“In our hectic daily lives, the urgent pace driven by our anxieties and a demanding culture often keeps us from being in the present moment,” Jessica explains. “There is a bid for attention from so many outlets, and anything related to survival keeps us constantly watching for imminent danger. This habitual state makes it challenging to be truly present as our minds continuously works overtime.”
“Stepping away from the familiar environment that reinforces these patterns offers a natural break from survival cycles,” she expands. “Slowing down to pay attention to new cultures, sights, and sounds helps us to be fully in the present, which recalibrates our relationship with time and effortlessly realigns our priorities. Suddenly, the pressure of a work email diminishes when juxtaposed with centuries of history or diverse ways of life.
By slowing down, you will find that you discover new aspects of yourself and find simple joys that remind you that now is the time is now to fully enjoy yourself. Your ability to practice being present will reshape your perspective and reposition your priorities leading to a greater sense of inner peace.”
Dr Khwaja agrees. “A key way in which our brain can benefit from travelling is through the practice of being mindful abroad. Researchers report practising mindfulness as a tourist, such as increasing awareness of our external environment, grounding ourselves to the present moment, and non-judgmental perception about a destination has positive impacts on our wellbeing, actions and thinking responses. Mindfulness allows us to move from stress to awareness and broadens our attention to reframe life circumstances in a positive way.”
Woman on a hiking tripGetty images
Treat yourself
Obviously, a holiday in itself is a treat – and an expensive one at that. But, if you are already going on holiday, then it’s important to make sure that you aren’t spending the entire trip worrying about how much everything costs and scrimping on experiences while you’re there. This harks back to my earlier point about organisation – if you plan accordingly, you’ll be able to balance out more affordable experiences with some finer ones, too. A holiday is supposed to be a spoiling experience, so make sure you give yourself the opportunity to enjoy the trip as much as you can afford to.
Don’t put too much pressure on the holiday
Having said that, it’s equally as important to realise that a holiday is not always guaranteed to go entirely smoothly. It’s helpful to remind yourself that you are in a strange place and you cannot plan for every potential – there are endless amounts of variables that can occur, and attempting to plan for all of them is never going to work. Do what you can to prepare yourself physically and mentally, but once you arrive on holiday, try your best to relinquish attempts to control anything and everything. This is a chance for you to fully relax, kick back and enjoy the little time we get each year to let things unfold naturally.
Source link
