If you’re a frequent traveller, you know how hectic things can get on the road. With flights and deadlines and places to be, it can be easy to let your physical and mental health take a backseat to productivity and participation. Did you know though that embracing your journey could be the best way to invest in your mind and body?
Let each local culture, environment, and cuisine provide you with opportunities to improve your mind and body. If you open your eyes to the possibilities, you’ll see the thousands of options in front of you as you travel the world.
Experiencing New Music
Did you know that with different regions of the world come new songs, musicians, and even instruments? One of the best ways to expand your experience while travelling is to absorb the local music culture. It can give you a window into the history of the areas that you visit. Learning how to read drum tabs or guitar chords can mean you are always ready to pick up new instruments and experience different styles.
Reading the Local Paper
If you want to expand your knowledge of world politics, geography, and culture, try reading the paper while you travel. Each local paper tells a story of the place it is from, and you can enrich your trip by reading even just the headlines. Even if you are visiting a country with a language you aren’t familiar with, you can translate articles online and read them at your leisure.
I always start my travelling days with coffee and the local paper. It awakens my mind on days that I may be engaging in primarily physical activities rather than mental and gives me a deeper understanding of my destination.
Learning to Cook New Cuisine
One of life’s greatest gifts is good cooking. Travelling gives you the unique experience of being able to try cuisine from all over the world. But a great meal does more than only satisfy your tastebuds. Learning about new recipes and cuisines can help you with your physical health journey. Italy, for example, is a great place to find home-grown, unprocessed pasta that can be much healthier for your digestion than pre-packaged brands.
Cooking can also be a great skill to develop that can improve your mental acuity and focus. Learning, in general, awakens areas of your brain and sparks growth. As you memorize recipes and figure out how flavours combine, you are creating neural connections in your brain. It gives new meaning to the phrase “brain food.”
Embracing the Local Nature to Stay Active
Something worth noting is that the animals and fauna change wherever you go, especially from continent to continent. Some places are mountainous and snowy, and others are humid and coastal. Did you know that each environment poses different opportunities to get active?
If you’re spending some time on the coast, improve your strength and posture by getting in the water for a surfing lesson. Work your muscles by swimming against the current. If you’re staying on a rocky inland cliff, go for a morning hike to start your day. Embrace each local environment as you travel for a truly unique way to invest in your body health.
The Bottom Line
When you visit a new part of the world, you get a window into other societies, customs, and cultures. As a traveller, you can use each visit as an opportunity to better your mind and body. With new music, local newspapers, fresh cuisine, and ample nature surrounding you, you are sure to have the experience of a lifetime.
