waking up in another place is really important when traveling

over the past few years i’ve started to truly appreciate the value of traveling. starting when i was in grad school, i began to take more and more trips. i traveled with friends, chosen family, and lovers. 

regardless of who i was traveling with, though, i learned to prioritize  waking up in another place. the process of going to sleep and waking up in another location really makes a trip feel different. i’m not totally sure why, but i have a few guesses.

first, waking up in an unfamiliar place breaks you out of your typical patterns. now, i’m all for routine to enhance productivity, but knowing when to break up your routine is an important part of having routines. that may sound counter-intuitive, but i’ve written about the routines (here and here) and also why getting out of them can spur creativity.

travel and waking up in a new place also is a reminder that the way you live your life isn’t the only way to live. whether in the wilderness or the suburbs or a city or a new climate, seeing a new day from another perspective is helpful for building just that: perspective.

i’m definitely not rich, but now whenever i travel, i try really hard to make sure i get at least one night and morning away from home. even if it’s just a quick trip to an airbnb one or two towns over, having 18 hours away where some of it is the overnight is more beneficial than getting up early and coming back lack on the same day.