Numerous things have been said about travel. Travel opens our eyes to the world and makes us realize what little space we occupy in it. Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. Travel broadens your perspective. I would like to add more thing to all the great things that have been said about travel and that is travel can help you heal a broken heart. Trust me, I have tested it. It is not a theory, it is the truth. Travel might just be the best cure to a heart that is in pieces.
Breakups are never easy. You are hurting, anxious, miserable and you cry buckets and buckets of tears. You are lost and you are not sure who you are after being seeing your future with someone. No, I am not an alcoholic but I did reach for cocktails during my “mourning” period.
It felt like the world was so unfair and for people who didn’t see the breakup coming, it will feel as if the world has been turned upside down and nothing seems right anymore. So, what is the best thing to do? Book that ticket, get on that flight and travel. Why do I recommend travel for healing?
For starters, do not use travel as a means to escape your current situation. If you do that, you will just end up running away from your problems and wallowing in self pity. When you go back home, your problems will still be there and you will end up feeling more confused more than you did before.
Instead what you should do is to look at travel as an opportunity to learn, grow and discover more about yourself. Through this way the healing process will become natural and become a by-product of the experiences that come with traveling.
Travel is a distraction
When your head is filled with memories of you together and what-could-have-beens, travel! Travel is a catharsis. When you travel, you will be removed from familiar surroundings; from the places you have been to together; from the people you might both know. The risk of running in to your ex will be close to nil and I was very thankful for this. With distance I afforded myself space to think and I was “removed” from the situation.
When you travel you will have the unfamiliar and you will be out of your comfort zone. You will be transported to a place where no one knows you and you will be able to give yourself a break. Imagine yourself surrounded by foreign smells, sights and culture. I never knew that such things could help me forget and get me back to healing.
Travel allows you to meet new people
Another great thing that comes with travel is that it allows you to meet new people. If you travel solo, you will have more chances of meeting other solo travelers just like yourself. Get out of your shell and strike up a conversation. You will be delighted at the friendships that can result from these conversations and meetings. I have known quite a few people through my travels and they continue to be my great friends today.
Travel is an opportunity to learn a new skill
Take travel as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Going to a picturesque place? Try photography. Take pictures of the surroundings and realize just what how beautiful this world is. Use that foreign language which you have been learning. Converse with the locals in their native tongue. Start doing yoga. Volunteer while you are traveling. The only limit to this is your imagination.
Travel restores your balance
When you are in a relationship, it is very easy to get lost and your whole world suddenly revolves around your significant other. You tend to forget that you are own person and that you have your own preferences, likes and things you want to do. Before you do anything, you tend to think about how the other person will feel and what the other person in the relationship will think.
When you travel and when you travel solo, you are forced to rely on no one else but yourself. With travel you can reaffirm your own independence and also boost your self-confidence. Do not forget to trust your guts to keep you safe when traveling from one place to another. Although this is the time to revel at your independence, it does not mean that you should throw caution to the wind.
Travel can just become the new love of your life
Travel can become the new love of your life and who knows, you could just meet someone special among all the new people you have met, although you shouldn’t be thinking about that just now.
Either way, you might end up completely in love with new experiences, new sights, new sounds and new culture. Travel can inspire you and surprise you. But above everything else, it will bring out the best in you! I know because I did. Nowadays, I look forward to new places and new experiences and it has made my life so fulfilling. I would say my relationship with travel is even better than my relationship with my ex.
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