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We live in a busy, fast-paced world.

Everyone has somewhere to go and something to do –where stress is high, demands are great, and patience is slim to none. Disconnecting from the daily chaos is essential to our well-being.

In fact, getting away from our repetitious schedules has physical and psychological health benefits. It helps us unwind, lower stress and view our lives from different angles. This in turn, can: spark motivation to achieve goals, find solutions to life’s struggles, regain value and meaning to the little things once overlooked, and create a better mindset and outlook on life.   

It’s time to…

Get away.

Disconnect. 

Travel.

Why Traveling Should be on Your New Year’s Resolution 

Traveling boosts our mood: It’s no doubt that laying on a beach, seeing the Grand Canyon, or hiking to a breathtaking view is instant gratification. Within seconds this triggers our “happy chemicals” in our brain as we feel content, proud, or thrilled. As we return home from travel and look back on these wonderful memories, we re-trigger the nostalgic positive feelings– enhancing our overall mood and perhaps, even sparking the motivation to get back out there and explore!

Traveling is educational: Despite what we’ve been taught in class, nothing is more enlightening and exhilarating than seeing and experiencing the world for ourselves. From different cultures; history; breathtaking landforms; down to the actual step by step process of traveling– reading maps, making decisions, strategic thinking, and communicating to others; you’ll learn new skills and knowledge that will benefit you for the rest of your life! 

Traveling promotes personal growth: Getting away from home gives us the opportunity to self-reflect. It’s one of the best opportunities to learn more about yourself and grow as a person. Viewing life, your goals, plans, and priorities from a different angle and learning how you handle bumps in the road, leads to self-awareness and helps build the person you want to be on this earth.

Traveling builds confidence: Traveling is full of the unknown. Conquering “out-of-the-norm” tasks builds confidence and pride in one’s self. Perhaps it’s navigating 500 miles to a destination safely, exploring your way through Zion, catching dinner from a river, finding your way through a large city, or boondocking for a couple nights using limited resources. Building confidence and inner certainty through accomplishing challenges plays a huge role in our overall happiness and well-being, which in turn, makes us stronger for whatever life throws our way. 

Traveling promotes togetherness: There is nothing better than going on an adventure with your family, partner, or friends. Even solo traveling encourages us to meet new people which can create forever lifetime bonds. Now, social media can do a great job at keeping us connected through our busy lives. Although it’s a popular way of interacting, a simple typed “LOL” has NOTHING on the real thing and experiencing joy in the moment. 

Traveling introduces “sonder”: John Koenig is the creator of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, which purpose is to give a name to the emotions we may experience, but don’t have a word for. One being: “Sonder.” Koenig describes this as, “The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passed in the street, has a life as complex as one’s own, which they are constantly living despite one’s personal lack of awareness of it.” It’s similar to the idea of truly trying to put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a moment. During our everyday lives we are so focused on our to-do lists, relationships, career, and problems. Sometimes we fail to realize that we aren’t the only ones with feelings so deep and dreams so great, as others also have complex lives similar to our own. Acknowledging this leads to self-growth. This can inspire us to be more open-minded, patient, and kind towards others. 

Traveling is life changing: It’s easy to forget what we have day in and day out of our lives. We often get stuck on auto pilot and overlook pieces of humanity, the beauty of nature, and opportunities we have in life. Getting away from the cycle and same atmosphere will bring a new outlook and appreciation for what you have and those in your life. Step away from the norm and you will be reminded that– when navigating this winding road of “life“– WE get to decide who’s in the driver’s seat. 

RVING IS BEING well-traveled