It seems like traveling is now the new trend, but not everyone has the privilege of booking a ticket and traveling around the country and even the world. So, if you are among the small percentage of people in the world who can pack a suitcase and get on an airplane, I would consider doing so, since going away could, in reality, get you closer to who you really are deep down.
As human beings, we tend to choose what is predictable and what makes us feel safe and in control. However, real growth usually starts when we recognize that we have little or sometimes no control over the things around us. So why is this generation the one craving to go to new places, packing their suitcases, and discovering new possibilities?
In April of 2020, every destination worldwide had established some type of COVID-19 travel restrictions. People were unable to travel to new places, visit their loved ones, or take vacation days off from work, which highlighted how important being able to move around is. Another factor is the easy access to social media, which has played an important role in influencing people to book a ticket, since within one click, you can get a glimpse of your friends’ travel experiences.
Studies have revealed that traveling provides you with a great opportunity for self-development, and identity construction (Noy, 2004). It can also contribute significantly to people’s well-being by helping reduce the impact of daily stressors. So, wait a second: before you open Google Flights while reading this post, make sure your next travel destination has a purpose. What could that be? Figuring out your long-term goals? Connecting with a friend or family member? Professional development? Or just resetting from life in general. Make sure that your next destination is an opportunity to get closer to your goals, dreams, and yourself, and not an attempt to impress the world outside of you.
Remember that traveling gives you the experience of new things, meeting different people, comprehending various cultures, and most likely discovering a new version of you, who, just as one of my favorite songs reminds me, may not know where the journey will take us, but we can always choose where to begin, and that journey starts inside of us.
REFERENCES
Noy, C. (2004). This trip really changed me: Backpackers’ narratives of self-change. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(1), 78–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2003.08.004
Zins, A. H., & Ponocny, I. (2022). On the importance of leisure travel for psychosocial wellbeing. Annals of Tourism Research, 93, 103378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2022.103378
