How Wellness Travel Can Change Your Life

By: Courtney Humes, Follow Your Shine

CAN WELLNESS TRAVEL REALLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE? IT CHANGED MINE.

At the time, I did not know what wellness travel was, or realize the impact wellness-inspired activities and destinations could have. I was young, just graduated from college, and was feeling unhappy in my home city. I was looking for answers on what path to take in life and just knew it was time for a change.

So, I packed my car and headed west. The final destination was Banff, Alberta, Canada. When I arrived and first saw those Canadian Rockies mountains I was in true awe. I had never seen anything like it. They made me feel so small. At that moment, my fears, stress, and worries subsided. I realized there are so many things to explore, see, and do in this life. That I was just one tiny piece of this wide-open world and the small things troubling me were likely insignificant. That moment changed my perspective forever.

Since then, I have incorporated wellness into every trip I have taken. Whether it was hiking through lush green mountains in Hawaii, driving down long roads exploring new land in Australia, visiting the cloud forest in Costa Rica, enjoying a Thai massage in Thailand, or watching the sunrise on the beach while writing in my journal in Jamaica. I always value my precious wellness-focused time.

HOW CAN WELLNESS TRAVEL CHANGE YOU?

To understand how wellness travel can have an impact on your life, let’s first discuss what wellness travel is. The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. As explained by the Global Wellness Institute, wellness encompasses all aspects of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, as well as environmental and social health.

With that definition of wellness in mind, to me, wellness travel is any travel that gives you space, perspective, and time for contemplation. It is travel to a destination (either local or far) that provides activities that allow you to focus on your mental, emotional, and physical health resulting in relaxation, a clearing of the mind, and an appreciation of your existence.

To help you achieve that state of being, beneficial wellness activities range from relaxing on a beach, hiking in nature or a rainforest, watching the ocean, surfing ocean waves, kayaking a pristine sea, biking down winery lined roads, practicing yoga or mediation at a retreat center, enjoying treatments at a spa, seeing new things and meeting new people, or simply taking a long drive in the country.

While wellness travel and activities are available almost anywhere in the world, the most common wellness-inspired destinations are those which include an abundance of nature or water, as well as destinations that are focused on sustainability and ecotourism. However, even if an exotic location or vacation is not an option at the moment, remember, you do not need to travel far to experience the benefits.

WHAT TYPE OF WELLNESS TRAVEL DO YOU NEED?

The key is to look at your life, either at a high level or at a smaller more minute level. Ask yourself, how am I feeling lately?

• Are you stressed, overwhelmed, and overworked?
• Have you been stuck in the house resulting in major bouts of cabin fever?
• Have you had any alone or “me” time lately?
• Are the kids and family sucking up all of your energy?
• Are you missing social interactions?

Now, ask yourself. What do I need and what will help me feel better?

• A walk or hike in nature to breathe in the fresh crisp air?
• A yoga or mediation class or retreat to help relieve stress and re-center the mind?
• Travel to a new country to learn about the culture and meet new people?
• A fitness-focused group trip or weekend at a wellness resort?

Once you decide what may be best for you, make the commitment to start planning out the activity or trip. Doing this is not only a great way to start down a new path, but also jumpstart a lifestyle shift.

Regardless of what you feel you need, or where to find it, wellness activities and destinations can provide you with transformative and fulfilling outcomes. You just need to be open to receiving them. With that openness, you are allowing yourself to adopt an attitude and lifestyle aimed at preventing burnout, stress, and overwhelm in your life, leading to long-term optimal health and well-being.

Wellness travel changes my life with every trip I take, even if just a little bit. It can also change yours.

 Courtesy of UnSplash.com