TRAVEL IS HOLISTIC HEALTH!! However, if you feel more tired than when you arrived, like you need a vacation from your vacation, then maybe you’re not doing it right… Let me share The Connection Between Travel and Holistic Health!
Hi, I’m Ally, a yoga instructor, wellness coach, traveler, and the one writing this blog post! I always thought travel and health were two different components until I realized they go hand in hand, and travel is holistic health! Through my travels, I have learned more about holistic health, bringing me back to the roots of why I travel! Throughout this blog post, I share the connection between travel and holistic health, and more so about slow travel!
The Connection Between Travel and Holistic Health
To start, travel is holistic health! Travel is a powerful way to heal the soul, cleanse the mind, and open the heart. Whether you travel to a wellness retreat, backpack some of the most remote parts of NY, wander to a secluded beach, or spend time in a lively city; being in diverse environments has been recognized to be healing to your mind, body, and soul.
Travel experiences are a place to heal from mental, physical, and spiritual stress, A time to unwind, let go, and recharge the mind, body + soul! It clearly has a positive effect on your mental health.
Traveling opens our minds, opens our eyes, and allows us to learn more about ourselves.
Slow Travel for Healing
If you feel more tired than when you arrived, like you need a vacation from your vacation, then maybe you’re not doing it right.
Many of us work our 8-5’s, 5 days a week, and we are lucky to get 1-2 weeks off a year… So, we try to cram everything into a 1-week trip, which creates “tourist burnout”, leaving us feeling exhausted when we return home.
Slow travel, in particular, is essential for your well-being and mental health. It’s a form of self-care, and leaves us feeling rejuvenated!
Slow travel is less about the speed, going from place to place, and more about the authentic experience. highlighting connections to local people, places, cultures, food, and music. Giving yourself time to breathe, to feel, to absorb. Allowing us to be in the present moment, to learn, to grow, and to be more sustainable and connected!
Live Like a Local
Instead of hitting all the touristy spots you find on google or on an advertisement, trying to get that Instagram-worthy photo, try to connect with the local community, and see what the locals suggest! Most of the time touristy destinations are overcrowded and unsustainable. Bringing us back to the question, “why do we travel?”
Oftentimes, when John and I travel, we look for #1, budget Airbnb, but #2, Airbnb’s that are maybe 1 room in a locals home, or a farmstead of sorts, so we can meet, talk, connect, and live more like a local. And we have always had GREAT experiences with this!!
Free Spirit: a Way of Livin!
A desire for freedom. A passion for liberty.
Go with the flow!
Don’t have such a strict itinerary! I find that when we have outlined every place and booked ahead every Airbnb or camp spot, it becomes overwhelming, both planning, and experiencing it, feeling that “tourist burnout”.
Have days where you don’t have a plan for the day, maybe have trips that are less curated, and let them be more authentic and adventurous! When we traveled to Costa Rica for a month, we had a rough outline of the areas we wanted to see, but nothing actually booked or planned. So we would find an Airbnb the night before to stay at, and it all worked out and was more exciting too.
Be adventurous. Wander. And enjoy the moment and let go!
You Can Always Come Back!
It is impossible to see an entire state or country in a small amount of time, don’t rush it, and don’t try to see it all. You can always go back, there is always another trip! And yes, we all struggle with the work-life balance, I get it, but don’t let that stress carry into your time seeing the world!
Slow Travel and Health
Travel slowly so you can learn how to slow down! Be present. Be mindful. Meditate.
Society has an obsession with productivity which discourages us from taking time to slow down and relax. We often face pressure to constantly achieve. It’s always go, go, go… The need to curate everything because of the way social media portrays this, which then ties into our self-worth…
We’re spending more time on our phones, more time doing it for the Gram… This causes more anxiety, more stress, more disappointment, self-worth issues, insecurities, and so on…
So, slow down, and enjoy the moment, we don’t always have to be doing something!
Slow travel allows us to be more intentional, and more immersive, giving us space to connect with humanity and to listen to others’ stories. To see the world from a different lens!
When we are more connected to the local community, the culture, the place, and the world, we are more grounded, more connected to ourselves, and more connected to nature. When we engage in other cultures, we’re presented with new ways of living.
Slow travel is good for the soul.
“Slowness enables us to live in the moment and to experience the here and the now.”
— Geir Berthelsen
Slow Travel and the Environment
Clearly, the theme here is connection… Slow travel allows us to be more connected to nature. Finding solace in the wilderness, feeling so small among the trees, watching wildlife, listening to the water flowing, and feeling isolated from societal norms. To get lost and wander off, and to let go and just immerse ourselves in this natural environment is a big reason why I travel. However visiting a densely populated, polluted, touristy trail, that everyone goes to, to get that Instagram-worthy photo, has a major impact on our environment.
So slow travel, being mindful, and present allows us to find a balance and contribute to sustainable tourism, and care about our environment.
Being immersed in the true beauty of nature is so good for our well-being.
Benefits of Slow Travel
Traveling is such a rewarding experience– opening your mind and perspective to new places, immersing yourself in local cultures, and connecting with people, and the world around you. It can be rejuvenating, expressive, and unforgettable.
Connection
When we are running around, trying to do and see everything, we aren’t connecting. However slowing down, and connecting to locals or other travelers can really have a life-changing effect, and you often create life-long friendships.
Fulfillment & Joy
When we are always on the go, go, go, we often come back more tired than when we left, needing a vacation from our vacation… However, when we slow down and become more intentional in our travels, we find more fulfillment, more peace, and contentment!
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
People who feel they always need to be in control, or everything needs to be planned, likely will struggle with this. Letting go of expectations, and knowing that everything will work out! How did people in past generations travel, when there were no cell phones, social media, or all trails? Stepping out of your comfort zone is scary, but you’ll likely find that this will be your most rewarding trip, asking yourself, “why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Money-Saver!!!
People often ask us, how do you have the money to travel to these destinations for so long? Well, truth is, when you live more like a local, and less like a tourist, you’re going to spend a lot less! Touristy restaurants, experiences, and hotels can be pricy, and they certainly don’t offer an authentic experience. As I mentioned above, seek out local Airbnb’s, or farm stays, which can offer so much more than just a place to sleep at night!! We try to find places that have a kitchen space, so we can pick up food at the local market, and cook in, instead of going out for every meal, its cheaper, and healthier.
Other Links:
Travel and Holistic Health | Travel for Healing | Slow Travel and Health
The Connection Between Travel and Holistic Health | Slow Travel and the Environment
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