In life, there are those who “say” and those who “do.” There are those who say they want to travel the world and there are those who actually do travel the world. So what is it about the “sayers” and the “doers” that set them apart from each other?

Well, the difference between the two can actually be a lot of different things. Some people simply don’t have any interest in getting out of the city or town they were born and raised in. Some people have a fear of flying or a fear of trying new things. But on the opposite side of the spectrum, some people get a thrill out of meeting new people and experiencing new cultures.

What people fail to realize is that traveling is so much more than island hopping and sipping mimosas… Traveling benefits your life in ways you don’t even realize and because of the added benefits, that’s how it helps you to get the most out of life. Take a look at the wonderful benefits of traveling and see how it will change your life for the better.

Benefit 1: It Gives You Peace of Mind

We all go to work and endure the stressors of work at least five days out of a seven-day work-week. Everyone’s stressors are different. For some people, meeting tight deadlines is the thing that stresses them out whereas tight deadlines give another person an adrenaline rush. Giving business presentations could be a major stressor for another person… But the main thing is that traveling is the very thing that removes those stressors and gives you peace of mind.

The great thing about traveling is that you don’t have to travel thousands of miles away to get peace of mind… If you live in Nashville, Tennessee, you can travel a few hours and relax in a peaceful cabin in Gatlinburg. Traveling forces you to unplug and unwind, even if it’s just for the weekend… it gives your mind just the right amount of time to not think about work and come back mentally refreshed.

According to an NBC News article, traveling lowers your risk of depression and increases your happiness… it further states that simply the process of planning a trip increases your happiness in knowing what’s to come, giving you something to look forward to.

Benefit 2: It Gets Your Creative Juices Flowing

Being in a different city or foreign country, you have no choice but to get your creative juices flowing (and you don’t even have to be a “creative” type of person!) Seeing the world is the very reason why people adopt the digital nomad lifestyle actually… so they can run their business and see the world.

Sure, they still have to obtain the legalities like determining if they want their business to be an LLC or not and finding the right business insurance policy but by traveling the world, it’s just more inspiring to achieve success.

Benefit 3: It Gives You Memories You Won’t Forget

Whether you travel with family, friends, or solo, you’re going to create memories during your travels and they’re going to be memories you won’t ever forget. In today’s era, you won’t have to forget even if you do because you will more than likely post about your adventures in traveling on your social media pages or blogs. Even better, you might be able to use your epic photos to curate photobooks that highlight the great time you’ve had with others on your trip. Sure, traveling gives you memories you simply won’t forget but by purchasing photobooks you enable yourself to properly revisit those memories whenever you’d like.

Traveling also helps you to bond with whomever you’re traveling with. Whether it’s friends or family, the time spent together in itself is going to make your relationship stronger and you’ll always remember that trip as the trip that brought you closer to someone.

Benefit 4: It Helps You to Get to Know Yourself Better

We all go through things that make us question who we really are in life. Sometimes it’s a bad breakup and sometimes it’s the loss of a loved one or the loss of a job; regardless of the situation. It puts you in a place mentally that makes you feel like you need to get back to you.

You’ve cried all the tears you can cry and eaten enough cartons of ice cream to a point where your emotions literally taste like cookies and cream. When all your typical ways of coping or dealing with something leave you still feeling empty, that’s when you need to step outside the box and see the world.

If you love wine, why not go on some wine tours this year? If you’re a self-proclaimed “foodie,” why not go to some of the big food festivals this year? Some people like to say that traveling is just an excuse to avoid your life problems but it’s actually the complete opposite… traveling is what’s going to help you take your life problems head-on and help you rediscover yourself.

Benefit 5: It Helps Enhance Your Communication and Social Skills

Communication and social skills are a big benefit to traveling. When you’re in a new city or country, you’re not going to know anyone there and it forces you to get out of your comfort zone by speaking to complete strangers. You’re really forced out of your comfort zone if you’re in a foreign country! Nonetheless, by experiencing that, it can potentially make you a better public speaker at work and make you less afraid to speak your mind and your truths