Travel is not just pleasurable, it’s inspiring, rewarding and can change the way we think.
There’s a famous saying: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” This is a great way to sum up why it’s so important for us to see the world. Travel is not just pleasurable, it’s inspiring, rewarding and can change the way we think.
Here are 7 ways that travel can overhaul your life…
1. Building strong relationships. Whether you travel alone and meet new people along the way, or go with a partner or close friend, your trip will be a shared experience that you will never forget. Those funny, exciting or even scary moments will be things you think and talk about decades later.
2. Giving you a sense of perspective. People that have done a lot of travelling often seem calmer about life’s stresses. Travel gives you a sense of how small you are in the world, and how insignificant many of our problems really are. Research suggests that travel – especially a gap year – improves your mental health.
3. Expand your taste in food. OK, we can sample everything from sushi to mezze, tapas to tacos in restaurants at home, but there’s nothing like an authentic eating experience to give your life new texture. Whether it’s street food in Thailand or barbecued lobster in the Caribbean, travel makes you much more open to trying – and loving – new things.
4. Influence your personal style. How many times have you admired someone’s jewellery or an item of clothing to be told that they ‘picked it up in Vietnam’. Visiting new countries will open you up to completely different style ideas, fabrics and clothing – and on coming home you can wear things that will always remind you of your travels.
5. Making you appreciate what you have. Travel, particularly in poorer countries, can make you miss and value your life. There are many things we take for granted that are inaccessible to others in the world. From little things like sleeping in your own bed, to the simplicity of how we get water, food and money, travel can really open your eyes.
6. Making memories. There’s a growing trend for people to spend money on experiences, rather than things. In your older life, you won’t look back fondly on a 65-inch smart TV in the same way as a week on an African safari or the time you went Greek island hopping.
7. Styling your home. You can instantly sense whether someone has travelled on visiting their home. Exploring different countries shapes your taste and broadens your style. After a few great travel experiences, you’ll find yourself complementing your cloakroom suite with Moroccan tiling or complementing your bedding with Indian fabrics and cushions.
There’s no doubt that travelling benefits us in many more than seven ways… so get that next trip planned today.
