The idea of travel is never about wanting to leave the place you call home forever. It’s more about being able to temporarily get away from the everyday stressors of your present life. Each day as adults we handle our responsibilities the way we know best. This is for survival. But going on a small or larger getaway is survival as well if you look at it that way.
In life, I heard of many stories of people who worked hard for years. They had a job to take care of themselves and their families. They were nearing retirement without having traveled to any place further than than 100 miles from their home. Then they retire and their health begins to decline. Now traveling to places they dreamed of is very limited or off the table. Unfortunately everyone’s finances are different, but have you ever thought about paying into a vacation fund monthly to include travel as a necessity.
The idea of putting away something as small as $10 every pay period can be a start. Skipping on buying lunch a few times can help with this. Or even holding off on buying those new pair of shoes can help. Create annual goals to visit places away from home. Research the cost as the earlier you plan and save the cheaper most places can be.
So, what are the benefits of going on a getaway…
- Reduces stress: Having a reset away from the day-to-day stressors can help you come back home with a clear mind to better work through them.
- Increases happiness: Even when you are just planning your vacation, your mood automatically changes in anticipation. The excitement the leads up to it as well as the time spent there affects you emotionally.
- Improves general health: When you decrease your stress levels it can improve on the health conditions that can come as a result of this such as heart attacks and strokes.
- Helps you meet new people/see new places: Sometimes being away from the environment that causes your stress can be great. Seeing new areas of your country or the world that’s different is beautiful. Plus you meet new people who have a different spirit from what you’re accustomed to.
To end, it’s never too late to travel. But, think about it, the younger you start the more you make it a part of your routine in improving your mental wellness. Below are some songs to help get you in the ‘get away’ mood.