How to use travel for your well-being: 5 tips from a psychologist
Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone, Paleochora, Greece
Dr Charlotte Russell, Clinical Psychologist and Founder
It’s been two years since I created the Travel Psychologist blog and I’ve learned so much in that time about how we can use travel for our well-being. To mark our two-year Anniversary I want to share my top tips on using travel to thrive:
1. You are unique and it is important to plan the right trip for you
The building blocks of well-being are about finding activities and pursuits that are engaging and meaningful to each us personally. For one person this might be sitting in the coolest beach bars, for another it might be hiking in local mountains or exchanging a few words in the local language. We are all unique and have different personalities, preferences and life situations and so it is important to get to know what really provides you with meaning and a sense of connection.
Questions to ask yourself
· What activities do I enjoy and feel fully engaged with? How can I cultivate these experiences on my trip?
· What experiences have I really enjoyed on previous trips? What was it about them that I enjoyed?
· What is a meaningful experience for me?
2. We can use travel to fuel our creativity and curiosity
Finding ways to ignite our curiosity and creativity are important ways to look after our well-being. In our day to day lives we can tend to live on autopilot or be super focused on our goals or projects. This is fine for a limited period of time but is not sustainable forever. Getting back in touch with our curiosity and creativity can be a real tonic when we have been overly focused.
National Tile Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
Questions to ask yourself
· What kinds of activities spark my interest and curiosity?
· What do I like learning about when I travel?
· Do I prefer a guided tour, to explore by myself or a mixture or both?
· What kinds of galleries, museums, tours or activities have I enjoyed in the past and what was it about them that I liked?
· How can use my creative skills to document what I’ve learned from my trip?
3. Staying active is a key part of the puzzle
We all know that physical activity is important for our well-being. So absolutely we should be thinking about how we can stay active on our trips. You probably don’t need me to tell you the all-inclusive resorts and being sat around the pool all day aren’t a good choice for your well-being, or for experiencing the local culture.
Exploring by foot can be a great way to stay active, but there are lots of other options; swimming, cycling, hiking, and even stand up paddleboarding. For more on this read our previous article by Consultant Neuropsychologist Dr Julia Cook – Can travel help to keep our brain healthy and active as we age?
Sunrise yoga, Paleochora, Greece
4. We really should talk to strangers
The evidence tells us that making small talk with people you don’t know can have a surprisingly positive effect on our well-being. On top of this positive effect, talking to local people at your destination can be a great way to connect and to find out about the local culture.
Now I’ve got to say, when I was younger I used to really shy away from chatting to new people. As I’ve got older and I’ve gained confidence, I’ve realised how lovely it can be to chat to local people and how this can also lead to some amazing recommendations. It can be especially lovely to exchange a few words in the local language.
For more on this check out Travel & talking to strangers: tips for managing social anxiety
5. Challenging ourselves is an important way to enhance our well-being
My first solo trip in 2018, Naples, Italy
We’ve all heard the phrase “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” and there’s definitely some truth to this. Challenging ourselves and overcoming obstacles is a great way to build confidence and self-esteem. Taking your first solo trip can be one of the best ways to do this. However we can also challenge ourselves in smaller ways; what about trying some new foods or a new activity that you’ve never done before? How about trying to navigate public transport rather than using an uber or transfer service?
For more on this check out Why do holidays make us happy?
There we have it; my five top tips for using travel for your well-being. Thank you for supporting The Travel Psychologist blog over the past two years and here’s to many more!
Cheers! Positano, Italy