For some of us, being stuck in the same place all the time is a little boring. There’s a big world out there waiting to be explored, and while travel is certainly fun, it’s also necessary for the overall improvement of one’s life. Here are five benefits of “globe-trotting.”
5) BOOSTS CREATIVITY – Experiencing something new gets the creative juices flowing. If you’re a writer, world-class chef, or someone trying to discover their passion, travel can potentially open up a broad range of ideas and thoughts you never knew existed. Professor and author Adam Galinsky states, “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility… and the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms.”
4) REDUCES STRESS – What if you could relieve stress and anxiety by taking a little vacation? Visiting another country will grant you a temporary escape from your normal, everyday life, and allow you to step into a completely new arena. When it’s over, you’ll feel refreshed, motivated and alert, and those negative, stress-inducing waves will likely be gone.
3) GETS YOU IN SHAPE – We’ve all heard the phrase, “hop from place to place.” While no one literally hops, traveling does inspire us to partake in activities that can keep those unwanted pounds off. Visiting a mountain resort, for example, may involve trails and hiking routes for people to explore. Walking along that rocky terrain will burn excess calories and keep you fit, while simultaneously offering you a new environment to love and enjoy.
2) IMPROVES YOUR BRAIN – Studies show that traveling can actually lower one’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease through exposure to new cultures and ways of life. This opens our brains to new sights, sounds and eats, and builds those much-needed dendrites to fight off dementia and similar ailments.
1) PROVIDES INDEPENDENCE –Visiting a foreign country enables one’s ability to make important decisions (i.e. one is forced to find ways of communicating with local people whether they speak their language or not), and making these decisions gives a person the confidence they need.
