Not too long ago, I experienced firsthand a new level of travel therapy.
Britani decided to celebrate her 29th birthday by going on a cruise. Due to a series of events that I don’t know about, she asked me to join.
Keep in mind that I have:
- Never been on a plane
- Never been on a boat that huge
- Not been to Florida since I was 3 years old
So ALL of this was pretty much brand new to me.
But I had plenty of PTO saved up for some other trip we originally planned. So I said yes, despite having no idea what I was getting myself into.
And what I signed up for was an eye-opening experience and a stronger understanding of travel therapy.
This is my experience with 7 lessons explaining how travel boosts mental health.
[P.S.: all the pictures below are a tiny few of the pics I took throughout the entire trip.]
Reduces Your Stress Levels (Most of the Time…)
As I mentioned, this whole trip involved a lot of “firsts” for me.
Many people stress themselves out with planning everything out. But I kinda just decided to go into this experience blindfolded.
I understand how this would cause some anxiety; not having a game plan for the trip would be the opposite of travel therapy for many. The way I’m sounding, if you have a type A personality, I’m probably causing you anxiety as you’re reading this.
But don’t worry; I got to each necessary spot early so I wouldn’t miss any event or departure.
The main thing running through my mind prior to taking flight was the excitement of a new experience and the opportunity to break out of my comfort zone.
Minus my type B behaviors, all of the built-up anticipation was just the beginning of travel therapy. That feeling of excitement was more than enough to eliminate any stress I had about whatever was on my mind before this trip.
This leads to the next way how travel boosts mental health…
Disrupts Your Negative Routines
Another way how travel boosts mental health is its ability to somewhat dismiss your bad patterns and thoughts.
While I don’t advocate brushing your problems to the side, I will say that traveling definitely takes your mind off of uncomfortable thoughts.
Being caught up in the traveling experience is excellent travel therapy. The thrill of it all helped me get focused on being 100% ready for this trip and prevented my usual negative thoughts from floating around in my brain.
One way how travel boosts mental health is its ability to somewhat dismiss your bad patterns and thoughts.
Improves Your Gratefulness
The scariest part about this trip for me was the first plane ride. Again, I had never flown before up until now. And I’m flying during a time when we’ve been fairly recently hearing about plane crashes like the one that happened in Washington D.C.
Imagine having that on your brain when you’re about to take off…
When the plane started to leave the airport, my heart raced for the entire stint. My mind knows that, statistically speaking, more incidents happen when driving than when flying. But this being my first flight ever, it was a daunting feeling.
And then we went above the clouds…
That view was AMAZING!
Shoutout to sis for trading seats. I originally had an aisle seat, and she had a window seat. I felt guilty for trading at first, but she insisted. She’s flown multiple times and has gotten the full experience already.
Despite it being her birthday celebration, she let me experience the window seat, which apparently, people like to claim.
And for that, I am ever so grateful. Once we were above the clouds, I was in awe of what I saw. I never saw the beauty that Earth has to offer from this perspective before, and I wish I had MUCH sooner.
The views of the mountains, open lands, and several bodies of water were majestic. And I was so grateful to witness them.
I spent nearly the whole flight thanking and praising God for His hands creating such magnificent, breathtaking art. You’d think I’d be praying out of panic since this was my first flight, but nope. I was praying in adoration and thanks to the Lord.
I know this is about how travel boosts mental health, but for someone strong and open in their faith, this was a boost in my spiritual health.
Promotes Living in the Moment
Context: we traveled to Honduras and Mexico. This trip is also my first time out of the United States.
In Honduras, we bought an excursion (apparently, the term for off-the-cruise activities) that gave us unlimited use of the chair lift and access to a private beach.
That beach was astounding! The water was crystal clear and extremely relaxing. We had access to food brought directly to our tent/hut. 12/10 experience.
Despite my inability to swim, I wanted nothing but to just enjoy that quiet, clear water all day.
This moment was me practicing to appreciate the now. Instead of waiting for what’s next or dwelling on what already happened, I focused on enjoying that present experience.
And this is what travel will do for you. You’ll feel a great desire to live in and love the moment you’re in right now without letting your mind stress about other things.
So the next time you go somewhere new, appreciate where you are at that point in time. Don’t get wrapped up in tomorrow’s and/or yesterday’s problems.
Makes you Want to Try New Things
While we were in Mexico, we didn’t necessarily do or eat anything I hadn’t already tried before.
We went ziplining with a mini obstacle course attached. We ate the best quesadilla I’ve ever eaten in my life. And we –unintentionally– did a photoshoot with a professional photographer.
However, doing all of these things in a country I’ve never been to before made these activities feel like my first time trying these activities.
People tend to get stuck in routines, and sometimes rightfully so. Sticking to what you know is often the safer course of action.
But putting yourself in new environments often makes you want to try new things. It motivates your mind to deviate from the regular routine for a little bit to try a new feeling. Many times, it’s such a worthwhile moment.
Helps you Learn More About Yourself
I left this cruise trip feeling extra motivated.
Some of the things in life that keep me going include:
- Establishing a strong foundation for my future family
- Paying off my student loans
- Giving my parents/grandma the world
But many days, I struggle with a huge lack of motivation. Waking up to go to work a job I dislike, not have a strong freelance client base at this moment of time, and to still be in STEEP debt six years after obtaining my bachelor’s is draining.
And then this trip happened…
This experience was a new level of freedom. When I say “freedom”, I don’t necessarily mean that I was trapped. I do mean that I tasted something I’ve never tasted before, and now I’m fired up to taste this again.
I’m learning that the Lord has provided so much, and I haven’t come anywhere close to witnessing it all.
It turns out that travel therapy comes with a bonus of motivational fuel. Because of this trip, I have a new reason to keep taking one step forward: to experience everything life has for me.
Builds a Stronger Bond With Loved Ones
Can I be deeply transparent?
One of my fears about this trip was that it would cause some kind of tension between Britani and I.
I know that social media likes to portray false tales but something I’ve heard often is how people lose friendships by taking big trips like this. And I’m often in disbelief that any human would enjoy my company for that long. (It’s an unnecessary insecurity I’m trying to work on).
But after this trip, the exact opposite happened. Granted, we’ve known each other for 13 years at this point –holy crap that’s a long time!
Nonetheless, as a result of this week-long experience we’ve:
- Found new, stupid ways of having fun
- Reassured each other that we’re a safe space to vent to each other whenever we need
- Decided to make trips like this a regular, yearly thing (finances permitting)
Don’t get me wrong; solo travel is awesome and you should take a few solo trips in your life. But don’t be afraid of traveling with others.
If the plans make it out of the group chat, you just may end up unintentionally growing closer with the people you travel with. That reassurance of the people in your life is not only an unexpected form of travel therapy, but it’s also an awesome feeling that you gain travel buddies.
Travel Therapy is Your Next Method for Improving Mental Health
Not everybody can afford to go on a cruise like we did –I’m surprised I was able to afford it, honestly.
But your next travel destination doesn’t have to be a cruise. It can be a flight to the opposite side of the country. It could be getting a rental for a road trip to the mountains. Or it can be a visit to that new tourist attraction that opened up in your state.
Whatever it is, make those plans and set them in motion. In due time, you’ll also see how travel boosts mental health, ignites motivation, and helps you take one step forward toward a healed soul!
