A lot of people choose to travel after divorce in order to reignite the fireworks in their life. It is normal to cry and be depressed after divorce since the process exposes one to a drastic lifestyle change. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to move forward. Although the coping mechanism of every person is different, there are methods that work for everyone. If you’re clueless on what to do after divorce, how to pick yourself up, and begin life anew, traveling might be the answer for you.
What Can Traveling Do for You?
A magic peel that eradicates all pain and hurt will surely be a million dollar hit. But even without such magic peel, you can obtain healing after divorce by traveling. Read on to find out what travel after divorce can do for you.
According to Travel Therapy Host Karen Schaler, traveling is a great divorce therapy as it allows one to reboot and refresh. Because of the nature of traveling, it will allow you to distance yourself physically and mentally from an ex. The distance will also give you a break from the environment and objects that remind you of what you lost. You can use that time away from home to acknowledge your pain, accept your new reality, and nurture self-love in the process.
What makes moving on after divorce difficult is the emotional attachment involved. In a brain study made by Garrison Institute of Contemplative Studies of New York, the researchers found that through the process of neuro-plasticity, a sense of the other is hard-wired into the brain of a person in a long-term relationship. This shows that the attachment is not only emotional as it is also manifested in the brain.
From this perspective, travel after divorce is an effective therapy as it enables a gradual severance of the sense of “the other.” It will allow you to step out from being the central actor in your life and instead be an observer looking from the outside. As you travel, you will have all the time in the world to reflect and contemplate in silence, at your own pace and terms.
Other people might say that travel after divorce is tantamount to escaping reality. That is not completely untrue. But there is nothing wrong with that! In fact, you have the right to choose escape, to choose your own path to renewal, and ultimately to obtain complete healing after divorce. And going to places, being one with nature, immersing in culture, engaging in extraordinary activities, and interacting with strangers have their way of putting life into your being and nourishing the soul.
Traveling Stories from Real People
Nothing is more convincing than reading the words and knowing the experiences of people who actually been there.
Julie Morey in an article in The Huffington Post shared that her first response to her divorce was to drown herself in busyness, but unlike her five-year adventure from Taiwan, India, Thailand, to Brazil, it did not allow her to heal. She further shared how traveling stretched her beyond ways she imagined and let her create new and more wonderful memories to replace the unpleasant ones. Because traveling transformed her and her life, she considers it as the ultimate cure for divorce.
In a CNN article, Stephanie Oswold related different experiences of people who have been divorced and found consolation from traveling. There are countless activities to try and numerous places to visit. From extreme adventures like shark diving and skiing to toned-down activities like getting massages and feasting on foreign dishes, there is a suitable place and activity for everyone. In essence, the stories in the article demonstrate how traveling inspires a change in scenery and change in mindset.
Should you travel after divorce? You definitely should! Through traveling, you will find renewal and healing after divorce.