Yet, taking a vacation is something that many people debate about, even when they have the time and money to go. If you need convincing that going on vacation can be beneficial, here are some of the psychological benefits of going on vacation.
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| The Psychological Benefits of Taking a Vacation |
Psychological Benefits of Taking a Vacation:
Vacations can provide you with an opportunity to:
- Relax: Even people who believe that they thrive on stress need down time every so often. Taking a vacation gives you an opportunity to relax. Getting away from your daily routines and worries, even for just a few days, helps to get some distance, not just physically but also psychologically, because you can leave your cares behind.
- Learn New Things: When you're at home, you're in familiar surroundings, but when you go on vacation, especially if you travel outside the country, chances are, you'll be learning new things, whether it's a few words in a new language or how to negotiate prices at a bazaar. This can be fun and exciting.
- Discover a New Perspective: When you go to a new place, you're exposed to new cultures, different ideas, and ways of doing things. Traveling gives you an opportunity to try new things--whether it's new foods, new customs or a different way of looking at life. The contrast can also give you a different perspective about your own life (see my article: Expanding Your Horizons While Traveling).
- Help You to Realize How Resourceful You Can Be: When you're at home going through your normal routine, there are times when you can almost do it with your eyes closed. But when you travel, opportunities present themselves that might challenge you to be more resourceful in how you navigate change or deal with a challenging situation. People often discover that they're a lot more resourceful than they realized (see my article: The Joy and Challenges of Traveling).
- Precipitate Change in Your Life: A vacation to a place where you've never been can spark an idea that you'd like to make changes in your life, whether it's a geographical change or a psychological change.
- Reconnect With Your Inner World and Your Partner/Spouse: A vacation can give you an opportunity to reconnect with your inner emotional world in ways that staying at home often doesn't. You have the time and space to focus on yourself. And if you travel with your partner or spouse, you also have an opportunity to reconnect and rekindle things between you (see my article: Learning About Yourself While Traveling).
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| The Psychological Benefits of Taking a Vacation: Rekindling Your Relationship |
Even just a few days away can provide you with many of these psychological benefits, so if you have the time and money to travel, treat yourself to some time away.
About Me
I am a licensed NYC psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR and Somatic Experiencing therapist who works with individual adults and couples.
To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.
To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.