The Psychology of Why You Feel Empty Traveling (Part 1)
Have you ever been on a long travel vacation having the time of your life and in the flick of a switch feel home-sick and ready to leave? It turns out, you’re not alone.
What makes it so strange is that we’re happy and having fun but… something is just off. After traveling abroad and speaking to hundreds of others who have experienced these exact feelings, I’ve come to call this phenomenon “the mid-trip crisis.”
Why do we feel “the mid-trip crisis?”
A mid-trip crisis arises because the fundamental design of travel does not support a sense of belonging or a sense of purpose, which studies have shown are the two most impactful factors when measuring a meaningful life.
Why Does Traveling Lack Belonging and Purpose?
Belonging
As Smith describes belonging she says; “we need to feel understood, recognized and affirmed,” and really, we just need to feel heard, by someone.
It’s no secret that traveling can be isolating.
A stereotypical getaway lasts one or two weeks and is jam packed with activities even up until the last hour. Not only does our vacation turn from relaxing to stressful but the transient nature of our vacation gives us no sense of belonging.
Why hostels don’t fulfill our desire for belonging
The absence of belonging within travel isn’t anything new. This is why hostels exist, this why group travel programs exist, this is why people travel with friends. These alternatives help a lot. But, there are still fundamental flaws to all of these approaches that leave us wanting something else.
In a hostel, nine out of ten people we meet will be gone in five days giving no hope for consistent intimacy. While hostels are a great place to have some connection, our mind desires consistency and something deeper.
This is also why traveling with a significant other is called the marriage test… because it’s really hard when you both want to aimlessly wander, but in different directions.
Purpose
Lacking a sense of purpose while traveling won’t be a surprise to many people, either. While the loss of belonging may be mitigated by sacrificing freedom to travel in a group or staying in a hostel, finding a sense of purpose is much more difficult.
The problem begins because traveling, at its core, is just an extended weekend. Yes, even if you’re ‘growing your mind’ in southeast Asia. While travel is more socially accepted, it’s basically the same as watching television.
As Smith describes, when others count on us, we feel purposeful. Smith cites research that shows when people begin engaging in lifestyles where no one is counting on us, be it family, co-workers or strangers, our quality of life starts to drop.
And this is exactly what happens when we travel. We consume and slowly, just as with belonging, our subconscious mind wants to go back to our old habits.
Belonging & Purpose together
As discussed earlier, studies show belonging and purpose are the most influential factors when measuring quality of life. And ironically, when we go on vacation in pursuit of living a life of high quality, we lose those things.
It takes a few days or whole week but our mind picks up on the absence of these things and that’s when the mid-trip crisis will hit and suddenly you start thinking, “okay… I am ready to go home.”
Do you travel frequently? What are some challenges you have faced while traveling?
#Traveling #Purpose #Crisis
@calmDew1576
I don't need to travel to lack a sense of purpose. This is my daily existence.
I seem to live for no other reason other than using up air.