Why travelling is good for the soul

Travel is one of the best things we can do for both our mental and physical health. Indeed, the profound impacts have been scientifically proven! Travel allows us to take a step back from our daily lives, and re-evaluate how we are going. Oftentimes, when we are so go-go-go all the time, we get distracted from reflecting on our goals, desires, and what we find to be meaningful. Travel allows us to see things with more clarity, and identify areas of our lives that we may want to improve upon, or change. As our founder Marlene always says, “you have to stop to start” – because without stopping, you won't even know where to begin.

When you slow down while travelling, your stress levels also decrease. A recent study showed that more than 80% of Americans who were travelling noticed a drop in their stress levels after just a day or two of being away. As your stress lowers, so too does your level of cortisol - leaving you with a clear mind, positive attitude and a greater propensity for clarity.

When you travel, particularly when you travel overseas, you are bound to encounter different cultures than your own. This can broaden your perspective, broadening your mind to think about new things. This can not only inspire you to adopt new practices (i.e., you could try yoga in India, or try nasi goreng in Indonesia) but it can also make you more flexible, patient and resilient. The new experiences that you will undoubtedly face will also make you more creative by flexing your cognitive muscles. You may try a new sport, or attend a different festival, either way by engaging with a new local culture will stretch your mind in a very unique way.

Undoubtedly, travel also gives you the ability to meet new people. These can be like-minded people who you happen to run into who work in a similar field as you, or are the same age as you, or who have similar interests as you. But they can also be people who are completely different to you, who live in different cities and who you don’t (on paper) have a lot in common with. These are some of the best friends to ever make, as they can provide another breath of fresh air and help you realise that while everyone has different perspectives, ultimately everyone is the same.