We Travel Not To Escape Life, But For Life Not To Escape Us

Can you imagine what it would be like if we weren’t allowed to take a break and go traveling somewhere? They say time flies when you’re having fun. That’s not exactly true. According to some studies, time actually flies when your brain doesn’t have to devote much energy to the world around it.^[1] When we experience the same settings, environment, and challenges every day, our brain perceives time as passing very quickly.

Alternatively, when we do something different, our brains tend to perceive the experience as lasting a long while. Not only that but we probably also feel the memories of a new event are more vivid and interesting. For example, you might remember your trip to Hawaii quite well and remember the exact sequence of events as it took place during that trip. On the other hand, you would probably have to think pretty hard to differentiate Tuesday from Wednesday, or Monday.

We Were Not Meant For Monotony

Our ancestors didn’t sit in the same office building every day, drive to work by the same roads in the same car, and go home to the same house every night. Each day was a surprise and a blessing. Sure, each day was also filled with a ridiculous amount danger, and the nomadic life wasn’t a very long one, but each day was interesting! We should be grateful for the safety that modern life offers us, but we shouldn’t forget that we’re also built for a bit of adventure!

Traveling Increases Our Happiness

Travel gives us new experiences, memories, and even aids our way towards self-discovery.^[2] Few people ever change or make memories by staying in the same place doing the same things. Travel introduces us to new challenges, new scenery, and new people. Now when you hear the phrase “travel broadens the mind” you’ll know what it means!

How To Make Time For Travel

Below is a short list of suggestions for saving money and making time for traveling. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to go to a different country or take a long trip. You can go camping in a forest you’ve never been to or visit nearby regions! The important thing is to allow yourself a change of scenery every once in a while.

1. Keep a Travel Jar. Put your spare change in this jar and encourage yourself and your family to put money in the jar that they might have used on something like eating out or junk food.
2. Try eating out less. You’ll be surprised how much money you save just by sticking to home cooked meals.
3. Make a list of places you want to visit. Post it on your wall to remind you that it’s a goal within reach!
4. Contact far-away friends. Most of us have friends who have moved or who live far away from us. Call them! Ask if you can visit for a week. Most of them will love having visitors.
5. Put together a travel group. This is great if you don’t have a lot of family and you don’t like going places on your own. Start planning trips with a group of friends.

It’s important to remember that life isn’t all about hard knocks and work. Life should also be about adventure and enjoyment. We should all take some time for ourselves to get out of our comfort zones and travel away from the places we’re used to. We’ll be happier, smarter, more open-minded, and we’ll have memories that can last us a lifetime.