Stuck in a Life Rut? Travel to a New Place
Just got out of a relationship? At a crossroads in your career? Stuck in an overall life rut? Book a trip to a new destination or hit the road solo for the first time. Because according to the results of a new survey, the thrill of stepping out of your comfort zone is the key to rebuilding your confidence, broadening your horizons and ultimately finding success.
Those are the findings of a new global survey, which asked more than 15,000 respondents in 20 countries to share how first-time travel — be it their first time traveling abroad, to a new destination, or traveling solo — changed their lives.
In the survey, commissioned by online site Booking.com, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) agreed that undertaking a new travel experience helped increase their confidence.
Respondents also said their experiences helped them meet new people (40 percent); cook and eat new types of food (43 percent); learn a new language (29 percent); and inspired them to learn about another culture (29 percent).
The inverse is also true, with 61 percent agreeing that people who are well-traveled tend to be more interesting compared to homebodies who’ve never gone abroad. Nearly half (45 percent) also perceived globetrotters as more successful in their lives and careers.
Some of the respondents who stepped out of their comfort zone to undertake a new travel challenge also reaped dramatic rewards, with one in 10 reporting that a first-time travel experience has led to a new job or relationship.
For a sizeable 21 percent, their travel experience was also credited with a life move to a completely new destination.
Vocabulary:
crossroads – (noun) a point of decision or a critical turning point in life, “After five years at the company, she found herself at a crossroads, deciding whether to stay or start her own business.”
life rut – (noun phrase) a boring, repetitive habit or situation in life that is difficult to change, “He felt like he was in a life rut, doing the exact same routine every single day.”
comfort zone – (noun phrase) a place, situation, or state of mind where a person feels safe, comfortable, and at ease, “Moving to a new country forced him to step out of his comfort zone and learn to be independent.”
broadening your horizons – (idiom/expression) expanding your range of interests, knowledge, experiences, or understanding of the world, “Reading books from different countries is a great way of broadening your horizons.”
commissioned – (verb/past participle) formally requested, ordered, or paid for by a specific person or organization to be produced, “The city council commissioned a local artist to paint a mural on the school wall.”
homebodies – (noun/plural) people who prefer to stay at home rather than travel or go out socializing, “While her sister loves traveling the world, she and her husband are total homebodies who love cozy movie nights.”
globetrotters – (noun/plural) people who travel regularly and frequently to different countries all over the world, “The airport lounge was filled with business executives and wealthy globetrotters.”
reaped – (verb/past tense) received or gathered something (usually a reward or benefit) as a result of one’s own actions, “She worked hard all semester and finally reaped the rewards when she received straight A’s.”
sizeable – (adjective) fairly large in size, amount, or number, “They managed to save a sizeable amount of money by cooking at home instead of eating out.”