Book you tickets and pack up whatever stuff you need. There’s a way out of your “misery” and it’s literally just a flight or two away. Make it happen and use your savings for travel instead of seeing a psychiatrist. Your call!
1. You Physically Distance Yourself from Your “Issue”
You are literally taking yourself and shipping “you” off to a far away land. Goodbye discussions, fights and negative energy. Of course you’re never going to be entirely cut off. With social media you’re never ever going to be completely cut off (heck, I had Wi-Fi on the plane!). However, it tends to be a little more difficult to get a hold of when you’re physically thousands of miles apart.
2. Meet new people (who know nothing and wont judge you)
Everyone, anywhere in existence has his or her own issues going on. Big or small. So ideally, most people will be able to relate, if not empathize with whatever you’re going through. And sometimes all you need is someone to hear you out, no judgments, nothing (yes, sounds a lot like therapy, I know). During your travels you’ll probably bump into lots of people who you’ve never met and will most likely never meet again. Spill and run — feels good just thinking about it.
3. Eat. Shop. Drink. Dance.
Primarily things that will temporarily make you happy. Putting some good healthy food into your system, buying those sneakers you’ve been obsessing over for the past six months of your life, passing out on tequila shots, dancing your little jaded heart out. Trust me: Yes, it’s temporary. But yes, it also makes all the difference. Bad vibes out, good vibes in.
4. Wear whatever
Again, just for a short while. You can literally wear WHATEVER THE EFF YOU WANT. Want to wear 20 layers, a flower crown, stilettoes and fake nails? Make it happen. Short dress, messy bun and sneakers in zero-degree weather, why not? Might as well. Living in a country where you’re always restricted by appearance, whether it’s side talk from your “acquaintances” or rape-eyes in the street. This is your chance to actually wear what you feel like wearing!
5. Perspectives
You’re up on the highest peak of some mountain in South Africa looking down to what seems like a never-ending ocean. It’s silent and it just always hits you: how small you are compared to everything around you. You are literally a speck on this earth and there’s some kind of catharsis in that on-going realization.
6. Learn how other people resolve issues
I was sitting across from this family having dinner in San Francisco and I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.
Dad: “Mike, your mom got a warning slip from your school for bad behavior. Now, we need to discuss and talk about this. Firstly, what are your feelings towards the school’s actions? Do you feel their action towards your behavior is fair?” … ”Is there anything that’s causing you stress at home?” … “Are you unhappy about something that you would rather not discuss with us?”
And so on and so forth. Mike could not have been older than maybe 10 years of age. I sat there and let this conversation sink in — is this how I should resolve my issues? Surely, this method sounds saner. Not once did this child feel attacked nor did he not have a chance to speak out for himself. Different cultures deal with situations in their own ways. Being exposed to experiences such as this one really helps open up your mind and will directly or indirectly help you in the long run.
7. Pause – Time Out
Literally, it’s a chance to just step out of the room, shut the door for a while and just restart. Probably not the healthiest thing to do but sometimes it’s just exactly what you need.
8. Keep yourself busy
When you’re out and about all day doing things, seeing people, exploring, shopping or whatever it is, you’re just too happily distracted to think about your on-going shenanigans back home. Gradually, it stops taking up so much of your time and energy and you begin to see things from a new light.
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss 9 Tips To Make Traveling Cheaper