When traveling to Roatan, some people just want to lay on the beach and let the world take care of itself for a while. Some need to relax and get away from the stressful life of the modern industrialized West. Some want to learn of and learn from a different culture, a different point of view. While others just want to let off steam and have a good time. But no matter what motivates your travel plans, time spent in Roatan can also re-energize your soul and foster personal growth and development. This type of metaphysical regeneration can occur whether you decide to stay in a hotel resort, a budget hostel or one of the many Roatan villa rentals. No matter what your accommodation choice is, travel can develop your soul in a variety of ways.
Surprised? Here are 5 ways traveling can help you foster personal and spiritual growth.
Gratitude
Traveling has a powerful way of filling ourselves with gratitude. By removing oneself from daily routines, it’s possible to look at life from a new vantage point and allow appreciation for what we may normally overlook. By experiencing a culture that’s different to what we’re used to, one may find it easier to recognize the positives in our lives while more clearly perceiving the goodness and virtue surrounding us.
Mindfulness
Traveling allows one to leave behind familiar daily routines which makes us more likely to be focused and mindful of our surroundings. Routine lulls us into ignoring fine details for the sake of expediency. Although this practicality can be helpful in habitual day to day situations, it diminishes our ability to be fully present in our environment. Traveling puts us in unfamiliar situations that oblige us to take notice of things that might fade into the background if we were back home taking part in more mundane activities.
Live In The Moment
Carpe Diem! As the Roman poet Horace wrote, Sieze the Day! Add to the mindfulness of being fully present, the willingness to just give it a try NOW, not knowing how it will turn out and you will live in the moment paying attention to the present, preparing for the future, but not frozen by the past or living in an uncertain future. Traveling is greatly influential when it comes to living in the moment because you’re in unfamiliar surroundings that require keen observation and decision making. This teaches us to focus on the here and now while leaving very little room for the mind to wander distractedly.
Accept Change
Because new environments force us to look at things from a different perspective, we necessarily become more familiar with change, more open to welcoming change. A large part of personal and spiritual growth occurs when coping with demanding situations and accepting the changes associated with them. Traveling has the ability to take us out of our comfort zone and challenges us to consider different viewpoints which can result in greater compassion and flexibility.
Self Discovery
Whether you’re sleeping on a boat, making use of local campsites or living it up in one of the many Roatan villa rentals, the experience of staying somewhere unfamiliar gives us greater insight into who we are and what makes us tick as a person. By experiencing different environments we’re able to put our personal background into perspective and learn more about our hopes, dreams and personal needs. Traveling can be an important catalyst to help us on that journey of self discovery.
Your vacation will still offer plenty of time to rest, rejuvenate and recharge, but along the way you will notice moments of true gratitude, mindfulness, see things in a different light, note a growing flexibility inspire your creativity and nourish your soul. Ready to pack your bags?