Why Women Should Pursue Travel

When the talk of travel comes up, most women have their go-to fantasy of what their dream trip looks like. For some, it’s an idyllic walk on the beach in a tropical paradise with the love of their life. For others, it’s standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, taking the ultimate selfie. Some may have visions of taking their entire families on a cruise. Still others see themselves on an exciting adventure on an African safari or an Antarctic expedition.

With a jolt back to reality, these wonderful thoughts disappear with a sigh and a shrug of the shoulders. The would-be vacationers and explorers concede their fantasies and give a litany of reasons why they can’t possibly travel.

Women need to believe that travel is worth it.   Sure, some dream trips may take longer to save up for.  Becoming a traveler is a state of mind.  Taking the first step, no matter how small, gives one the thrill of accomplishment, the amazement of discovering possibilities, and the anticipation of taking the next step.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe: we women can improve the quality of our lives and our relationships by seeing and engaging the world around us. Travel, in its simplest form, becomes a need rather than a luxury that most of use have been conditioned to think.

Now, before I get a flood of emails and comments about having to prioritize paying the bills, raising children, putting food on the table and saving up for retirement, let me say that I agree 100%. Necessities should be addressed first.   We’ll tackle saving up for travel on a different time.   Let me just say this for now: travel does not have to mean far and expensive.   It could be the next town or state over.

Again: travel is a state of mind. The mere act of setting aside some time, getting into the car and driving to a destination for the sheer pleasure of seeing something new or different is in itself a huge first step.

So now, let’s talk about some compelling reasons why women should pursue travel:

Travel can make you healthier.

The bliss of experiencing a new place or getting away from stresses of daily life causes a sense of relaxation or positive energy – feelings that are associated with good health.   Taking periodic breaks from everyday life’s activities by recharging your batteries through travel can reduce stress and depression that could lead to serious health issues.

Yoga in Machu Picchu

Whether you are a working woman or a stay at home mom, the amount of stress in your life can be overwhelming. In a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a predictor of the incidence of myocardial infarction or coronary death among women, or simply put, a factor that could lead to a heart attack, that is common among both working women and homemakers was lack of vacation.

In the study by the Global Coalition on Aging, found that  women who vacationed every six years or less had a significantly higher risk of developing a heart attack or coronary death compared with women who vacationed at least twice a year.

Another way you may find yourself living a healthier lifestyle is the pre-trip preparation that you engage in.   When you’re planning to do something really special like joining the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, going skiing in the Swiss Alps, or just gearing up for a lot of walking around during your trip, you’d be wise to prepare yourself physically to take on the rigors of active travel.   Engaging in regular exercise can be much more motivating, or at the very least tolerable, when you have something exciting like a travel adventure as a goal.

Travel can help you develop better relationships among couples.

In a study commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association, three key points have surfaced that make for compelling reasons for couples to make time to travel together:

Covered with Dead Sea mud in Israel

1. Travel has long-term benefits for couples

Couples who travel together report higher levels of satisfaction with their relationships.    94% of respondents who travel as a couple reported that they feel very close to one another.

2. Travel helps build and maintain relationships

Whether you’re a new couple discovering things together for the first time or a couple rekindling the fire after many years together, the shared experiences during travel are perceived by the respondents as having a huge positive influence on their relationships.

3. Travel ignites romance and intimacy

Three-quarters (77%) of the respondents say that they have a good sex life as couple traveling together. Majority of the couples in the survey also believe that travel together is a more effective way to spark romance in their relationship than giving gifts, big or small.     In a separate study, one-third of all leisure travelers say they have more sex while on vacation.

Nudists Welcome in Hvar, Croatia

Travel can enrich your mind and grow your spirit.

When you travel to an unfamiliar culture, whether it is Nashville, Tennessee or Beijing China, the environment will push you beyond your comfort zone.   The way you respond and absorb new things to learn can change you in so many ways.

Even as a fully grown adult, our brain and nervous system is still constantly developing – building new neural pathways with each new experience. German scientists working with mice have found that those who were allowed the most exploratory activity during the experiment showed significantly more activity in the part of the brain responsible for learning than the less adventurous or home-bound ones.

Learning a new dance step from my Croatian friends in Zagreb

While travel can stretch our mind, it could also help deepen our faith and spirituality. Marveling at magnificent natural wonders lead to an appreciation for the Master Creator.   For followers of any religion, going on pilgrimages is a time-honored activity where one travels to a holy place of worship in obedience and with reverence.

The Western Wall

Notice that in all of the reasons I gave, the operative word is CAN.   Travel is what you make of it. There are no guarantees that you’ll get everything that you may have set out to do. However, with the right frame of mind and sensible preparation, you will always come home from a travel experience changed for good.

What’s your most compelling reason to travel?  Share your thoughts below. 

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