Up until two years ago, I would have considered myself an absolute global travel enthusiast by all standard definitions.

Speaking from the perspective of my younger mind, there were endless reasons why visiting cities and countries around the world could add value to my life—exposure to different cultures, a broadened professional career, friends, fun, international landscapes, adventure, and dining. You get the idea. Mind you, those travels most certainly delivered in all of those areas.

But with time, maturity, growth, and an ever-changing societal and global landscape eventually come, and with that, a re-prioritization of what one considers vital for overall well-being.

Gen-Z social media trends still ensure that all of the efforts of the next generation are propelled towards gaining and unrealistically maintaining above-average wealth, self-employment, which includes the perk of travel at free will, and not bothering to consider building savings or long-term wealth since most of them believe that the future doesn’t look too bright – Which in my opinion is the main (and perhaps unconscious?) driving reason behind current gender wars, relationship incompetencies, and an over individualistic attitudes towards life.

But I digress. Back to today’s global obsession with world travel and why you don’t need to cave to the pressure of this newly created societal false need.

Mind you, the key word here to note is “obsessed.” Travel, in general, will never not be a mind-broadening experience that everyone should make room for in their lives. It most certainly brings one perspective, growth, and fun. The reasons below mostly point out why we don’t need to feel the need to wear world travel as a badge of honour or as a replacement for other equally vital areas of life.

WHY YOU DON’T NEED TO BE OBSESSED WITH WORLD TRAVEL

It’s financially disruptive.

You know it’s true. Just because it’s become incredibly normalized to save for and drop excessive amounts in the thousands and up on so-called “must-see” locations worldwide does not mean that you have to do so.

Personally speaking, I have never not felt the pangs of guilt that follow various bookings in my bucket list cities. It always ends up being worth it from an emotional perspective, but my dominant practical side tends to take over much of the time.

The travel experience has somewhat deteriorated.

It’s becoming increasingly dangerous and stressful. Airports are packed even if you are taking a 6 a.m. flight, and many of the airport and travel staff around the world are increasingly grumpy.

The backlash from the imposition of international tariffs, the crowds, the robberies in London and other European cities worldwide, and the unrest from the constant political flux has seeped into the minds and hearts of citizens worldwide and cannot be ignored.

It’s a glamourized version of the human need for escapism.

The pandemic revealed to me the many ways I could replicate the psychological feeling of a vacation, but on a budget and without any of the hassle of travel mentioned above.

Book local staycations with close friends or get a hotel room in your favourite downtown spots. You can read, peruse magazines, try photography, painting, or writing—anything that gets you out of your physical space and into another mindset can, in fact, have the same benefits as taking a trip to another exotic location that takes you away from your plants, pets, and bed.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope what you have read has somehow educated, informed, or inspired you.

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