Can a Vacation Change Your Life?

•  Print This
• Stumble This
• Digg This
• Share on Delicious
• Share on Facebook
• Tweet This
• Tags: Adventure, Ecotourism, Inspirational, Mission Trip, Sabbatical, Volunteer

Is it possible that a vacation can change your life for the better? I think so. I believe there are trips that can help you discover your significance in life. Of course, I don’t think that a typical vacation is going to do this. I doubt a trip to Disney World or to any tourist location is going to make much of a life changing impact. These trips have value for recreation and rejuvenation. I’m not against them at all. In fact, these are the kinds of trips that I usually take. However, I do think there are certain other adventures one can go on that might result in a life changing experience.

You might ask, “What do you mean by life changing?”  Well, I’m referring to something that changes your thinking and therefore makes you behave differently after the experience.  Have you ever experienced such an event?  Having children is typically life changing in most people’s lives.  Once you have kids, your priorities change.  You have someone that is totally dependent on you for all their necessities.  This new level of responsibility usually results in different behavior for the parents.  It effects how you spend your time and money.  Another type of an event that can alter your outlook on life is something that reminds you that you are not immortal.  Survivors of cancer, plane crashes, and near-death experiences often recover as whole new people in terms of how they spend their lives.

I am convinced that there are certain types of adventures you can go on that may not have quite the same effect as a near-death experience, but they can certainly alter your thinking and behavior for the better.   

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
~Henry David Thoreau

If you feel that your life lacks significance, that you are stuck in a rut, and doomed to perpetual burnout, then it might be time for something radical.  A trip like this can readjust your perspective and priorities.  It can clear your head and help you to see more clearly how you want to invest your life.  Here are a few possibilities you might want to consider.

1. World Travel Sabbatical.  Many employers today offer employees the opportunity to take sabbaticals.  One way to spend your time during a prolonged break from work is to travel the world.  Visit other countries.  See how people in exotic locations live.  Get off the beaten path and discover something new and exciting.  When you get out and see places that are totally different than what you are used to, it can change your life.  Timothy Ferriss, the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, offers a free Round-the-World Trip Planner on his website.  Another resource that might help inspire you is David Elliot Cohen’s book One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children.
2. Ecotourism.  The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”  So, whether you go to Botswana to see elephants and hippos in the wild or Australia to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, you will no doubt be inspired by the awesome beauty of nature in all its glory.  Those of you that enjoy the great outdoors will find a ton of incredible itineraries at EcoQuest Travel.
3. Volunteer Projects.  Donate your time while on vacation to a worthy cause.  Visit Global Volunteers International to find an opportunity to really make a difference and you will likely find a whole new world of significance for yourself.  This organization arranges for people to go abroad to build and serve in schools, hospitals, and other valuable community projects.  You get the chance to really experience the culture of another country while doing work that matters.
4. Mission Trips.  Many local churches offer mission trips to less fortunate countries.  These trips usually combine the opportunity to assist those in need through a work project along with sharing the tenets of one’s faith.  I have never been on a mission trip, but I hope to go one day.  Everyone I have ever talked with after going on such a trip cannot stop saying how great it was even though they usually had to stay in accomodations that weren’t anywhere near what they were accustomed to.

So, do you see now why someone would want to take such a vacation?  It would certainly be an adventure that you would never forget.  By doing so, you have the chance of making a positive difference in yourself and the world.  We all want to feel that our lives have meaning.  Do you feel that what you do and how you spend your time is significant?  If not, then one of these types of trips might be just for you.  Take a chance.  Do something that matters and see if it will change your life!

Have you ever been on such a life changing adventure?  If so, leave a comment and let everyone know what you did and the impact it had on your life.