I’ve always wondered what the fuss is about when going on holiday…
Why people think that dropping all their healthy ways for a two week break or a short few days, always leaves me feeling a bit stressed around this time of year. When it already feels like I’m a lemming hurtling towards a cliff with all the other lemmings. That lack of control in the holiday season when many I come across are just stressed and Tesco’s plays all the christmas songs, when they need to play something completely different so we can enjoy and relax through and with the festive period. It always ends up leaving me with the desire to go away and January is definitely my favourite time to travel. And as the busiest booking time for travel – it seems it does this for others also!
The effects are threefold: new kinds of vacations are emerging centered around nature, movement, and connection; luxury hotels are increasing their preventive health and longevity offerings, and more affordable properties are adopting well-being amenities. In 2024, the need to get away will persist, but the definition of escape will evolve. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/wellbeing-travel-trend
As I mentioned above, when I travel I think about what I’m eating, how much I’m drinking and the impact on my self, when I return.
For me, It isn’t about going away and eating and drinking as much as I can. Holidays are for my subjective wellbeing. There are the place I find my freedom and have space to live fully. I BREATHE.
So for me, it is always important to take good habits with myself when I travel, not to leave this part at home and I normally travel for a purpose rather than simply a holiday. It doesn’t feel the same otherwise.
Wellness Travel Tips:
Set an intention.
Prepare to see yourself on differing levels and parts depending what comes up.
Let go of the desired outcome.
Open to the experience – all feelings and emotions it brings.
Learn and take something positive from it forward into your life.
With a background as a Humanistic Therapist, I like to harness Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a guide on what has or is being built during my travels. I find the practicality of it helpful when out of the country long-term. It provides me with a point of reflection.
On my short trips, I normally take myself off somewhere I can marvel at something. It doesn’t necessarily need to be far and at times, when I use the shoulder season to travel. Things don’t always go to plan. Take visiting Chamonix recently.
I took a short break. A circuit breaker trip. A quick flight to Geneva, a bus to Chamonix, France & an intention to ride the Aiguille Du Midi cable car 🚠 up to Mont Blanc.
Different language. Different money. Different food.
A desire to marvel at something in nature. To be in awe, experience wonder and to embrace the experience. A positive psychological moment tapping into my personal physiology. I was waiting for joy.
Alas strong winds closed the mountain access and my window of opportunity gone!
Yet one of the greatest gifts our travel experiences give us whether a short break, sabbatical or complete lifestyle and location change, is the ability to learn from each experience. I wrote this to myself as the disappointment rose when the cable car was closed due to hurricane force winds and I realised this was not the trip I would stand atop a mountain and marvel at natures wonder.
‘If today has taught you anything on seeing Mont Blanc appear from the candy floss clouds, is the learning that conditions have to be right for what you want to come true and sometimes life works with you and other times against you but it’s nothing personal. That’s just life.
It is out of your control.
You are within yours so feel your disappointment. Acknowledge the loss. Then practice radical acceptance of the situation. Life moves on.’
Looking ahead: With hospital wait times peaking, rampant chronic disease and an ageing population, Everlab and other ambitious healthtech startups are stepping up into uncharted territory. Providing new preventative healthcare pathways could be a game-changer for society and the economy, but not until costs drop and access increases. https://www.welltodoglobal.com
Each time I go away – I understand the importance of caring for and of my health. Emotional, physical, psychological, mental and spiritual. I think holidays are more, for me, a form of preventative health care. For my overall wellness and the full reconnection of me within me in its variety of ways, is something I cherish and long for regularly. So it’s really good to hear that in 2024 travellers want trips to transform their health.
Can you share your wellness and wellbeing travel tips for when you travel?
Wild about Wellbeing 