On the restorative power of traveling and how we can apply it from home
The desire to seek the novel and search for new experiences is rooted deep in the human psyche. For thousands of years, people have been going on pilgrimages, exploring uncharted territories on the map and sought peace in new dwellings. When we travel, we are immersed in a new realm, that of the now, as we connect with new people and find a route to our destination.
When we travel, we can be more free by forgetting routines and other daily burdens, by carrying only the utmost necessary and by stepping out of our habitual behaviors and thought patterns. We typically associate thoughts and emotions with places, so a new place has the potential to be a blank slate for new emotions and experiences. It takes a little courage to go out of the comfortable and known path yet, almost as soon as we have done it, we notice the uplifting effects and persevere.
Once we do end up returning (if at all), we are then faced with the usual routines and daily life as we experienced it before we left our comfortable home. Yet, even as we return, we can keep our minds open and conditioned by our freer traveler mindset by enacting certain changes to our daily settled lives. We can choose to eat differently, exploring foods from other cultures and places, we can break out of our routines by taking a different road to work or by choosing to use fewer possessions in our daily lives, hence freeing up time and energy for restoration and peace.
In this period of pandemic-forced enclosure, when our trips may or may not have happened, its important to be reminded of the lessons that traveling can teach us about well-being and the human psyche. Take a few moments of the day to think about how you can step out of the routine and experience a sense of novelty and excitement. Even exploring your local neighborhood with a genuine sense of curiosity will leave you surprised about how much is there which you were not aware of. Remember, we possess the key to unlocking a more playful, curious and connected mind. All it takes is some gentle steering in that direction.
