Think about it!!! A person spends almost 30% of time (10 hours a day for approximately 253 days in a year) working, 33% sleeping (8 hours a day), approximately 6% commuting to work and home, 8% doing chores. That just leaves us with 23% of time for ourselves.
Well all I am asking you is to spend 10% of your time in a year travelling. Let's say roughly 30 to 36 days out of the total 365 days in year. Seems like a daunting task? Obviously a big NO! By utilizing our earned leaves and making good use of long weekends, it is certainly possible.
Here are 10 reasons why you should:
1. So much of who we are is where we have been : More often than not we are so busy with our lives, hardly get time for ourselves, crib about our job and unhappy with certain situations. Once we take out time to travel and do things that make us happy, we start to realize how important is the work we do that makes a difference to our lives and our loved ones. We realize the value of financial independence. We start to reflect back on our journey and think about how far we have come to make so many progress in our phases of life and feel proud about it too.
2. Everything you have ever wanted is on the other side of the fear: Travel is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Embrace your fear and go on a solo trip at-least once in your life time. Climb that goddamn mountain, Sky dive, bungee jump and scuba dive. Do things that you never thought you would have been able to do.
3. If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it's lethal: Long working hours, stressful conditions and monotonous routine can take a toll on our body and mind. We all need a break to unwind and charge ourselves, gain clarity of thought and come back more enthusiastic, energized and rejuvenated.
4. Travel far enough, you meet yourself: Spending on travel is an investment. There are so many beautiful places to experience in this world and you can't get enough of it. We come back with cherished memories and this 10% of time invested is what keeps us going for rest of the year. You can shake the sand from your shoes, but it will never leave your soul.
5. When preparing to travel, layout all your clothes and money then take half the clothes and twice the money: Arranging and executing a trip requires meticulous planning and design thinking. Arranging tickets, visas, accommodations, itinerary, packing, getting best deals etc. Things may still not go as thought but you learn each and every time and sometimes it is random plan that turns out to be more memorable. You become more and more organized and expertise at planning. More often than not this habit rubs off in our daily lives too.
6. To travel is to realize that everyone is wrong about other countries: Food, people and history defines culture of a particular place. When you visit other countries, you can't help but keenly observe the cultural differences (how people behave, their outlook towards life, food choices etc.). You learn a thing or two and let go off your misconceptions.
7. Travel light, live light, spread the light and be the light: Travel makes you modest. You have to adjust to any situations that lies in front of you and that is one of the biggest lessons of life. You may enjoy luxurious benefits at some places and feel pampered and royal. But there are places which are untouched by the modernization waves and you turn nomadic once again. Imagine travelling to a place where everything that is at your finger tips in your daily life is a privilege - running tap water, electricity, internet, transport facilities. You learn to appreciate the luxurious that you have in your daily life.
8. Travelling leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller: Travel turns us into a passionate photographer and a blogger. I find it very exciting to talk to others about my trips and listen to their stories. Because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent overworking in the office.
9. Investment in travel is investment in yourself: Work, Travel, Save, Repeat. Most of us wait for weekends badly and yet don't have anything productive to do. We spend our times binge watching Netflix or surfing Facebook and Instagram. Not for a travel enthusiast. I spend a reasonable amount of my weekends reading travel blogs or viewing travel vlogs, planning for upcoming trips or sometimes even helping others with it. I find the planning part equally exciting.
10. Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer: Imagine the happiness and excitement in the faces of your dear ones while on a vacation. That's what I am talking about. Not just us but our family too deserves a much needed break.
Buy a ticket, get a tan, fall in love. Cheers!
Jointly contributed by Janani Iyer
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