We’ve all experienced heartbreak — the kind where you’ve cried until you have no more tears and you feel like your soul is on the floor. It’s never a good feeling, and you feel so emotionally spent that you feel like the best thing to do is stay in bed so you can’t get more hurt. The problem is you can’t get into a bad pattern of self-deprecation. You have to see the light of day at some point, and it might as well be as soon as possible.
Here are five reasons you should travel after a breakup:
- A much-needed distraction: You may not feel inclined to pack your bags and hit the road, but travel requires mental (and emotional) energy that can make it the perfect distraction after a breakup. Instead of wondering about your ex or why things went wrong in your relationship, you’ll have to plan your next great travel adventure.
- Learning about yourself: Breakups are all about learning and moving on, and the best way to truly know yourself is by getting yourself into a healthy state of self-reliance. By traveling, you quickly discover your limits and your goals realign so quickly that your heart will realign with them in no time.
- Freedom is a gift: Relationships require work and time, and now that you’re no longer in one, you have the freedom to do what you want, when you want, so why not embrace it! Liberate yourself on the road by giving yourself the gift of independent travel.
- The world is a beautiful place: Even if you live in paradise (I’m raising my hand right now), there are plenty of beautiful places in this world and life is too short to just experience them vicariously or virtually. Beauty will make you smile again, and soon enough you’ll wonder why you ever frowned.
- Get cultured: I find open-minded, free-spirited, cultured people the most attractive and inspiring individuals to be around, and when I’m traveling I’m surrounded by them. Not only that, I’m experiencing life and educating myself of cultures I could only read about before.
After a breakup, there’s a tendency to trap yourself in a seemingly endless state of sorrow that it’s easy to forget about the world around you and the beautiful, inspiring things out there. If you can, find that strength to lift yourself out of that dark, personal space you’re in, step out into the fresh world, and embrace everything travel has to offer you. There are more than five reasons to travel after a breakup. In fact, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t, so get out there and go!