This week Esther, of Finding Beauty in the Middle East shared Rebecca Brown’s article on Reasons Why Travel is an Essential form of Self-Care. After reading the post it immediately spoke to me, so I am sharing this blog post with you all.
Self-care is a popular term in today’s culture; however, it’s not always completely clear what it actually is. It generally represents a different thing to different people, but most can agree that it’s something that helps us get rid of stress and nurtures our well-being. Things like fitness, healthy food, meditation, and music are all examples of activities that make both our body and soul feel good, and most of us are eager to embrace their healing power. After all, any activity that ultimately makes our life a little nicer and more enriched is a good thing. And what is one of the most enriching forms of self-care? Travel.
Travelling is one of the best ways to cultivate your spirit and become happier and more confident in your skin, and if you’re not sure why you should indulge your wanderlust, we’re here to show you. To find out how taking a simple vacation can uplift your soul, read on…
It Distances You from Drama
Politics, social media, and general pettiness of humankind are things we have to deal with every day, and it can be easy to lose ourselves in all that drama. But rather than allowing it to fill us with negativity, we can sometimes afford to put some distance and travel away. Once you’re gone, you’ll notice that the constant nagging and tension will slowly dissipate, and problems that looked huge will be quite manageable.
It Can Get You Out of Your Comfort Zone
Depending on where you go, traveling can also give you a challenge and make you grow as a person. For example, a hiking trip such as the Camino de Santiago is both a fitness challenge and a spiritual journey, because it involves long daily treks until you finally reach your destination. However, far from being just a dusty walk across Spain, the whole path is littered with beautiful sights, religious imagery, and friendly pilgrims. Instead of sitting around in front of the TV every day, the Camino challenges you to walk, to make a real effort, and to show yourself what you’re capable of.
Similarly, traveling to places such as the Easter Island in Chile, Choquequirao in Peru, or maybe a lonely island in Seychelles could give you the opportunity to experience something unique, to break out of the mold. Instead of samey beach vacations that you stick to out of habit, go someplace new and do things you’ve never done before.
Travel Empowers You
Travelling, especially if you’re going alone, is an immensely liberating experience. There’s no one to control you or tell you where to go, you don’t have to answer to anyone, and it’s just you and your wits in an exciting new country. Daring to see new places will build up your confidence and make you more capable, and it can also teach you to be more self-sufficient and proactive.
It Makes You More Open-Minded
Seeing different people and different cultures can open our minds and change our perspectives completely. Religious customs, traditions, and history of a new place are not only interesting but eye-opening. It’s good to see how people with backgrounds completely different from yours manage to live their lives and where they find happiness. You will free yourself from prejudice, and what’s more, you’ll also grow intellectually—after all, having the first-hand experience with a country’s culture makes you a lot more knowledgeable.
Self-care and travel go hand in hand, and if you want to improve your mental and physical health you should stop postponing that vacation. Dare to see new places and challenge yourself along the way, and you’ll experience immense joy and personal growth.
Sending much wanderlust vibes! 💋
About the Author – Rebecca Brown
Rebecca is a translator by day and a traveler mostly at night. She is an expert on living with jet lag – and packing in tiny suitcases. You can read more of her exploits at RoughDraft.
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Photo credits: St. Petersburg Mosque, abnb.me, Kelsey Patrick saved to adventure, Finding Beauty in the Middle East
Absolutely agree!!! Love travel 😍