How traveling is good for the soul.

Why is it important to travel?

Traveling is good for the soul! We have heard that phrase so often but why is it so important to travel? There is no denying that travel is good for mental growth and human happiness but I wanted to share my personal story about why I think traveling is good for the soul. I have just been given the most amazing opportunity to join 29 other bloggers in a 2 week trip of a lifetime to Kerala India and it made me realise just how important travel is to me.

Why is travel important to me? 

First of all let me begin by explaining something. Apart from the amazing experience of 2 weeks exploring India, I want you to know that I’m not looking for a free holiday. This trip has far more meaning and travel is so important to me. Those of you that know me and have read a little of my story know that I have suffered terribly for the last 17 years with Lyme disease including almost dying of heart failure due to the bacteria damaging my heart muscle.

By pushing myself everyday I managed to live some semblance of a life albeit in pain for most of that time. About 6 years ago shortly after meeting the man of my dreams Mister Lavin my jaw had become so damaged by the bacteria that I required surgery to break and widen my jaw. You can imagine how traumatic that was to an already weakened immune system and my body finally had enough and gave up. I wasn’t able to keep my career as a medical scientist and instead swapped my life for one of extreme pain unable to leave my bed with over 100 daily symptoms and regular paralysis. My lovely Mister Lavin often had to carry me where I needed to go and spoon feed me because I didn’t have the strength to hold a spoon.

Needless to say life was pretty miserable and I wasn’t sure how long I could continue like that. Fortunately a very good friend of mine was determined to get me help and she and my family fundraised tirelessly to raise the money that I needed for a revolutionary stem cell treatment in Germany that would begin to restore my immune system and undo most of the damage caused by 17 years of lyme disease.

How does travel impact your life?

The upshot is that I’m getting my life back and I’m determined to never take life for granted again and make every moment count! After years spent confined to my bedroom I want to see the world. Really see it and soak it in.  You will never meet a girl who will appreciate it more. Travel for me is not just a luxury or a whim. Traveling is good for the soul. It is important for your mental health and it is so important to open your mind and see how other cultures live their lives.

This trip is not just a holiday to me it represents me getting my independence back. For the last few years I couldn’t do a single thing without Mister Lavin but now I’m ready to step out into the world and really enjoy it.  I can’t wait to write about this experience and share it all with you and every word will come from my heart and from a girl who was given a second chance at life and is not looking back.

Is Travel in our DNA?

Does the “wanderlust gene” really exist? Scientifically speaking, our desire to travel is not selfish. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that it is deep-rooted within the human psyche, dating as far back as early human existence when nomadic tribes explored across land and sea for new resources. Even today, in Australian Aboriginal culture, among others, it is traditional for young people to embark on their own wilderness tour to mark their coming-of-age. The need and urge to travel and explore has always been there and perhaps this explains why traveling is good for the soul. It just feels good to travel.

How limitations on our movement affects us psychologically

For the five years that I was bedbound with Lyme disease I felt like I was in solitary confinement and that my freedom was taken away. The same feeling happened during the global pandemic when lockdowns imposed massive restrictions on our movements. Travel is just about the single most human experience that we can have, because it’s a unique opportunity to make new connections with other people and other cultures. To have that taken away was soul destroying for me and it 100% affected my mental health.

The benefits of traveling

 There are so many benefits of traveling and broadening your horizons. When you’re in a new place you are having all kinds of new and exciting experiences. You will be communicating in a different language, ordering a meal and visiting museums. This all stimulates intellectual interests and increases our confidence and sense of self-worth. It is also believed to play an important role in problem solving and creativity too.

The idea of traveling varies from person to person, but the advantages of traveling are unlimited. Improving your health and well-being is one of the primary benefits of traveling. There have been studies to prove that traveling has a positive effect on our heart health. It helps to decrease the risks of heart attack and anxiety, while also developing our brain health. Travel brings in a fresh energy. Waking up in a new place is quite literally like hitting the reset button for your mind and body. The stimulation you get from traveling can boost your productivity and effectiveness in your daily work at home.

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, by exploring new places and things, can increase the level of dopamine in your brain. Travel opens your mind in a way that few other things can. Speaking to new people and getting new perspectives will change how you perceive the world. Engaging yourself in various topics of conversation will help you see the world from many different points of view.

Traveling helps us practice mindfulness and teaches us how to be fully present in the moment. It teaches us to appreciate and value cultural diversity, traditions and appearances and to become more tolerant of people. It also increases our tolerance towards tough conditions and uncertainties which helps us stay strong when times get tough in our own lives.

Why you need a travel bucketlist

You don’t need to convince me that traveling is good for the soul. When I became really ill and completely bedbound I struggled to give up on my love of travel the most. I decided there and then to create a mental bucket list of all of the places that I wanted to see in the world. It was my motivation to research potential treatment options to help me and how I came across the idea of stem cell therapy in the first place.

Having a travel bucket list is hugely important. There is nothing more fulfilling than going into our hearts, discovering what our true self desires and then taking it into reality. We can’t achieve what we can’t imagine so I was determined to manifest myself better and back exploring the world. Just thinking about my travel bucket list makes me happy and I know that standing on the beautiful hills of Munnar in Kerala India will be an emotional moment for me.

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Until next time you crazy kids!

If you liked this you may also like:

Tips for travelling with chronic illness

Kerala, a beginners guide to India

Exploring Munnar with the Kerala Blog Express

How to secure free accommodation as a travel blogger

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