Reasons Why Traveling Is The Best Form of Therapy
Most people may think that travel causes more anxiety than being at home, but for me, that’s not the case. Rather, traveling has become more of an occasional necessity than a luxury. The more I travel, the more I realize how much it can change the perception of a human being into one that’s more understanding, more compassionate, and more open-minded.
When you’re out on the roads, you have no choice but to be present, completely letting go of the past and not worrying about the future.
Whether it’s embarking on a solo trip or heading out for a trek with my partner, or maybe vacationing with friends — here are the reasons why I would always choose to go on new adventures & invest in travel, instead of paying to see a therapist.
Traveling evokes a sense of positiveness in us.
Whenever I feel low or depressed, I mostly pick up my notebook and start writing about the places I want to visit, contemplating about the time when I can make them happen! Trust me, it essentially lifts up my mood. The therapeutic benefit of traveling begins from the time we think of going somewhere & creates a deeper impact during the planning phase. None can deny that the anticipation of a trip evokes positive emotions, as we can vividly visualize our journey, think of the destination we’re gonna travel to, and all those activities we wish to be a part of.
Traveling liberates us from everything and anything that’s holding us back.
Once we embark on a journey, we start believing in the endless possibilities that lie ahead on the roads. You can go anywhere, talk to anyone, eat anything, and do whatever you want while you’re away, exploring the world. Having almost zero responsibilities and being surrounded by everything new makes the sky our only limit. We become carefree and often, experience a new version of ourselves — which, needless to say, is extremely therapeutic.
Traveling teaches us to live in the moment.
It’s truly one of the best lessons that traveling teaches us, making us more aware of where we are. While we’re out there, experiencing all the wonderful things that the world has in store for us, we naturally tend to live in the moment. The fact that we only have a certain time in a particular place suddenly makes us realize that every day — and every moment, counts. Eventually, we start to truly understand the fact that when a moment is gone, it’s never coming back, so we better make use of every single one of them.
Traveling makes us step out of our comfort zone.
In our regular lives, we are often scared to try new things or take ‘out of the box’ decisions, even if we know that they might be good for us. But all those anxieties and uncertainties take a back seat when we are traveling. In fact, our eagerness to explore the world makes it easier to step out of our comfort zone. You truly surprise yourself doing amazing things when you travel — you’ll talk to strangers, you eat an unfamiliar local dish & savor the authentic flavors, and you’ll probably try some adventure sport that scares the hell out of you! The same has happened to me for a zillion times now, and as I look back at them, it feels empowering to have done all of it.
Traveling makes us appreciate the little things.
In our day-to-day life, we tend to take things for granted and often forget to appreciate the little things. We forget how nice it is to wake up and have bed tea, walk into the stocked grocery stores, meet known faces every now & then, and ask for help whenever needed. One of my favorite parts of traveling is discovering all the little things we forget to appreciate on a daily basis. It always makes me grateful for what I have. Whether it’s a cup of gelato from a roadside stall, a fully bloomed rose by the bus stop, or a stranger’s smile in the subway — our journeys help us to learn to see the beauty everywhere we go, in everything & everyone who crosses your path.
Traveling often changes our perspective to look at life, making us happier than ever.
The therapist is supposed to help us change the way we look at life, making us feel at ease and loosening our burden of anxieties. But so does traveling! It makes us aware of the fact that we’re immensely privileged to have the life that we’re living — and there are many people, living in the farthest corners of the Earth, with just the barest necessities. Last year, I went to Kenya for a volunteer trip and worked at a Childcare Center for a couple of weeks. Those little ones embraced me as their own, touched my life most beautifully, and redefined happiness for me.
Traveling makes us more humble & compassionate.
With social media heavily impacting our lives, we often tend to get anxious seeing what’s happening in someone else’s life and feel the need for therapy. Our desire to acquire more & the unquenched thirst for materialism control our emotions when we continue living an urban life. But once we step out to travel, we truly understand how big the world is and how powerful nature is. Traveling teaches us that no matter how smart, rich, or powerful we may think we are, there will always be a power that is much bigger and much greater — controlling the universe. Your journeys will help you to come closer to the bigger truths of life and turn you into a more humble & compassionate person.
In today’s date, when the whole world is chasing something or the other, it has become quite normal to feel anxious at times and experience the fear of losing out. I’m no different when it comes to anxiety attacks — and now, when the coronavirus pandemic has pushed us away, forcing us to stay indoors & maintain social distancing — I realize all the more, how beautiful therapy traveling is.
