In a recent survey, 85% of Australians over 18 years old, said they had been on holidays in the last 5 years.
Travelling is part of our culture, but what is it that drives us to travel?
I think travelling has two benefits for us.
Benefit 1: It gives us a short term break from our daily lives. We spend most of our days running from one thing to the other.
We somehow fit work, kids, meals, exercise and more into a single day. Travel forces us to break out of our routines and slow down.
Benefit 2: It facilitates introspection. Getting out of our comfort zone has amazing benefits for the human mind. It allows us to reflect on our own lives, the things we are grateful for – but also the things we need to change.
I think the reason this happens when we travel is because we are forced to be present in what we are doing. There is no autopilot when there’s no routine.
We are more in touch with ourselves and able to see our daily habits and our relationships from a more objective point of view.
Travel is good for our mental health and often for how physical health as well (most of us spend all day walking when travelling!)
When we don’t understand the culture and can’t speak the language. When we don’t know what today will bring… that’s when we live more in the moment.
It helps to remind us what is important and thus we go home feeling refreshed, renewed and ready to get back into the swing of things.
I’ve spent many years travelling to all corners of the globe and in that time I’ve come up with 3 rules for travel (that are also for life):
Rule 1: Let go of unnecessary baggage.
In travel, as in life, we tend to carry around things that we just don’t need. Things that weigh us down and make us less able to run for a bus or fully enjoy where we are.
Consider travelling light. Leave the massive suitcase at home and fit everything you need into a small roller or backpack. You might need to do laundry more often, but you’ll be much more agile and able to move from one place to the next.
As an added bonus you won’t need to wait for checked-in luggage!
Rule 2: Prioritise feeling grounded.
When I’m feeling a bit out of sorts I like to do Wim Hof breathing exercises. It takes all of 3 minutes but always helps me to feel more grounded and relaxed.
When travelling, jet lag can often make us feel tired and disorientated and it can take a few days for our circadian rhythm to catch up.
Minimise jet lag by hydrating properly, eating minimally on the plane and don’t let yourself go to sleep until its night time wherever you are.
Rule 3: Only take what you need
More isn’t always better. Too much food, exercise, sleep, etc can all be bad for us.
Travelling is the same. You don’t need a ton of jumpers, 4 pairs of shoes and 3 hats. One of each is properly enough.
Opt for mini bottles of your favourite super foods to reduce the space they consume.
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.