Traveling
Traveling is more than just visiting places and taking pictures, it brings out new ideas and perspectives and is a true investment in yourself
- Travel opens your eyes
- Travel helps you learn new languages
There’s something satisfying about being able to throw around a few words of Greek, knowing how to say thanks in Thai, pulling out that long dormant Spanish to book a room in Santiago, or simply hearing a language you didn’t know existed just a few weeks before.
3.Traveling gives you perspective
Meeting people from other cultures will teach you that the way you’ve been looking at the world isn’t the way everybody else does. In fact, your point-of-view might have some major blind spots. Seeing the world for yourself will improve your vision and your grip on reality.
4. You grow and become a better you
I left this reason on purpose for the end as it is the deepest of them all, and describes a change that unfolds over time spent traveling to more and more places. The more you see and experience, the more you realize how big the world is and how much it has to offer, you start to focus on what matters and stop being disappointed by little failures here and there. You begin to look on the bright side of things and cease taking yourself and life too seriously. This is probably the best thing traveling and living abroad has done for me.
All these being said, I will end my top seven reasons to travel with a quote I came across some time ago, which in the meantime has become rather clichéd but that doesn’t make me find it less inspirational and beautiful than I did when I first learned it: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page”. It’s possible that I will never finish this huge book, but that doesn’t stop me being curious to discover as much as possible of its plot.
5.You are more likely to do things you wouldn’t normally do at home
Extreme sports, jumping off a rock into the sea, climbing up a high mountain? Yes, please. Everything that seems too scary, difficult or against some prejudices at home turns into a possibility to take into consideration when traveling abroad. You just let yourself go with the flow and don’t overthink all the possible drawbacks. At the end of the day you check an amazing experience off your bucket list and feel more alive than ever.
6.You learn without even trying.
Have you noticed how hard it is to memorize some dry facts from a book about a certain place/museum/famous building, and how easy it is for the same facts to get stuck to your memory when you learn them on the spot? It is easier to learn when you can make connections to your own experience and that is what traveling does.
7.Travel is education
Seeing the world provides an education that’s absolutely impossible get in school. Travel teaches you economy, politics, history, geography, and sociology in an intense, hands-on way no class will. Fortunately, the school of travel is always taking applications, no entrance exam required.
8.Relaxing and rejuvenating
Maybe you’re not looking to escape your problems. But everyone can benefit from a break from our usual diets of all work and no play. You may not realize how much you need to disconnect from the ever-present pressure of being available by phone, email or social media. A restful vacation is just what you need to renew yourself. In this year’s Virtuoso Luxe Report, 44 percent of respondents named this as a reason why people love to travel.
A relaxing natural setting and good weather are common ingredients for the R&R-focused trip. But everyone’s idea of the perfect rejuvenating vacation is different. One person might want to trek through a rainforest. Another may want to lie poolside at a Mexican resort. Yet another might opt for a wellness retreat in the mountains.
What should you do when you’re there? Nothing, really. Relax and be present in the moment. Let sensations like the lapping water and the warmth of the sun, along with the sound of waves, recharge your batteries. Live day to day: focus on where you want to go sightseeing (if you decide to leave the beach), what activities you want to pursue (if any), what you’re going to eat, what souvenirs you want to buy. Travel helps your mind and body reboot in a way you can’t achieve at home. In fact, 86 percent of people believe it improves their mood and outlook on life.
9.Celebrating
There’s always a happy reason to take a trip. It could be a landmark birthday or anniversary. A graduation. A wedding – or pre-wedding festivities. Even a babymoon before a little one arrives. A special occasion is made even more special by celebrating away from the hectic pace of life at home. It’s also a good way to gather family and friends from distant corners to mark the milestone. Celebration vacations provide a lasting benefit as well: shared memories for a lifetime.
10.You learn to live in the present
The word ‘busyness’ has become a buzzword these days and a mantra for the way we live our lives.
With overpacked schedules and a never-ending to-do list, we become so addicted to ‘what’s next’ that we forget to live in the present.
11.Eat local delicacies
Food has the ability to satisfy your taste buds but also provides an insight into the culture of the place. When I was in Spain, I enjoyed paella.
12.Helps you stay healthy
In addition to the excitement and adventure that travel brings, another reason why traveling is important is its ability to lower stress levels while improving your physical and mental health.
13.You appreciate your home
They say that home is where the heart is but this might not be the case if you never actually leave home. What makes your house a home is that you have somewhere to go after your time on the road.
A few final words about travel
There are a number of reasons why traveling is important. While it gives you the opportunity to unwind and see the sights, traveling also lets you immerse yourself in the local culture and learn more about the world than you could from any book.
Having the ability to use the information around you to break barriers and common misconceptions is a powerful thing.
Media and books can give you all the information you need about a place but visiting a destination and speaking with the locals is the most effective way to learn and comprehend societal issues.
Traveling gives you the ability to form decisions and opinions based on your views and is a true investment in yourself.
We hope this article on the reasons why traveling is important will inspire you to visit your bucket-list destination this year!