Have you been feeling tired, over-worked and stressed out about life, love and your career? Maybe you’ve been feeling on the brink of checking yourself into a mental health facility – but you don’t even have the strength to do that! Whether you are fizzling out or not, one thing that is never a bad idea, is a good old dose of what’s called a “Road Trip” – especially with those you deem your closest friends!
Yes, that trip that allows you to escape the mundane of everyday living, and provides you with some much needed R&R (caution: Rest may be limited due to your preferences of having fun). However, by going on a Road Trip you have the opportunity to see more, experience more and appreciate more. In the age of “gadgets-and-gizmos” and where everything from our meals to our hours with family and friends are planned out, this is probably one of the most spontaneous things to do. By going on a Road Trip with friends, especially if they are as crazy as mine, make way for the spunk known as spontaneity!
Neither finances, nor means of getting there is a problem. As the saying goes: “Where there is a will, there is a way.” If you open yourself up to it, you will find creative ways to ensure you have the best time possible, without spending too much money in the process. For once stop allowing your fears and inhibitions to control every aspect of your life and make that decision to go on that road trip and have some fun!
Still need more convincing? Here are 5 reasons why you should absolutely go on that Road Trip:
1. Opportunity to Let Go
As mentioned above – you have the opportunity to escape all the stressful factors in your life and take a breath of fresh air – and the best of all, you get to that with friends. You have the opportunity to stop the life that is passing you by and you get to actually live it. By not being consumed by hours and deadlines, time will become your friend and no longer your enemy – this is the key to bringing you the healing you might need.
2. Opportunity to See More of Your Country
Take a beat and realize that you find yourselves in a world that is spectacular in its beauties and wonders. We often get so lost in the problems in our lives, the problems of the world and yes, the problems that often hit a lot harder with the fear of the future for our children, our country. However, if we are constantly looking for the worst in situations, we will find it. Like my Dad said when my music choices (cough-cough, any rock lovers out there?) were being frowned upon: “If you look for the Devil in something, you will find him.”
If all I do today is leave you with one thought, let it be this: Do not let fear and negativity rule your mind and emotions. This will hold you back in all aspects of life, and truth be told – no one really appreciates the pessimistic person referred to as the “Party-Pooper.” Let us stop overlooking the beauty and the exciting experiences that our own country has to offer us and let us embrace it – arms stretched out and running like the cliché of a love boy and girl through the fields of flowers, eagerly awaiting each other– with an open heart and mind.
We have too many roads less travelled, oceans not yet seen, forests not yet explored and people not yet met.
Which brings me to my third reason:
3. Opportunity to Meet New People
Ah – nothing like the locals of a town to bring a new sense of flavor and adventure into our lives. From showing you the ins and outs of your destination to helping you with new skills like hiking, paddle-boarding, surfing and many more, all of which broaden your horizon and literally turn you into a new person.
You should also not forget about all the other exotic travellers from within your country, as well as without, that you get to meet. It is in them that you see new places, new cultures and new ways of doing things – which is very important for personal growth and understanding – something we all need a little extra of in the world that we find ourselves in today. These new friends will not only allow you to leave your mark on them, but they will leave their mark on you – making you want to stay longer than what you originally planned.
4. Opportunity to Make Some Unforgettable Memories
One thing you can be certain of is this: you will make memories and you will make lots of them. Whether you opted for something as peaceful and relaxing as a wine-tasting (which in my case would just turn out to be one big party – what can I say, we love our wine) or something a little along the wild side, like a quick skinny dip in the ocean. Whatever it is you decide to do – the memories you make will last you a lifetime, it will carry you through all the ups and downs in life, it will bring a smile to your face once you find yourself back in the mundane of things and it will make you spontaneous in your planning of the next Road Trip. How can there not be a next one?
Nothing is too big or too small for this trip – the things you do will end up being the things that bring a warm feeling of fondness to your heart. The best of all – if you have friends like mine, there will absolutely be no judgement, just lots of laughter and opportunities for inside jokes and “remember when you (insert verb).” These memories will also be something you can tell the kids one day – take note, I said one day – some of us will have to wait until they pass the R rated phase and are a little bit older and wiser.
On a serious note though, these are the moments that count, that color your life in and make you say: “You know what, I am lucky. I have a beautiful life and I get to share it with beautiful people.”
This brings me to my fifth reason:
5. You Receive an Appreciation for Life
Yes, you get to see new places, meet new people and learn new things. Yes, you get to make memories that will last you a lifetime and you get to make it with the friends of a lifetime – but that is not all: You get to chase the sunrises and sunsets which are a gift of everyday life. Do you remember the last time your mind was shushed by the artful sunrise or sunset of a new place? The last time you could felt a completely uninhibited breath of fresh air fill your lung?
Those artworks of Heaven that leave you breathless will give you a new sense of appreciation for all that this life offers and still has to offer. It will quiet you down and show you what really matters in this world – giving you a new sense of direction, a new vibrant vision and a passionately heart-pounding purpose.
This is the playlist of your life – one with no stops, no pauses, no rewinds and no fast-forwards (no matter how much it often feels like it has) – we ought to ensure it is an epic one!
Featured photo credit: Will Truettner via unsplash.com
