Reactive vs. proactive travel
Musings
A bit of a warning: this post is going to be a bit more (ok, a lot more) philosophical than our typical ones. Today, I don’t want to talk about accumulating points or redeeming points. I don’t want to recommend a specific credit card or travel destination. Today, I want to take a step back and reflect on a trend that I’ve noticed the past few years.
In 2022 and 2023, we have seen travel roar back from Covid lows. A record number of U.S. passports were issued in 2022. Although the percentage of American travelers who expect to spend more on travel in the next 12 months compared to the most recent 12-month period dropped 3 percentage points due to inflationary pressures, Americans’ excitement for travel is still at record high levels (8.3 on a scale of 0-10). All in all, I think this is a great thing. We personally love traveling for a variety of reasons, like growing our perspective of the world, experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, etc.
However, it does beg the question: did we pause long enough to truly understand what 2020 and 2021 did to us? To our sense of community, to our minds, to our souls? Or was it easier to numb ourselves, get through it and jump back into things like travel, as if the prior 2 years didn’t happen. Here’s the reality: despite the Instagram reels telling you differently, travel can’t heal trauma. It can’t heal a truly restless soul.
Do travel from a proactive posture: to grow, learn, experience joy. Don’t do it from trying to fill a hole. Trust me: the hole will still be there when you get home, if you’re not seeking more lasting ways to fill it.
Travel more, but for the right reasons
Am I ripping on traveling too much? Not even close. It’s kind of our bread and butter. ;) Plan that next trip! There’s even research that shows that it can improve mental health! A 2014 Cornell University study dove into how the anticipation of a trip can increase a person’s happiness substantially — much more so than the anticipation of buying material goods. An earlier study, published by the University of Surrey in 2002, found that people are at their happiest when they have a vacation planned. I’m just saying: don’t count on it filling every bucket you need filled.
So, at the risk of going a bit out of our lane here: what can you do TODAY, right where you are, to seek wholeness? Is it a book you can read, place of worship you can return to, forgiveness you can offer, or rest you can start taking?
Travel can be a jolt to your wellbeing, to your joy. However, it will quickly dissipate if you don’t have an ongoing plan to feed your wellbeing in the day-to-day.
