Get up & Go: Why You Should Travel Today
Why do we feel the need to parachute ourselves out of our humble safety nets and into the forefront of uncharted territory? What is it about a foreign landscape that evokes that robust rush of exhilaration within? Like a drug, travel can leave you on a high. And when you finally get off of Cloud Nine, you are left craving more…
There’s a plethora of possibilities and reasons why we set foot out the door in the first place. They vary vastly and often come down to projecting our views, ideas, beliefs, and opinions.
So which one of the following reasons rings a bell for you?
Challenging Yourself
We all bask in the commodities of our mundane routines. That morning coffee, your favourite recipe, and that Netflix series you’ve rewatched at least fourteen times…
As comforting as our daily routines can be, more often than not, we find ourselves, in some way or another, stuck in a rut.
It’s those moments when you’re slaving away at work, twiddling that blue pen between your index fingers, when you find yourself thinking, hot dammit, I need some action. Not that type of action between the bedsheets; no, I mean the real action. That type of adventure that leaves you feeling all sweaty and excited. Like a chubby child who’s been let out early for lunchtime. Snacks!!
Travel is one of the best fields to fulfil those desires for a dose of something different. And it opens up the ultimate opportunity to test yourself and push your limits.
You’re exposed to different sights, smells, cultures, people, and experiences when you're abroad. Whether navigating the dodgy bus timetable in Malta or ordering a round of tapas in Spanish in Barcelona, a specific sense of pride comes along with ticking this off your list.
That feeling of accomplishment brings sheer joy and motivation to kick your next set of challenges straight in the balls. ¡Directo! You become aware of just how capable you truly are of achieving things. You are really put to the test when it comes down to learning, comprehending, conversing, negotiating, and actually taking action.
Getting Educated
Learning is one of the most significant factors when it comes down to travelling. Many of you will probably read this thinking, ew, learning.
The word alone can spark up long-lost memories of your ninth-grade science class or that one teacher you were prepared to physically terminate… But despite the education system numbing down our views on learning, travel does a great job of reversing that perception.
Leaving a new destination with unexpected experiences, skills, and knowledge is a major driving factor for some globetrotters. And the best part?
Learning while travelling contrasts dramatically with the textbook knowledge you received in your high school classes.
Depending on the location and what type of travelling you’ll be doing, you can discover a slice of how others around the world live. It’s kind of like a crash course… but for real life.
The beautiful reality is that every inch of our world is truly different and intricately detailed in those distinctions.
Each destination offers something unique to teach its visitors no matter where they travel. When you’re abroad, there’s an abundance of opportunities to learn. Communicating with others overseas is just one way of learning. Executing simple tasks, like buying train tickets, buying food, or even checking into your hostel, will help you put it into practice. It can be nerve-wracking, but there is joy to be found in throwing a few smooth, not-so-smooth words around Spanish. With more time comes more confidence!
Side note: Google Translate is not always accurate…
It doesn’t just have to be just learning a language, there’s a country’s cuisine, culture, traditions, customs, sports, and arts, and on top of all that, there’s a deeper, underlying appreciation for spirituality, faith, and even your connection with yourself. Whatever your specific goal may be, there’s no doubt you’ll leave with a hell of a lot more than just that. Travel shows us there’s much more to learning in real life than just copying from a textbook.
And your travels will also teach you something about the education you received. After experiencing countless cultures clash firsthand, you learn that the information you were inundated with growing up was carefully filtered to give you a particular idea about a specific place or group of people. Everything in your home country, whether from the TV, internet, magazine or even the education you received in high school, is predetermined for you by someone else. Your travels teach you that it’s not ok to generalise entire groups or regions of people. Why? Because we are all unique, and we all have something different to offer the world.
Grabbing Adventure, By The Balls
Meandering foreign territory is always an adventure, and it’s an enlivening one at that. Each destination proffers plenty of experiences, activities, tastes, and textures that are sure to set fire to the soul.
Being abroad calls you to unleash that inner daredevil into doing something you usually wouldn’t do at home.
Whether demolishing a spicy scorpion in Bangkok or swimming with sharks in Cairns, conquering something new and frightening is best done overseas. You return home feeling accomplished with a fair few memories and stories up your sleeve.
Broadening Your Horizons
Another driving factor of travel: it opens your mind to the plethora of possibilities out there.
You see the direct depiction that there’s no one way to live life, and your view of the world won’t be the same as everyone else’s. If you spend your whole life in the same place with all of the same people, you probably feel more inclined to think that your beliefs and values are correct.
Travelling gives you some profound perspective and even insight. You might have to come to terms with the fact that your point of view could have some significant blind spots. Being confronted with these things ultimately helps to improve your outlook on the world we live in. You might even come across fresh ideas you hadn’t thought of before.
Connecting With Yourself
Breaking away from the comfort of your home invites you to look at yourself, your life and the way you’re living it. The extra time and space allow you to let your mind run wild.
You almost always return home with a new perspective on the world, what you want from life and a better understanding of yourself.
Breaking Free
From whatever it is. The loss of a loved one. A tiring, time-consuming job. Travelling ultimately can provide significant relief from the strains and stresses of your daily life.
You can break free from the depths of hell (winter time – am I right?) and fly into a new destination where the weather is pleasant, and the water’s so turquoise you think your eyeballs will explode just from making direct eye contact. Any change in pace is specifically helpful for those workaholics that have trouble stepping away from the demands of their workplace.
That’s why a new destination with many distractions can lead you to return home feeling more connected with yourself and better equipped to confront challenges and find solutions.
Building and Strengthening Relationships
Travel brings people together. Whether it’s a shared experience on a family vacation, a love-infused trip for two, or a wild long weekend away, whatever the hell it looks like for you, it’s an opportunity to connect and strengthen those bonds.
And better yet, it’s also an opportunity to make new friends. Whether it’s travellers you meet along your way or friendly locals who are eager to show you around, talking to new people is always worth it.
Relaxing to the Max
There’s nothing like that refreshing, restful feeling only to be obtained from a trip abroad. One of my best things is basking in doing absolutely nothing. I like to flop around on the beach all day…
I always find nature-immersive experiences perfect to recharge ye ol’ batteries. It’s an excellent chance to slow down, focus on the moment and play it day by day.
Appreciating Your Life Back Home
When you’re slaving away 40-hour work weeks back home, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Unfortunately, we get stuck in the rut of our demanding, mundane routines and seem to forget about what’s really important.
And it’s the little things that are important too. You always return with a fresh sense of gratitude for your hometown. As cliché as it is, there truly is no place like home.
FAQS
Why should we travel?
Travel kicks us out of our comfort zone and throws us into the unknown. As we explore uncharted terrain, we become inspired by new cultures, languages, traditions and ways of living. Life gets put into a unique perspective, and we reframe challenges into opportunities for growth. We create new memories with new friends and form a more open-minded outlook on life.
What are 5 reasons people travel?
People travel to experience many new things, including:
To visit friends or family living abroad
To enjoy better weather or weather-dependent sports like skiing or surfing
To uncover new cultures and traditions
To cultivate a deeper connection with themselves
To push boundaries and challenge cultural norms
What are the 7 benefits of travelling?
To get peace of mind
To spend time with friends in a new destination
To feel more creative
To improve how you communicate
To boost your self-confidence
To make memories somewhere new
To better understand yourself
So, now you know all the benefits of travelling. But that’s just the start. Get out and into the world today!