How to Travel for Change Instead of Futile Escape
We all need breaks regularly, but traveling as an escape is different. If travel is a means of avoidance, then what are we missing out on?
This post was originally published on my website.
NOTE: The above voiceover is of the excerpt from my memoir only, not the entire post.
It might be time to take a break...
We all want an escape from our daily lives sometimes.
If we don’t take regular breaks from work or our usual routines we burnout easily. When preparing for my book launch I know I didn’t take breaks as often as I should have and I bet that you probably feel like you could use a break right now as you are reading this.
Booking vacations and trips abroad are a great example of taking a break. But I want to make sure we understand the difference between taking a break vs making a trip into an escape.
Is it a break or escape?
Have you ever been away on a trip and had that looming dread of coming back home to your job, apartment, commute, etc.? I’ve been there too. When I first left home for a year of travel in 2018, I was dreading having to come home and deal with either applying to school or finding work.
Before I’ve written about some stories from Dervla Murphy about the difference between traveling away or towards, which is similar to this concept.
When we take a break, it is a short pause from our routine and usual activity. It is a mindful interruption in which we can recharge and reset ourselves so we continue to do our best—whether in our personal or professional lives.
An escape is different.
Escaping means you are “trying to get away from a situation, a person, or something that limits your freedom”.
If that doesn’t hit you in the gut like it does to me, well then maybe this isn’t the article for you. For those of you who have felt that ‘escape’ feeling before going on a trip then keep reading.
How can I take away the feeling of escape?
It’s not easy to accomplish, because the only way to permanently rid yourself of that feeling is to deal with the ‘situation, person, or thing’ head-on.
Let’s be honest, it’s not always fun dealing with our situations, people, or things in our life head-on. And because I’m no counselor or therapist, I’m not going to tell you how to do it!
What I CAN do is explain how to take full advantage of your travel experiences so that they at least feel more like meaningful breaks instead of temporary escapes. Here are a few things you can do to shift your mindset towards one that makes room for positive change.
1. Be open to new opportunities.
Whether it’s trying out a new activity like surfing or painting, if the opportunity arises while you are away to try something totally new for you—say yes and feel empowered and humbled by the feeling of being a beginner at something!
2. Be open to new connections.
I recently wrote about the power of connecting with people on our travels. People from different cultures are a wealth of information and a gateway to gaining a greater understanding of the world around us.
3. Focus on the present.
Even if your trip is an escape in some way, the more you embrace the present moment, and focus on what is in front of you, the time will be better spent and begin to feel more like the much-needed break you deserve anyway!
The easiest way I find myself being able to stay present is to revisit my senses—what can you see, feel, hear, and touch nearby. (Fun fact: I love feeling the textures of flowers when I’m out on walks…maybe that’s weird but I’d suggest giving it a try!)
How my own escape turned into change...
Just in case you don’t believe me, I want to share my personal experience of when I too felt like I was escaping home.
With the help of a friend, I was able to see my trip in a new light. Below is a short section from my story.
I’ve only been here about ten hours, but I can already tell that coming back to Asia was a step in the right direction. I have no idea where I’m going after Bangkok. I just know that being here feels right, and I’m thanking myself for booking that ticket out of Madrid.
What’s scaring me now is my looming return date to Toronto in December. One of my best friends, Cassandra, calls me late at night long after Lucas and I are back from our scoot around town.
I vent to her about needing to book my flight back to Toronto. Navigating new streets, finding the next place to stay, and deducing how to order meals—this is my new normal.
Without my travel routine, the only thing left for me to tackle will be my job and career search mission. I can’t just go with the flow and make last-minute decisions with my career like I do every day with my traveling.
“I’m worried now that it’s already September,” I tell Cass. “I mean, what the hell am I going to do once I’m home?”
“What do you mean, what are you going to do?” I pull the phone away from my ear as she shouts. “You’re going to sit your ass down and think about what you just did!”
Wouldn’t it be a bit lazy of me to just sit and do nothing instead of trying to get moving on a career? A whole year of traveling is more than enough time to think and delay as my mother has pointed out many times.
Staying with locals in Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal taught me practical skills like doing laundry by hand, cutting up jackfruit, and taking bucket baths.
More importantly, I’ve seen what it means to live as a community, to be caring and generous to strangers, and to be happy and fulfilled.
I have no idea what other lessons or experiences will come my way. Whatever they are, I know they’re going to be worth sitting down and thinking about.
Perhaps this is why I believe I’m going in the right direction. In Asia, I’m pushed further out of my normal to new ideas.
Being in Thailand now, I sense there are new great lessons to learn, and that’s the direction I need to take before returning home.
Interested in planning your own trip?
If you’re interested in taking a solo trip but nervous for your first time, I have two FREE solo travel starter guides to help pack and save money!
If you’re interested in reading the whole story of my escape around Asia and Europe, you can order my book here below!
Thanks for reading. I wish you the best travels in the future and a wonderful day!
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Much love,
Danika Smith