A New Year’s Resolution You Can Stick With: Travel More

Happy New Year!

The champagne has been popped, the toasts made, and (maybe) sometime this week the holiday decorations will even be taken down and put away. The holidays are an amazing time of year – hopefully filled with lots of laughter, friends, and loved ones. But soon it will be back to reality – school, work, and meals that don’t involve chocolate, appetizers, and lots of leftovers. Oh yeah, and don’t forget those pesky resolutions.

Top New Year’s Resolutions

Every year, millions of people make lists of things they will do, or do a better job of, in the New Year.  Here are some of the items that top those resolutions:

• Get in Shape
• Lose Weight/Eat Healthier
• Spend More Time with Friends & Family
• Take up a new hobby / Learn something new
• Reduce Stress

While going to the gym, eating healthy meals, and reading books are all good, there is one item that can help accomplish all of those – travel! And, maybe I am just trying to justify my wanderlust, but stick with me and soon you will see the logic to my argument! That travel is the answer to everything!

Travel Can Be Good for the Waistline

Think about it – you know you are going to be taking a lot of pictures, and you’ll want to look your best. What better incentive to hit the gym and eat more salad then a scheduled Caribbean Cruise or family vacation to an all-inclusive resort?  Not convinced, well just think about the last time you went to Walt Disney World® and how many miles you put in, and how many rings you completed on your Apple Health app. Getting your feet and legs prepared for that experience ahead of time would have made it a lot more enjoyable. And having a few less pounds on your frame would have been easier on your feet as well. What a great incentive – looking and feeling better all while having more fun with your loved ones – sounds good to me!

Family Time

It seems to me that spending time with friends, family and loved ones is getting harder and harder with our busy lives. Taking time to get away and just enjoy each other’s company can really deepen the bonds we have and shared experiences and memories really deepen those connections. Going off the grid, or at least out of range of Wi-Fi, allows us to unplug from work and really pay attention to what is going on around you, the conversations you are having, and the people you are spending time with. Seeing that new place you have always dreamed of, revisiting your favorite spot, or getting to know the country where your family is from can be life-changing. Teenagers suddenly become little kids again, adults laugh more, and you begin to have experiences that will become the stories you share for years to come.

Always Learning

Travel is about discovering new places, experiencing new cultures and activities, and taking in new sights, sounds, and tastes. It gives you new perspectives on the world and puts into context things you have read about in books.  If learning something new is on your Resolution List, travel definitely ticks this one off!

Many cruise lines and resorts even offer classes where you just might find a new hobby that you can continue long after you return. Adventures by Disney® is famous for their educational components – cooking classes, fishing, dancing, and archery are just a few of the great options. My husband took a cooking class with the chef’s at Palo on our last Disney Cruise Line® vacation. I have taken a scuba diving course while at Sandals®, and my family went to a lecture on saving sea turtles at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort – the possibilities are endless, so find something you love, or think you may love, and go for it. 

Time to Decompress

Let’s face it…life is stressful.  Between jobs, the house, kids, parents, socializing, volunteering, and after school and sports schedules, it can get pretty overwhelming.  Travel is good for both the body and soul – and transports you both physically and mentally to a calmer place – so you are prepared to tackle all of your responsibilities when you get home. Just thinking about sitting on the open deck of a ship, doing yoga on the beach, reading a book by the pool, or watching the sunset on a beach in Hawaii is enough to calm me down, and allow me to breathe a little deeper. Imagine what actually being there experiencing it would do!

Let’s Go!

As you can see, I wasn’t just trying to justify my very extensive list of places I would like to visit – travel really is good for you! It can motivate you to get in shape, allow you to spend quality time with loved ones, learn something new, and even reduce stress.  Plus, it will probably be the easiest resolution ever to keep! So, who else is ready to set off an adventure?