Travel. A vital part of life. As artists, we sit down in our studios working away at our pieces for hours. While it’s great that we’re doing what we love it’s terrible for our mental health. Being isolated from the possibilities the world has to offer. I’m not saying not to create art in your studio for hours, heck I do it. I’m saying that there needs to be a balance between art and getting out there and living not just existing. So without further ado, here are 9 reasons why you should travel more as an artist.

New travel experiences

Routine kills our souls and possibilities. Doing the same thing over and over, like a robot. There’s nothing better than being in a new environment. An environment that gets you constantly looking around learning, appreciating, consuming. When you’re in that boring town that you’ve lived in for 10, 20, 30 years that isn’t the case for you anymore. Everything is so familiar, with travel it’s the complete opposite. When you arrive back to your boring town everything feels refreshed. Like exfoliating your skin to reveal new skin. A weird example, I know but that’s how your mind feels when you travel.

Food

Now when traveling you may come across amazing food or maybe to you, terrible food. When you leave home for new experiences, food is a way to get that. There’s nothing worse than traveling thousands of miles from home to taste the familiar. That’s just boring. The ironic thing is the familiar might even taste better in their home country. That’s what makes travel great unashamedly eating anything and everything you can’t get back home. Food is a great way of understanding and connecting with other cultures.

Perspective

Visiting a new place is a good way to look at your life and see it from different angles. Seeing places where people have different laws, different incomes and different ideas, makes you challenge your own experiences and opinions, helping you appreciate the good in your life that is so easy to take for granted. You touch base with their culture and start to understand why they do certain things or act in a certain way, immersing yourself and truly walk in another person’s shoes.

Memories/having stories to tell

There’s nothing worse than identifying as that person who can’t make friends or network with other artists. However, when you travel you become a storyteller. You’ll have something in common with everyone making it easy to find common ground. Trade stories, give advice, spread the word. Traveling throws up a lot of crazy, funny and sometimes serious situations that relating back to people will make you feel interesting.  Memories are everything, embarrassing ones are too, no matter how much they might make you cringe. It’s always easy to start a conversation and keep them going when you have awesome stories to tell and memories you can always look back on.

Relationships

It’s much easier to make new friends when you travel than it is at home. When traveling and you’re by yourself you’re pushed to make friends and talk to people, you don’t want to be lonely. Social interactions make us happier and increasing our social circle means that we’re talking more and meeting different, interesting people, which means we’re learning more too. Travelling is kind of like speed-dating except with friends. If you don’t like someone, and it gets awkward you’re never going to have to see them again. If you do like someone, you go in the same direction and exchange contacts. It builds you up as an artist also, sharing your works with potential buyers or people who will help get your name out there.

Knowledge

Whether it’s learning a new way to create art, be inspired by someone else’s art or learning a new language, travel presents ways in which we can further our knowledge. No-one will laugh at you for trying to speak in a different language, it helps you learn to break the barrier in the world. Seeing the world provides an education that’s absolutely impossible get in school. Travel teaches you economy, politics, history, geography, and sociology in an intense, hands-on way no class will.  Fortunately, the school of travel is always taking applications, no entrance exam required. Not all classrooms have four walls.

A sense of accomplishment

A lot of young people like me, put off traveling for reasons like going to college, working hard, getting married, and having kids. I think it’s a mistake to put off traveling in exchange for the belief that you can do it when your older and have more time. Because well… we don’t. We’re not guaranteed time or older age. If something happens and I don’t live to see my 40s, 50s, or 60s, I will have no regrets. I have experienced the world to the best of my ability by taking every opportunity presented to me to do all I could and go where I could.

Confidence

Whether you’re shy or love being the center of attention, traveling the world will increase your confidence. You will meet new and exciting people every day, become resourceful when things don’t go to plan, conquer confusing bus routes and eat strange foods. Travelling will develop your confidence in both yourself, your ability to problem solve and your ability to make new friends. A time will come when an unexpected situation has to be dealt with. Even if you plan your trip, things can take a shocking turn. Whatever happens, there is a way around the problem and knowing that you can deal with these situations is a big boost to self-confidence and therefore your happiness.

Are you gonna travel more after reading this? Let me know! DM me – @victorajayiart