Travel as Therapy

This is one of the lovely hostels we were staying in during our travels in Thailand (loog choob). The beautiful, modernistic, open architecture was a breath of fresh air and helped me organise my thoughts after weeks of hectic, confusing life in Hong Kong. Holidays aren’t only for fun as far as I’m concerned. Travel can also play a critical role in helping us to grow in our personalities. I read an extremely interesting article written by The School of Life about that notion and I’d love to share bits and pieces of it with you while I’m having some travel experiences in Thailand over Christmas myself.

Travel can function as a form of therapy in our lives. When it corrects the imbalances and immaturities of our natures it can complement to the ‘inner journey’ that we’re on. After all we’re trying to develop our character in a certain way: “We might be searching for how to be calmer or how to find a way to rethink our goals, we might long for a greater sense of confidence or an escape from debilitating feelings of envy.” Travel experiences can help us with that, the outer journey can assist us with the inner one.

But in order to work a therapeutic effect, we need to change how we go about choosing our destinations. Instead of choosing a ‘beach holiday’ or ‘outdoor fun’, we should look how a destination can nurture our soul. “There are places that could help with shyness and others with anxiety. Some places might be good at reducing egoism and others might be good for helping us think more clearly about the future”.

The School of Life is currently writing a Psychological Atlas of the world. A great project if you you ask me. Read more about it here. Travel in the outer world can push us to where we need to go within. Happy Christmas travels, hopefully it gives you some opportunity to think which direction you want to go in 2015 (figuratively speaking:)). 

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Bag for Emotional Baggage

‘The trick is to learn to carry your emotional baggage stylishly’, tweeted philosopher Alain the Botton last week. He wasn’t talking about his latest philosophy book but he referred to this super cool bag that is for sale in the webshop of The School of Life.

The School of Life, based in London, is a place where you can step back and think intelligently about central emotional concerns. Inspired by ideas from the humanities – philosophy, literature, psychology & visual arts – the SOL provides ideas that exercise, stimulate and expand your mind.

Last year, a set of fascinating alternative self-help books was published by them with topics like ‘How to age’ and ‘How to be alone’. The aim of these books isn’t shallow success but quality of life, connected with philosophies of all ages. Love it! Check it out to find more Tools for Thinking.