Why Traveling is Good for Your Soul

I was born with a wayward heart. My entire life I have loved to travel. Some of my first memories as a child are those of a family vacation. I truly believe that traveling is not only good for the soul but necessary to have a full life.

As a kid, my parents always took vacations and trips. When I was a teenager I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to Europe. Since the beginning of my adult life, I have always made it a point to find a way to travel at least once a year whether with my family or my now husband. We’ve been up and down the east coast and bits of the west.

And now my husband and I are planning our next big adventure. Instead of a honeymoon or a house – we bought a van! We’re currently customizing it so we can live in it and travel the country for the next year or so.

Last summer we took a trip to Colorado, our first big trip out west and it completely changed our outlook on life. We were going to take a honeymoon to Europe and we still plan on going there one day, but once we went on that trip – everything changed. We realized how little we’ve seen of our own country, and how much more there is to explore. So we’re packing up the van and we’re going on an adventure! 

I’m so excited to start this next chapter in my life. My husband said it best, “Most people settle down after they get married. We’re about to crank it up!” That, we most definitely are.

Related: A Week in Colorado – Part 2: Copper Mountain

I believe it’s important to travel – and not just vacation but truly travel and explore. Traveling is good for your soul and here’s why:

1. It gets you out of your comfort zone. Sometimes traveling is staying in a 5-star hotel but mostly it’s staying somewhere new and different. Being away from home forces you to try new things and create new experiences.
2. You meet new people! This is my favorite part of traveling. I have so many wonderful friends I’ve met from traveling. Two of my best friends I met because my husband and I asked them to take a picture of us. That was 6 years ago. I’ve since been to their wedding across the county! Plus, it’s always fun to talk to new people.
3. You see how other people live. This is another part of what makes traveling interesting. Everywhere is different and every town has its thing or its quirk. The people have their own traditions or their famous restaurants. There’s always something interesting about a new place.
4. It opens your mind. Travelling has the ability to change you. Once you see how other people live or meet new people, it opens your mind and challenges you. It teaches you tolerance and acceptance because now you’ve seen how other people live their life differently from you. That can be jarring and unexpected but it can also be enlightening and humbling.
5. You get to see new places. This might be obvious but that’s half the fun of traveling. You get to see incredible places! Whether it’s the Grand Canyon or a western sunset, every place has its beauty. You just have to find it.

Traveling may not always be an option for everyone so even if it’s just trying something new in your hometown or getting out of your comfort zone once in a while, that counts too!

Where is somewhere that you’ve visited that made an impact on your life? Where is somewhere you dream of visiting? Let me know in the comments below!

Related: 5 Eco-Friendly Travel Tips

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Christina

Christina is a twenty-something living with her beagle, Mash, and husband, Nate in their van. She loves traveling, shopping, art, and photography. She’s also a vegetarian, pop-culture enthusiast, book-lover, and Dave Matthews Band fanatic. Catch her somewhere around the country in a converted camper van or at home in Florida for a visit.