I have always been terrified of flying. Something about it triggers my fight or flight, and despite my best efforts (watching Crazy Rich Asians, meditation, and melatonin), I spend most flights feeling like I am in a life or death situation.
Yet, when I was backpacking earlier this year, I went skydiving. Not only did I go up in a very small plane, with a mere plastic shutter as a door, but I jumped out of it at 15,000 feet. Somehow, I think that plane journey was the calmest of my life. I was determined to do it, and despite being so nervous in the days leading up to it, at that moment I knew it was something that I needed to do for myself.
This is exactly the sort of decision I would only have made when travelling, and a decision that left me feeling capable, and empowered in the wake of my move to Sydney. It was the kind of experience that only became possible once I stepped out of the familiarity and predictability of my usual routine, and pushed myself well beyond my comfort zone.
Routine Creates Cognitive Noise
This is an extreme example of a general feeling that has defined my life since moving across the world. For many people, feeling stuck in a career, relationship, or place can leave them feeling defeated, unsure where to go next, and perhaps unable to make a change. This clarity doesn’t come from escaping, but rather from disrupting habits. Routines can be helpful in maintaining structure and consistency, eliminating small daily decisions and minimising uncertainty. However, they can also foster feelings of stagnation and immobility within one’s life. We go through the motions, eating the same meal we have prepped without asking ourselves what we want to eat, going to the same restaurant because it is down the road and we know we like the menu. We operate habitually instead of intentionally. This sort of repetition can breed resentment, dulling our ability to question things, and to check in with ourselves. Sometimes, changing it up can flip a switch in our brain, causing us to ask questions, and perhaps even bringing us some clarity.
Why is this, you may ask? Environmental psychologists argue that our environment directly influences our mood, behaviour, and even identity. Attention Restoration Theory (ART) emphasises the importance of changing one’s environment, and in the outdoors, and of nature, in restoring our attention, our performance, and general mental wellbeing. It engages our attention in a “softer” manner, without the intensity needed for something like a work task. For instance, an environment such as a morning commute often encourages us to switch off from our environment, and instead reply to messages and check train times. A walk on the beach, on the other hand, allows the mind to wander effortlessly, encouraging presence and observation. ART emphasises the importance of immersion in this new environment, of “being away” from usual habits, of effortless attention directed at the new environment, and of a desire to appreciate this environment.
If our routine is rigid and unchangeable, we may switch into autopilot, directing all of our focus towards specific tasks and productivity, rather than on experiences and sensations. In doing so, we become emotionally disconnected, often leaving us feeling stagnant within ourselves, in our work, and in our relationships. However, when we change things up, we become more observant and curious, eager to learn about our new environment. Like when you visit a new place, you might find you become hyper-aware of smells, sounds, colours, and flavours that you are not accustomed to in your everyday life.
Distance Creates Objectivity
We have all heard the phrase “distance makes the heart grow fonder”, often used in the context of love. But distance does something else too: it creates perspective. Changing your environment can place physical and emotional distance between you and your problems. It can dull the intensity of reactions, and allow us to think more deliberately rather than act with urgency.
In everyday life, quick and efficient thinking is the default. We are in constant communication with others which often means trying to find immediate solutions to any problems that may arise. This can prove stressful, and not give you the time to process before reacting. Since moving to Sydney from London, I have actually found the time difference a blessing in the way it forces me to consider my communication with people, and actively think about how they make me feel. While the distance doesn’t (unfortunately) make issues go away, it can help us to understand them from a more objective standpoint.
Why Decisions Feel Clearer When Travelling
For many, myself included, travelling seems to be a source of clarity and self-understanding. Perhaps it is the distance from home, from the opinions of others, and from your everyday identity and routine that helps you to see yourself, and parts of yourself such as your fears, your concerns, and your relationships in a new light. You are often more able to go with the flow, explore, see new sights and meet new people, opening yourself up to new perspectives and outlooks on life. For me, travelling allowed me to feel more present within myself. I allowed myself to say yes to new things and to put myself out there, turning even missteps into an opportunity for discovery and growth.
Creativity Needs Disruption
Disrupting routine also leaves space for spontaneity – something that feels easier when travelling, when not every moment of the day is scheduled, and when people tend to be more open to seeing where the wind takes them. Simply wandering around a new city can be inspiring because of its unfamiliarity, the differences in the architecture, the fashion, the ambiance. It may not be that the environment itself is any more stimulating, but it is novel and therefore we become more active observers, drinking in all the details.
This disruption can feel uncomfortable. Whilst living in Sydney, I have felt fear, discomfort, and longing for the comforts of home. However, these feelings have been accompanied by feelings of learning, of growth, of excitement and anticipation. For me, clarity and creativity has surfaced in my everyday life through meeting new people, experiencing new places and things, rather than from sitting down in my room, feeling overwhelmed by the future. Finding ways to challenge yourself and push yourself out of your comfort zone can be inspiring, and sometimes you may decide that something isn’t for you, in which case you will probably be glad you gave it a try!
You Don’t Need to Leave the Country!
You have probably heard countless stories of people ‘finding themselves’ in South East Asia. While travelling seems the most obvious way to change up your environment and routine, to experience new things, and to meet new people, the majority of people face the reality of a job. Travelling must eventually come to an end. Even if you move abroad, chances are you will be working and therefore establishing a new routine. Life has a sneaky way of becoming life wherever you go. Your problems, struggles, and challenges do not disappear when you travel or move abroad. They may just seem further away, allowing you to consider them from a new perspective. In establishing new routines in Sydney, I found myself walking to work, journalling, reading, and engaging my brain in ways that leave me feeling calm and fulfilled.
So find ways to reset and find clarity within your routine, whether that be going for a walk somewhere new each weekend, working from a new cafe, or even staying at a friend’s house for the night. Clarity itself doesn’t arise in certain places, but arises from certain conditions. I think you can find your way back to yourself within the structures of your own life by considering yourself more in your daily routines, and adapting them to allow for time to slow down and appreciate. Sometimes stepping out of the familiar is all we need to see things a little differently. And the good news is, you don’t need to jump out of a plane to do it.
Read more of our Thought-Provoking articles here.
