need to figure it all out. Just take action. Action over perfection. Take the first step and, the second step will take care of itself.

“TRAVEL IS NEVER A MATTER OF MONEY BUT OF COURAGE”

Paulo Coelho

Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. It need not be in style. If you can’t buy a plane ticket, buy a train ticket, can’t buy a bus ticket, ride your bike, don’t have a bike, ride your bicycle, don’t have a bicycle, hitchhike.

I mean to say, push your comfort zone. In the end, we all know that’s where growth happens. “Travel far enough, and you meet yourself,”  and for that, you need to take that leap of faith.

CAUTION: Each travel won’t give you a pleasant experience. Some will break you, and some will make you. Don’t expect beforehand anything, and you won’t be disappointed. Be open to the experiences. Each experience will teach you different lessons. Different is just different; it’s not good or bad.

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you, it should change you. It leaves a mark on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.

Anthony Bourdain

✔️ Also Read: 10 ways to be a sustainable traveler

How are you doing it wrong?

Nowadays, people are traveling in the wrong way. Don’t you travel either for the sake of it or Instagram pictures? We have stopped letting ourselves to indulge in it.

Traveling makes us innovative only when we adopt their culture, involve in their customs.  As  Galinsky says: It’s not just about being abroad. The key, critical process is multicultural engagement, immersion, and adaptation.

Somehow traveling has become very, very mechanical. Technology is to blame for that. What we do is we make lists, itinerary, and do things strictly according to that. We are just happy ticking off our lists.

I feel except no. of days and destination. You don’t need to figure it out. Let the adventure of traveling unfolds on its own. Set free yourself, submit yourself to that place, people, culture. Allow yourself to get lost.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

We shouldn’t keep our heads buried in the map and to-do lists. Plan but plan essentials like your medications.

We are virtually connected very well and, now we need to connect physically as well.

Now go on that trip, you’ve been planning about for a decade. Meet the new yourself.

Closing Thoughts

I want you to travel. At least once in 3 months. Travel the world. Explore what the planet Earth has to offer. Only one Life. Live it to the fullest.

Would like to end it with the most cliché travel quote ☺:

TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU WILL BE MORE DISAPPOINTED BY THE THINGS YOU DIDN’T DO THAN BY THE ONES YOU DID DO”

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE ROAD SOMETIME SOON!

Happy Traveling!