Ever wonder why traveling is good for your mind, body, and spirit? Traveling improves mental health, boosts happiness, creativity, and motivation. Read more about how traveling improves mental health with 9 benefits!
Washington, DC Trip got me back in shape
in mind, body, and spirit!!
I love traveling, it inspires me, renews my perspective, and enriches my mind, body, and spirit.
In This Blog Post:
How traveling improves mental health with 9 benefits:
- Motivation with soul-giving experiences
- Beautiful sights & cultures
- Being alive
- Meaningful steps
- Manage stress & negative thoughts
- Enhances creativity
- Community connections
- Magical & inspiring
- Boost happiness
Traveling
Improves Mental Health
with 9 Benefits:
This trip was my first trip to Washington, D.C., and I had no ideas how meaningful it would be.
1. Motivation with soul-giving experiences
Traveling improves mental health and physical health with motivation and soul-giving experiences. There was so many experiences on my trip that inspired me and reminded me of positive reasons to move and be alive.
Going to see the beautiful sights at my nation’s capital was awe-inspiring for me. My soul was deeply touched at the Korean Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Roosevelt Memorial.
My favorite is the Lincoln Memorial. As I walked up those steps and considered all Abraham Lincoln achieved bringing our people together, our nation into unity, I was deeply moved.
Seeing the artwork of da Vinci, Monet, van Gogh, and Degas at the National Gallery of Art sang peace deeply to my soul.
I am motivated to get up, move, and have soul-giving experiences. If you want to be motivated to get up and move more, read how traveling can improve your physical health.
2. Beautiful sights & cultures
Traveling improves mental health by seeing beautiful sights and cultures. For me, traveling gives the opportunity to experience beautiful sights & immerse myself in the areas’ culture and community.
“The structure of world peace…
Roosevelt Memorial, Washington, D.C.
rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
The more I got moving and saw so many beautiful sights in Washington, DC, the better I felt inside. For instance, seeing the Roosevelt Memorial reminded me of how one person can influence many people to better themselves.
3. Being Alive
Traveling improves mental health by giving us gratitude for being alive. My grandmother says:
Everything is a blessing, because we are alive to experience it.
My Mimi
I was also very moved at the Korean Memorial walking among the tall statue soldiers, imagining their fear of the unknown and the danger.
My own mortality and very life became clearer, as I walked around the Vietnam Wall. The World War II Memorial reminded me that I had 2 grandfathers serve in that war. Such a grateful feeling just to be alive.
4. Meaningful Steps
Traveling improves mental health by inspiring us with motivation and meaningful experiences.
The most beautiful experience for me was walking up the Lincoln Memorial steps. A few years ago when I experienced a serious illness, I would not have been able to go up any steps. This was a magnificent feat for me, one I had envisioned my whole life.
Meaningful and emotionally moving, that was the Lincoln Memorial to me. This Memorial represents freedom, unity, resiliency, and humanity. This travel experience was definitely an important part of improving my mental and emotional health.
5. Manage stress & negative thoughts
Traveling improves mental health by helping manage stress and negative thoughts by boosting positive emotions and thoughts. Before my trip to Washington, DC, I was struggling with managing stress and negative thoughts.
The more I saw different cultures and people in Washington, DC, the more I remembered how we are all one people, striving to embrace the beauty around us and connect to one another.
I forgot about my own negativity and self-focus. Instead I focused on how amazing our nation is and how far we have come, and yes, how far we can create an amazing nation together.
Sometimes we need to be reminded that our lives are about more than ourselves, we are here on earth to be in relationship and to be connected. We can help each other and support one another on our journeys.
Traveling boosted my positive emotions and my positive thoughts, which in turn helped me manage stress better, all improving my mental health.
Traveling also improves mental health:
- decreases depression symptoms
- less ruminating thoughts
- lowers risk for depression
6. Enhances Creativity
Traveling improves mental health by enhancing creativity.
Every time I travel, my brain is seriously boosted with creative ideas one after another! There’s something about seeing different cultures, various walks of life, new perspectives.
My mind is expanded, my perspective is enhanced, and my creativity is unleashed. I think of new blog ideas, creative counseling interventions, and cool solutions to solve problems. Even a drive in the country, or to a new park can be invigorating.
Seeing new sights, meeting new people, expanding our mind, that all drives creativity.
Sometimes, we need to see new sights, meet new people, be challenged and grow to be able to be inspired with new creativity. What inspires you? What traveling experiences helped you grow with new creativity?
7. Community connections
Traveling improves mental health by creating community connections. Traveling encourages interacting with people and making connections. This was evident the evening we strolled onto a neighborhood park in Crystal City.
There lay an interactive chess board, pin pong tables, lounge chairs, and a nearby band playing an outdoor concert. I watched an older couple pick up the chess pieces and begin to play a game together. Young people, dog walkers, bike riders, families, couples, and strollers would pause to watch, give their two cents, nod in agreement and smile.
How fascinating to observe all different walks of life, ages, cultures. All gather to this corner park to enjoy games and leisure together in common play. How beautiful to watch and smile together, connecting with one another and laughing in unity.
Traveling bonds the people around you, strengthening the relationships over common experiences and shared emotional bonding.
Make your move! How do you connect with people in your community? What is your common play activity bringing your friends/family together?
8. Magical & Inspiring
Traveling improves mental health with new opportunities, new perspectives, and new inspiration.
Magical and inspiring are the two words that described my Mindsight and perspective when I completed my trip to Washington, DC.
I remembered that a few years ago when I had experienced a serious illness, I could not have made this trip. I am thankful I had the health and support to make this trip.
Being thankful for being alive sounds too simple, yet it’s all encompassing and a foundational truth to traveling.
Traveling enriches my perspective of seeing how others live to appreciate my own living. I find my passions again, experience inspiration to live a fuller life, and gain awareness that my life matters.
9. Boost happiness
Traveling improves mental health with new experiences, new adventures, and new exploration.
In fact, planning to travel even increases your happiness before you travel. Have fun planning to visit new places and explore new areas. Take some time before you travel to explore online and read reviews from other travelers, they will tell you what’s the best and worst and they’re usually right from my experience.
I love to explore, try new adventures, and meet new people. There’s something invigorating about new opportunities. Boost your happiness: learn one new fascinating fact about the place you’re visiting, talk to someone who lives there and let them teach you about their community.
Boost happiness & brain resiliency with a new experience:
- Try new foods
- Explore a new neighborhood or park
- Walk a new path
- Play a new game
- Learn a new language or phrase
As we travel, our brains are stretched, re-wired, flexible. Having new experiences increases our brain growth and re-wiring, increasing flexibility and resiliency.
Summary of how 9 traveling benefits improve mental health:
- Motivation with soul-giving experiences
- Beautiful sights & cultures
- Being alive
- Meaningful steps
- Manage stress & negative thoughts
- Enhances creativity
- Community connections
- Magical & inspiring
- Boost happiness
Sometimes, we need to see new sights, meet new people, be challenged and grow to be able to be inspired with new creativity.
What inspires you to improve your mental health? What traveling experiences inspire you with new creativity?
I’d love to hear from you, please leave me a comment, or join me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Blessings,
Beth
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Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links to my favorite products, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the link.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to take the place of counseling or therapy. This article has resources about restoring wellness, and is based on my journey and my experiences. If at any time you feel uncomfortable or need to talk to someone, wellness resources can help you find a counselor and other resources that might be helpful.