Everyone wants to travel and escape their daily life. An everyday routine can be tedious and challenging to work with, and travelling provides an opportunity to enjoy your own time. But for some people, travelling isn’t just a matter of vacation. It can also be a form of self-care. Here are a few reasons.
It’s an Effective Stress Reliever
Nothing can beat the feeling of entering your private room in a hostel in a faraway place, away from your work, friends, everyone. You have a good bed, a nice view, and a moment all to yourself. It’s an opportunity to focus on what you like, especially if you’re indulging in your own interests.
This is especially effective if you’re travelling alone. But travelling with a loved one who you can trust is also a good option if you’re not comfortable with that. Consider asking your partner for that once-in-a-lifetime visit to Tokyo if you’re interested in Japanese culture or go to Hawaii to surf on those fantastic waves.
What’s important is that you enjoy yourself. Travelling is a stress reliever, after all, a way for you to immerse yourself in what makes you happy and momentarily forget your worries.
It’s a Time for Self Reflection
Besides being a way to have fun, travelling can be a great opportunity to reflect. It forces you out of the destructive loop you might be living in, making you take a great step (which in itself is an exercise in mental fortitude) and trusting yourself again.
The self-reflection isn’t just limited to the act of travelling; it encompasses many of its aspects. From preparing your items to looking for the eBay place to go to, to arranging your flight or travel plans, travelling can be a meditative process that empowers you. You’re able to move away from what stresses you and see it from a clearer perspective.
It’s not about “running away” from your problem. Instead, travelling helps you accomplish something and feel empowered (the preparatory aspect). It also allows you to think things through with a clearer mind.
Experience New Sights
A new stimulus isn’t always a good stimulus. But in the case of travelling, the new sights, experiences, and people you meet will all contribute to your improvement as a person. Travelling can be convenient, but even when it’s not, there are still learning experiences to be had.
By being out of your comfort zone, you’ll learn to adjust and roll with the flow. You’ll understand that you can approach a similar problem in various ways. Take cuisine, for example. Different countries often have various ways to cook the same food. Partaking in culture and routine outside of yours opens your eyes to new sights and experiences, giving you a better perspective on life in general.
Allow Yourself to Be Taken Care Of
If you want to have a vacation in a resort, that’s perfectly fine as well. Your travelling experience doesn’t have to be filled with “life lessons.” An uneventful yet relaxing week in a mountainside cabin might be what you need, and perhaps, that is what you need. It’s a moment where you’re not the one pressured to perform and do better.
Self-care largely involves admitting what you can and cannot do, learning to accept help from others, which is that opportunity. Travelling to a resort, hotel, or any vacation spot with luxurious amenities isn’t just luxury. For others, it’s their much-needed escape from the pressures of life. So don’t feel guilty about it and let people take care of you instead.
Self-care Travel Pointers
Bring the equipment you need. Don’t ruin your vacation by forgetting something necessary. Remember that a part of the travelling routine is to get everything in order, including all the required equipment and gear, of course, paperwork and travel documents included.
Don’t forget to tell people you are travelling. While vanishing into a tropical country and reappearing a week later might sound romantic, don’t do it. There’s a large risk involved, and telling your friends and family of your plans will ensure you have a backup should you need one.
Take your favourite hobby with you if possible. When deciding on your self-care travel destination, always go with what you like. Let yourself indulge in a hobby of yours. Go to a comic convention, visit a farm, or go to a country you appreciate.
Be mindful. Of course, travelling inevitably has risks. Take this moment to practice mindfulness. Have fun on your vacation, but don’t forget to be mindful. Respect the location you’re visiting, be wary of suspicious activities, and tell yourself not to think of work.
Travelling has various benefits you can take advantage of. One of them is focusing on your self-care, which is an integral part of your wellness.
