WHY I ENDORSE TRAVEL & WELLBEING FOR A HAPPY MIND, BODY & SOUL

Travel has long been linked by researchers to promote a happy wellbeing, reduce medical ailments such as heart disease, hypertension and boost mental health by relieving stress. For me personally, travel provides so many contributory factors that attribute to ones happiness and wellbeing. I’ve shared with you a line-up of some that rank highly on my travel wellbeing priorities.

Sunset vibes at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

1. THE ABILITY TO UNPLUG AND DETOX FROM THE DAILY GRIME

We in the Western world, lead a particularly hectic lifestyle including long working hours, roles of high responsibility and management in our careers and the constant barrage of emails or social engagements coupled with the need to forever check our social media platforms!

I like to incorporate a couple of days of relaxation into all of my long-haul adventures where Dr C and I check into a location, which is pretty remote and literally just reflect and relax! All access to social media is locked away safely and the focus is pretty much on the surroundings and ourselves!

Our remote rainforest villa at El Remanso Lodge, Osa Peninusula, Costa Rica

2. LEARN TO LET GO AND DISCOVER YOUR ADVENTUROUS SIDE

Ok, so maybe I am a bit of an adrenalin junkie, but travelling enables you to have no boundaries and provides that euphoric feeling you get when you have done something completely outside of your comfort zone. It’s most definitely an achievement and something for you to look back on with great pride.

Skydiving over Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand Photo Courtsey: NZONE Skydive

Trekking Machu Picchu, Peru

3. TRAVEL PROMOTES A FOCUSSED AND TOLERANT MIND

By introducing yourself to new experiences and new environments helps build resilience and stimulates the brain to accept new interactions in the form of new people, cultures, and experiences.

I’ve been travelling the globe for many moons and enjoy experiencing different cultures and the local people. Words cannot express the joy I feel when I am learning about the local way of life in another part of the world and joining in with the local traditions of even sitting and just sharing a meal. This is where I learnt that you don’t need to speak the same language because actions really do speak louder than words.

A Cuban family in Havana who dream of visiting the UK one day

4. ENHANCE CREATIVITY BY EXPERIENCING DIFFERENT CULTURES

I read somewhere (probably in the doctors waiting room!) that the better you can adapt to other cultures, the more your brain creativity will increase! So for us travel bloggers, we can bring our readers better content by actually experiencing a new culture rather than just a different travel location.

For example, when I do a bunch of novel things on my travels, I seem to have a necessity, of needing to write it all down so I can include it all in blog posts!

The lovely banana vendors of Hoi An town, Vietnam 

5. TRAVEL CHANGES YOUR OUTLOOK AND EVALUATION OF LIFE

Travel allows you to see things from a different perspective and tackle situations out of your ‘safe’ zone. Instead of hearing travel experiences from others, you are seeing these from your own perspective and witness first hand how other global cultures can challenge what you think. You will most probably be exposed to alternative ways of living and being.

Another side to Rio de Janeiro: The Rochina Favela

6. TRAVEL RELIEVES STRESS AND HAPPY YOUR MIND 

Being away from your normal environment and not having to stick to the daily stressful routine and deadlines means your brain can have a well earnt rest. You soon see the happy and stress-free effects a change of scenery can have. Dare I say it, I’m always in a better mood after a break!

Time to reflect: Sofitel Private Island Bora Bora, French Polynesia

7. THE EFFECTS OF TRAVEL LAST A LIFETIME

I’ve heard people say that ‘travelling is the only thing that makes you richer’, well I most certainly agree with this. I’ve always picked travelling over things. Travelling opens your eyes to other cultures and locales in the world and these experiences stay with you a lifetime. How many times do you look back on travel snaps with a huge grin on your face? I have to admit I do it everytime I upload a travel related photo to Instagram, so quite literally daily!

8. SHARING TRAVEL EXPERIENCES MAKES THEM MORE MEMORABLE

 I am very lucky to be able to share a lot of my travels with my husband, Dr C. We both lead very busy work lives with Dr C working away a lot so for us when we’re away scoping out the globe or on  a weekend break in the UK, we make it a priority to spend quality meaningful time together.

Dr C and I on our 7 year anniversary trip at San Miniato al Monte in Florence. Photo Courtesy: Flytographer Alberto in Florence

Just incase you fancy a peruse of some of these wellbeing promoting destinations, just click! Adventures in the Osa Peninsula, Discovering destination photography with Flytographer, The Rochina Favela, The time I spent the night at Machu Picchu with a little help from Belmond, Skydiving for Diabetes UK  or  the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa.

So there you have it, my reasons for why I endorse travel for wellbeing. It’s over to you now, do you feel travel and wellbeing go hand in hand?

 Á Bientôt…

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