Surely you already sense that traveling has many benefits...
We have always suspected that traveling is not only something funny ; also makes us more empathic, broadens our perspectives, increases our knowledge ... Or, at least, that's how it feels when we come home.
But does that idea have any basis in reality? Does the same thing happen to everyone? To find out, we talked to the psychologist James Burque , who affirms that we were not at all misguided in our perception: "Traveling is one of the greatest **sources of well-being**, **of change and growth** that exist. As a psychologist, I have been an exceptional witness to the wonderful benefits of traveling seeing how many patients recovered from their ** fears, insecurity, anxieties or life blocks ** thanks to making a trip of any kind ", he tells us.
Traveling has innumerable benefits
And, to illustrate his statement, he gives us a short text by the writer and disseminator Bill Bryson , inveterate traveler and author of works such as A short history of almost everything : "The way I see it, the reward and the greatest luxury of traveling is, every day, being able to experience things like it was the first time , being in a position where almost nothing is us so familiar as to take it for granted." Pure inspiration.
"Obviously, traveling is not a magic pill ", warns Burque, "and it can't be the panacea you're welcome (especially when we use the trip to escape from ourselves ) . But when we use it for meet us ourselves, it can lead to a change in attitude that, in turn, can cause a turn in the direction we are taking in our life ".
The professional, who admires deeply to those patients of yours who stepped out of their comfort zone and dared to embark heading into the unknown, he has concluded that traveling grants, at least, ten psychological benefits . Are these:
1. EXPANDING LIFE PERSPECTIVE
"Traveling helps us relativize to and to focus our life with better lenses", affirms Burque. And the effect, although it is present in any escapade, it widens as the trip becomes more intense : "We can raise the level (the more we raise it, the more the trip can affect us positively) and go three months to India, go away for a while Search for a job to another country go away for a few days ride a bike the mountain or a new country, go to ** Erasmus **, to Eurail , to one country house with our friends, as backpackers, in a caravan or on motorcycle . The options are almost endless and you don't have to be rich To be able to do it, you only need desire ".
two. ENDING NEGATIVE THINKING HABITS
According to the psychologist, "the rigidities and straits of mind that we usually have in our daily life can be broken into pieces thanks to the new stimuli whom we meet on the journey".
3. ENCOUNTER WITH ONESELF
When we travel, we get out of the routine and we connect more with ourselves , which leads us to rediscover ourselves and to "begin to realize what is important In our life".
Four. STRENGTHENING OF RELATIONSHIPS
When we travel accompanied, either from our friends , our brothers, our father, even our in-laws!, the relationship benefits from living especially intense experiences and "can go out heavily reinforced ", establishes Burque. That is why, for example, before a couple crisis , making a getaway can be such a good idea...
The more intense the trip, the greater your benefits
5. IMPLEMENTATION OF A MINDFULNESS ATTITUDE
Traveling, "we live to the fullest our present and stop worrying about our past or worry about our future. ** Traveling is mindfulness ** in its purest form."
6. REINFORCEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRENGTHS
"Psychological strengths such as open minded or curiosity, keys to being able change, be happy and fulfill ourselves in life" will be increased during our adventures, says the expert.
7. STRESS REDUCTION
Even the shortest of escapades "we relax and disables us from our stress daily," explains Burque. "Travel is very powerful parentheses in our lives, that oxygenate us and recharge the batteries”, says the professional. "It is even worth what many seasoned travelers 'hate': spend, for example, a few days with all the expenses paid in a hotel where everything is planned and can be 'boring', because even in these circumstances, many people can relax and disconnect from very strong stress".
Contact with other cultures will open your mind
8. INCREASED TOLERANCE
Traveling makes us " more tolerant and flexible ", in the words of the professional. "With ourselves, with others, with other cultures …"
9. ENHANCEMENT OF POSITIVE EMOTIONS
Travel "increases positive emotions," including " powerful pre-trip illusion " (one of our favorite phases!)
10. OVERCOMING FEARS
"Travel is the best antidote against the worry and the fears **", affirms Burque. And we totally agree. Let them tell all those people to whom traveling changed their lives, despite the problems which, from the outset, presented their adventures. We are talking, for example, about ** Kevan Chandler , who traveled through impossible places transported on the back of his friends; of ** Gloria Atanmo, ** who has visited half the world despite encountering difficulties in many countries due to her condition of black woman, and even the ** Zapp ,** who have been traveling around the planet for more than 15 years with their four children , something that many call madness.
Traveling will fill you with positive emotions