Wanderlust be gone! Image by Sabina Trojanova.
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Are your city’s once beautiful streets blending into a uniform mass of grey? Do you find yourself Googling “outbound flights” without any recollection of typing the words into your browser? Is your Pinterest profile beginning to resemble a travel agent’s catalogue?
I don’t want you to panic, but if you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be suffering from a serious case of wanderlust.
Luckily for you, I have just the prescription you need.
Sabina in a Berber village near Imintanoute, Morocco. Image courtesy of Sabina Trojanova.
“Whoa, wait a second. Who are you to tell me what I need?” I hear you ask, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Good question – this is your well-being we’re talking about after all!
I have more than 20 years of experience in getting in and out of trouble around the world and a degree in globetrotting. When I am not on the road, you will find me writing about my experiences for my blog, Girl vs Globe, or other publications.
Here on Go Girl Travel Network, I will offer advice on how to survive different aspects of travel – from coping as a solo female voyager to, you’ve guessed it, conquering your wanderlust.
If you are ready to be cured, here is my prescription…
1. Open Your Heart
Sit still for a moment and think – why do you want to travel so badly?
Are you trying to escape memories of a failed relationship or are you simply yearning to see horizons beyond the office kitchen? As long as you are being honest with yourself, there are no wrong or right answers here.
It is important to realise the underlying cause of your wanderlust because it will help determine what kind of vacation you need and how quickly it should be administered.
2. Open Your Wallet
It’s not quite as romantic as the last task, but assessing the state of your bank account is a necessary step toward fulfilling your dreams of travel.
Can your savings account fund a trip overseas, or would you have to sell a kidney and your soul to get onto that flight?
Once you establish how feasible your adventure is, you can start planning accordingly.
Sabina makes bread in Morocco. Image courtesy of Sabina Trojanova.
3. Open Your Mind
Now is the time to put your thinking hat on.
If you can sustain the costs, discuss the possibility of an extended vacation with your boss.
If the trip you desire is not within your means, you have two choices. If you are in it for the long run, you can set a deadline for yourself and start saving up. Cut your spending mercilessly, and within months you could be on your way to the stars, or a neighbouring country at least. After all, galactic travel is not for everyone, and good hostels are hard to come by in outer space.
If waiting is not an option and you need a vacation, like, yesterday, just fast forward to the next step.
4. Open Your Eyes
You are not a prisoner in your own home.
No matter where you live, I can assure you that there are places you haven’t visited and adorable quirks you haven’t noticed. All you need to do is give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy them. There is a lot to be said for stay-cations. With minimal cost and effort, you can give yourself the illusion of being on holiday while getting to know your turf at the same time.
Make an effort to act like a tourist in your own town, and your wanderlust might just magically subside.
5. Open Your Wings
Albeit the easiest, the last step is where most people get stuck. Booking a ticket and writing the words “Yay, vacation time!” in your daily planner takes less than a minute, but doing so feels very binding.
And you know what? It is just that – a binding promise to cure your wanderlust once and for all…
Or until the next time you find yourself aimlessly browsing Pinterest and daydreaming about faraway destinations.
So spread your wings and fly into the arms of the unknown. Your next adventure is awaiting you!
