By Tim Morizet
Happy belated 4th International Day of Happiness everyone! Having been founded in June 2012 by the UN, the first International Day of Happiness was celebrated March 20th in 2013 and has now become a day for people from all parts of the world to celebrate the importance of happiness.
Inspired by the country of Bhutan whose political philosophy measures and prioritises happiness across their population over income, March 20th is the day for us to sit back and think about what makes us happy and take action.
Not only amongst students, we know it’s rather unanimous that travel makes us happy. But what exactly about traveling is it that makes us happy? The little things, the main destination? Does it start even before you leave while planning our getaway(s) and you evaluate what to pack?
Travel makes me happy because…
“There are countless adventures waiting for us to be experienced and lived. Travelling doesn’t only make you discover the world; it also makes you discover different or new parts of yourself that you couldn’t even imagine to exist.”
Luca
“My worries are left behind.”
Liz
“It’s like an endless journey that always inspires you to look forward to what’s next.” Christophe
“I love being outdoors, in nature, reconnecting with myself and exploring new areas, cultures, and possibilities.” Tammy
Philosopher and author Alain de Botton hit the nail on the head when we wrote: “Travel agents would be wiser to ask us what we hope to change about our lives rather than simply where we wish to go.”
The very idea of travel makes us happy as it offers us the excuse, space, and time to step outside our self-constructed, worn out routine. It provides us with a platform to explore and form an ideal vision we have of ourselves. An ideal version, admiring the awesomeness of Scotland’s mountain range from the lofty heights of a hot air balloon at sunset — divorced from our concerns and anxieties about status, safety and security.
Travel expands the mind and spirit. It is educative and puts us in contact with new ideas and people. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting a great city with a vibrant culture or a beautiful countryside. It is the constant resetting of our inner happiness ratio that’s forcing affluent travelers to seek for more happiness.
Looking into studies and previous personal experiences, it would seem almost impossible to escape the well-known post-vacation crash. The best antidote to the post-holiday blues probably is to simply: start planning another trip!
