With travel, you get to experience new and exciting things as well as spend more time with the people you love. You also get to relax and take time to yourself to avoid the pressures of every day life and work, while getting to realize the travel dreams that you may have had for years..
As it turns out, travel is the proven way to spend your money and get the most bang for your hard earned buck! What's more - all the great elements of travel has been shown to make people happier. And even more than that, every part of the travel experience — before, during, and after — is more satisfying, more enjoyable, and has longer-lasting positive effects than buying random "stuff."
In 2003, Thomas Gilovich published his landmark study called “To Do or To Have? That Is the Question” – a study that continues to influence social psychology and what actually brings us true contentment. Gilovich looked at how economic choices affect well-being and analyzed the differences between experiences and material purchases on human happiness. His discovery has changed the way we look at our buying habits: Conclusion: doing things makes people happier than having things.
The reason for this is that we get to live and re-live the joy of experiences. Buying an expensive TV or even a new car gives a momentary spike in good feelings that lasts for a few days. But when you take an amazing trip, you get the memories of that time together — and every time you think about that trip, or see something that reminds you of it, or you look at the pictures of your experience, your brain registers those joyful times and releases endorphins - mood-enhancing chemicals that make you feel like you’re re-living the happiness of that experience. It stays with you, and you get to access that feeling wherever and whenever you want.
It’s not like we need another reason to start planning another trip, I mean we can personally think of a million reasons — but another study out that Gilovich co-authored has found that even the anticipation of experiences trumps the lead-up to the anticipation of material purchases.For example, people waiting in line to get tickets to an event are actually happier and more excited than those who are waiting in line to buy something random.
So, even something as boring as waiting in line is more fun when it’s connected to your travel experience. It totally makes sense when you think of it, doesn’t it? Let's say you’re waiting to get your passport photos taken, and associated with that time are thoughts of where you’re going to go, what you’re going to experience, and all the adventure that awaits. When you start planning that trip with your travel advisor, you make progress and take steps towards realizing those travel dreams, and each step is actually part of the adventure itself.
As travelers, we know the many positive benefits of getting out and seeing the world, and now we can feel even better knowing that those benefits continue to improve our lives, long after the trip is over.
Are you convinced? Ready to start taking the steps towards your next travel adventure? Give us a call and let us bring a little more happiness to your life! To contact us, call 817-386-0701 or use the form below.