Travel Inspires
Did you know that without even traveling, looking at maps are known to make people happy?
Mentally, we get a boost when we look ahead to our next destination, especially one new to us. Planning alters our energy to shift to paying attention to factors outside of our daily realm; a new culture, routine and even creativity about how to orchestrate and maximize time in a new place. We may ask around to those that have been, read books or watch movies we normally would not have, seek out food and the language of that upcoming location. Knowing we will travel makes us happier.
More so than acquiring material products and objects, our experiences and the anticipation of them spark more joy. Some friends will not leave a favorite destination without knowing when they are coming back, and others like to have trips on the calendar to look forward to throughout the year. Planning travel also has a greater social relevance, where some seek information by connecting with friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers if there is a destination in common. We are much more likely to talk about our trips and our adventures than our recent purchases or possessions. Think about stories at a dinner or party, it is about our favorite places than our belongings. It is also far more interesting.
Planning for travel inspires optimism, making us feel hopeful and happy about the future, something we may need a little more of right now. Perhaps we can tap into past goals of places in the world we want to see, or we are inspired by someone telling us about a place we never would have considered. Often overlooked is the temporary nature of travel. We are not stressing about the right ‘decision’ like a move somewhere, and with limited time in a new atmosphere we are apt to make the most of it and not being complacent about our precious time there.
Have you thought about the food you are looking forward to trying, the excursions you are planning, or mapping out the hikes or ski runs somewhere? Our imagination plus the novel nature of the experiences, and even their ambiguity, keep us intrigued while we are planning. And while some ‘planning’ is always necessary, here is your chance to be spontaneous, maybe even more so than you are in your daily life. How often to you wake up, wander around, decide what and when to eat and what you will do, depending on where the day takes you? Sometimes that minor adjustment allows for much liberation.
Bottom line, when you are taking time before having what you want, such as time before a trip versus a quick on-line purchase, we find more value in it. Also imagine waking up tomorrow and suddenly you are booked and leaving for a trip you did not plan or have time to think about. As exotic and exciting as that place could be, you may feel robbed of some of the anticipatory lead up time.
Most importantly as a function of happiness, looking ahead to the future is a fresh perspective, more so than looking back on past trips. And let’s say the trip does not exactly meet our expectations, it does not remove the positive impact we felt in the day’s prior. Look around you on the next flight TO your destination, and note your energy and of those around you, and how that will differ on your flight home. Where will your planning take you next?
