By traveling, we consciously or unconsciously absorb information, habits, and lifestyles. All these things help us become better, more tolerant, and more extroverted, but also more respectful people.
Try to analyze yourself after you return from a trip where you explored how the locals live, after you talked to them or tasted the specific flavors of their cuisine.
You will see how much the journey has enriched you, how much knowledge about their history and culture you have accumulated.
In all these years of traveling, I have felt myself becoming happier, more creative, extroverted, and receptive. Every time, I tried to take something authentic from each place and use it later. I took photos that tell stories and refined my writing style through senses and sensations.
That's how I wrote about coffee and its Turkish and Arabic flavors, what the etiquette is during Ramadan, the impact the people of Zanzibar have on you, and much more. I have streamlined the organization of packing and given you some reasons why you should travel more often.
Travel Makes You Happier
Have you ever noticed colleagues' desks adorned with photos of wonderful places they’ve visited or dream of seeing someday? Or have you ever sent postcards to your parents or grandparents from the places you visited on vacation?
Many people use such images on their vision boards at the start of the year when they set their wishes and intentions. By visualizing the destination among other projects for that year, it becomes a serious project that you want to achieve alongside those related to family, career, and health.
I believe there is a true psychology and philosophy behind the pleasure of seeing those images. They make us relax, view life in a balanced way, and remind us how good we felt there. Or, we imagine how great it will be when we finally go where we dream of.
When we send postcards to our loved ones, they will be filled with joy knowing we thought of them during our happy moments on vacation.
This entire sensation of happiness that envelops us isn’t solely due to the destination, but it begins from the moment we start planning the trip. Choosing the location, gathering information with good vibes from friends who have been there, buying tickets, and anticipating the departure moment bring us moments of joy and happiness.
Time passes differently until departure, and you work on your projects differently, knowing that you’ll treat yourself to a vacation in a much-dreamed-of place.
I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but I feel like I look different in vacation photos. From my facial expressions to my body posture, I feel like I’m radiating!
And photography is the only language that can be understood in any corner of the world.
Travel Makes You More Creative
Simply changing the scenery greatly reduces our stress and increases our creativity, especially when we go to places with a culture and civilization different from our own.
I felt this when I moved to the Middle East and experienced new tastes, a different way of life, and a different rhythm of being. I now appreciate the way others live differently and have explored other skills that I could barely manage three years ago.
Being here, I discovered Blogging and gave new meaning to words both creatively and by helping entrepreneurs articulate their messages. I became more creative in the kitchen, fascinated by the flavors of the spices and strongly attracted to the magic of storytelling over coffee and shisha.
Contact with new places and cultures makes us more flexible in our thinking, allowing us to juggle new ideas and approaches, and make connections we wouldn’t have imagined before. A whole new world opens up.
And how can we not agree with this when studies show that for a dose of creativity, we need a new landscape?
If we look at concrete examples, Hemingway, Picasso, and Mozart, known for their extraordinary creativity, traveled a lot.
Travel Makes You More Receptive
In every journey, I have gained new senses of understanding, and each place has freed my mind from paradigms. I have an example that struck me and still follows me. The Africans in Zanzibar are very poor; you can't even imagine what they and their children eat, but I have never seen a sad face. They have a happiness and a smile that have nothing to do with the material world. It was an incredible lesson!
This shows you that there is another life beyond your comfort zone, outside your bubble. You realize that you don't carry the heaviest burden on your shoulders and appreciate more what you have.
Moreover, every person you meet on the road has their own life experience; they are also a traveler following their star. We are not alone, and the fact that we are so different opens up the perspective of learning from each other.
Travel Makes You More Extroverted
No matter how introverted you are, when you travel, it is impossible not to interact with one or two locals. You might ask something about a place or exchange a few words with a waiter about the tastes on your plate.
Even if you are less communicative, the ice breaks easily when someone asks you where you come from. And if you start a conversation even from a shy hello, you will see that it is easy, pleasant, and extremely polite to open up in another corner of the world.
You will come home much less bored, even enriched by conversations with a stranger.
That is why I love experiences where I can interact with locals and immerse myself in their culture and environment. What better way to get to know them than by trying the local cuisine?
I am fascinated when I enter markets; I could interview everyone from one end to the other. This seems to me the most attractive place wherever I go in this big world. I am always captivated by the energy of these spaces.
I prefer such escapades rather than staying in isolated and boring resorts. They had their charm at the beginning when my daughter was young because it was convenient, but the need for adventure and curiosity takes precedence now.
I hope I have convinced you how much travel means for our well-being. I believe I have recharged your batteries for future trips and hope you enjoy wonderful experiences wherever you plan to go.
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