Eight Reasons Why You Should Travel More
When presented with a choice on how to spend your disposable income, the options are generally material goods or experiences. Material items - such as designer clothing, luxury cars, and jewelry - usually satisfy for the short-term.
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On the other hand, travel is an experience that stays with you for the long term. Studies show that the excitement you gain from making the purchase of a physical item is only temporary. Material things may (or may not) last longer than a vacation but they are less fulfilling. The enrichment that come from having experiences - such as vacationing solo or with family or friends and visiting new places - psychologically lasts longer in your mind. Experiences are everlasting; you can’t take that away from someone. Furthermore, when you venture outside your comfort zone to embark on a new adventure, you create great memories that can be recalled and shared with others.
Here are seven more reasons why you should place travel at the top of your list of priorities:
1. A change of environment is good for the soul. Just taking a few days or a week relaxing on your own, or getting away from the kids (grandparents can make terrific babysitters), allows you to recharge your batteries, and reawaken within yourself, or reconnect with your spouse or significant other.
VHR, WORLDWIDE offers a wide variety of villas, cottages and condominiums that are ideal for singles and couples who want to take a breather and refresh. Whether you're away for three nights or three weeks, when you return home from your trip you will feel revitalized.
2. Travel allows you to de-stress from your job and create a respite from your daily routine. Various studies have linked vacation time with greater workplace productivity, as well as lower rates of depression and anxiety. A simple, temporary change of environment really does make a difference in your outlook.
Perhaps one of the most difficult decisions may be whether to choose a seaside abode, hillside villa or urban apartment. VHR, WORLDWIDE represents a wide variety of accommodations on the beach, tucked in the hills or mountains, and even in quaint villages, major cities or on private islands. There is something for everyone regardless of individual preferences or budget.
3. Travel is a rewarding way to spend quality time with family and friends. The wonderful thing about getting together is the opportunity to catch up and enjoy each other’s company, especially as we grow older and our perspective on life and priorities change. Under these circumstances, the destination may become secondary to the purpose of the trip.
Choosing a villa as your vacation accommodations allows you to enjoy what truly matters. Many of our properties have a household staff in residence, including a chef or cook who will manage food shopping and meal preparation, or a nanny who will care for young children while the parents spend some 'adult time', which is ideal for a family or group of friends vacationing together. Since large villas or groups of condominiums present an ideal atmosphere, it is easy to appreciate why family reunions are a big part of VHR, WORLDWIDE's business.
4. Returning to your favorite vacation spot. The anticipation of revisiting a place you love is an exciting prelude to the actual trip. Our clients often go back to the same villa , condominium or apartment - Treasure Cay in The Bahamas is one of our top repeat destinations - to meet up with people they met on previous visits. Time and again, adults and children establish lasting friendships!
5. Exploring a new destination is a marvelous way to spend time with family and friends. There is only so much opportunity to share a moment with those whom we care about, so why not use that time to travel with them? Especially as we grow older, savoring a chance to be alone, or with family or friends, becomes far more important than adding to a collection of possessions.
6. Travel teaches us first-hand about how other people live: their cultures, cuisine, music, abodes, attire, and holidays. We learn to appreciate how other people view life from an entirely different perspective ... how others they think … what is important to them ... family dynamics. By meeting people different from us, we may also come to make fresh changes in our own lives that are beneficial, and both physically and mentally healthful.
7. Trying something new. Travel presents a chance to engage in a new sport or other activity. It's never too late to embark on an item on your Bucket List! The curiosity of youngsters to learn something that they cannot experience in a classroom can be life changing. As part of VHR, WORLDWIDE's service, we can recommend and book sightseeing and other activities to ensure that you get the most out of your trip.
Even though technology has us connected more than ever, it’s so easy for the tail to wag the dog instead of the other way around. Often, we feel as though we are treading water just to keep the momentum of activities in flow. Travel allows us to break free of our daily routines and activities. Why not shake things up a bit and visit someplace new and exciting? VHR, WORLDWIDE can help plan the perfect vacation!
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
Editor's Note: Lauren Brown joined VHR, WORLDWIDE as a Marketing Intern in January of 2016. She has been instrumental in updating our villa rental company's mailing lists and managing VHR's Twitter and Instagram postings. In August of this year, she will graduate from Skidmore College and will be sorely missed as she moves on to the next chapter in her exciting young career. This is a blog that she wanted to share because the value that travel adds to one's life became more and more apparent to her as she learned about our business. We wish her all the best!
