We’ve all had a desktop screensaver of a breathtaking turquoise ocean, or misty mountain range, while nursing a lukewarm coffee at our desks. And there’s a reason why seeing the world sits at the very top of almost every bucket list.
It isn’t just about capturing the most Instagram worthy shots, but the soul-shaking, perspective-shifting magic that only happens when you step out of your postcode and into the unknown…
The Ultimate Mind-Stretch
Living in a routine can be comfortable for many, but it can also feel a bit like being trapped in a bubble. Travel is the needle that pops it! When you’re navigating a bustling night market in Bangkok or trying to figure out a train schedule in rural Italy, your brain goes into overdrive in the best way possible.
Research shows that experiencing new cultures improves our neuroplasticity; by navigating new environments, we’re literally making our brain more flexible and creative. Travel is therefore not just a break from routine, but a mental upgrade.
A Perspective Shift
It’s also far too easy to think our way of doing things is the only way that it can be done, until you see how other people live. In some cultures, grabbing a coffee can make time slow down and become more of a three-hour social event and mindful moment, rather than silently joining a busy queue en route to a meeting.
We realise that while we’re stressed about writing an email on a Monday morning, there is somebody halfway across the world finding pure joy in preparing a harvest or enjoying a simple sunset on a beach. And when we think this way, we realise that the world in fact shrinks and we start to see things differently, as more attainable and easy to access if we wish to.
We’re able to recognise that despite different languages or clothes that we may wear, we all laugh, eat and pretty much love in the same way. And the big problem that we had back at home looks a lot smaller from the top of the Swiss Alps.
Falling In Love With Life
There is a specific kind of electricity that comes with being a miles from home. When we travel, we’re forced to be present. We’re not thinking about putting the bins out or restocking the fridge; we’re smelling the spices in the air, hearing the rhythm of a foreign tongue, and tasting flavours that we can’t even name but vow to replicate in our own kitchen when we return home.
Travel teaches us gratitude. Whilst we may appreciate the familiarity and comforts of being at home, we’re also able to appreciate the sheer scale and beauty of the wider planet, which intrinsically turns someday into now for our goals and dreams.
When we travel, it improves our lives in so many ways. It makes us more humble, kind and a whole lot more interesting as a dinner party guest. So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to book that flight or plan that road trip, then this is it. The world is huge, beautiful and waiting patiently for you to show up. You simply have to take that first step… or flight!
Where is the one place that you’ve always dreamed of going?
