If someone were to ask you, “if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be,” what would be your answer? Maybe a nice boat tour in Venice pops into your head, or images of the snow-capped Alps make you want to take a ski trip. Whatever your vacation of choice is, research says TAKE IT! Traveling is said to increase overall happiness and broaden your horizons. Below are just a few of the numerous reasons why you should get up off the couch, call up your friends, and book that flight you’ve always wanted to book!

1. Promotes Genuine Happiness

Let’s be real, everyone loves traveling. Okay, maybe not the fear-of-flying airplane passengers or the boat-sickness-prone cruise ship tourists. But once the average person gets past the troubles of getting to their destination, life is usually pretty spectacular. Whether it be tanning on a white sand beach, backpacking through the mountains of South America, or even deep sea diving with sharks off the coast of Bermuda, there’s always memories to be made. Traveling brings unforgettable experiences and memories that will last you a lifetime of happiness.

1. Makes You More Mindful of Other Cultures and Values

Whether you’re trekking along the Great Wall of China or exploring the ins and outs of the ever winding Nile, you are bound to learn something new. There are thousands of cultures throughout the world, and a huge part of traveling is experiencing a new one different from your own. Developing an understanding of other cultures, or cultural awareness, is vitally important in our day and age. By building respect and empathy for other people and celebrating your differences as well as similarities, you can have more meaningful interactions with those around you. So go out, learn some new traditions, and see what it’s like to live in another culture, even if it’s just for a week or two!

1. Decreases Stress

It’s tax season. The boss is extra moody. The rainy weather’s been getting you down. We’ve all been there before. Sometimes, people just need a break. A break from all the stress and troubles of daily life. What better escape than a vacation? Of course, your troubles don’t always just disappear as you board the plane. However, they do diminish and start heading to the back of your mind so that you can enjoy the present. Traveling allows you to relax, have fun, and forget about those little stressors for a while! 

1. Enhances Creativity

If you are ever feeling burnt out or in a mental block, consider traveling! Writers say it all the time, how a simple trip to a small beach town gets them out of their writer’s block. But this trick isn’t reserved just for writers! Adam Galinsky, a social scientist at Columbia University who studies the relationship between travel and creativity, has found a positive correlation between the two. Galinsky has found that living abroad, even just traveling abroad, can facilitate a process known as multicultural learning. This allows you to increase your awareness of your surroundings, solve problems in novel ways, and reduce rigidity (Galinsky). All of these factors, researchers have found, contribute to creativity. That’s sounding like Maui equals some novel business plans to me! 

So what are you waiting for? Go dust off that passport and dig out your suitcase, it’s time to go on vacation! The benefits of traveling are plenty. It’s a great way to boost your health, broaden your horizons, and make new memories! With the added bonus of learning about new cultures and enhancing your knowledge of the world, traveling is without a doubt an amazing way to bring some excitement and joy into your life.