So, you want to travel more? Unfortunately, one or more of these six habits could be holding you back from pursuing your goal. Travel is a costly luxury, but one that can build incredible memories, expose you to new cultures and traditions, and grant you a wealth of experience that you just can’t obtain sitting in your hometown. The truth is, anyone can travel more, but we tend to get stuck in bad habits that hold us back.
These habits are all common; from smoking to not budgeting to being narrow-minded about cultures and peoples. Luckily, they’re all habits that can be broken, opening up the road (physically and metaphorically) to you. Let’s begin with smoking.
1. Smoking
How can smoking possibly be holding you back from traveling? Aside from being limited in where you can smoke, smoking also creates a bit of a financial issue. Most heavy smokers spend hundreds of dollars each month on cigarettes, to the tune of about $3,000-$6,000 per year. That’s a vacation’s worth of money in itself!
You can’t smoke in airports, on planes, in many public places, no government buildings, no museums, and a lot of parks and recreational spots have banned public smoking as well. This leaves you with very few opportunities to have a smoke during your travels, which can cause nicotine withdrawal. This will essentially ruin the trip, since withdrawal causes irritation, mood swings, and more.
Luckily, there are plenty of cessation apps, products, and support forums to help you quit. You can also choose alternatives like tobaccoless dip to help you in your cessation efforts; just as long as you quit for good!
2. Not Saving Money
Did you know that nearly 70% of Americans might have less than $1,000 in savings? This disturbing fact reveals a few things: we’re not taught good savings and spending habits, the cost of living is incredibly high, and some jobs just don’t pay enough.
However, even if you’re working at a job that doesn’t pay a lot, you can still save money. Adopting a more minimalistic lifestyle can save you the cost of stuff. Incidentally, those same Americans that have almost nothing in savings have also racked up trillions of dollars in consumer debt from financing cars, expensive phones, clothes, and all manner of luxury items we associate with true happiness.
You’ll never find true happiness at the bottom of a shopping bag, but the wealth of experience that traveling provides could fill your heart and soul with a feeling you’ve never had before.
3. Credit Cards
Speaking of financing, let’s talk about credit cards. This is something a lot of people struggle with, because credit cards make it so easy to overspend. The thought of I can just pay this later has caused millions to incur so much debt that they’re eventually buried in it. Credit cards are dangerous, and you should be careful when using them.
Break the habit of maxing out your cards, or even spending ¾ of your total available credit. It’s best to keep your credit usage at a minimum, and only finance on your credit card what you can afford to pay off all at once at the moment you buy it. Credit cards are supposed to help build credit, not offer a debt stream that can easily turn into a raging river if left unchecked.
4. Refusing To Budget
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that budgeting is a habit reserved for the poorer class of people. Wealthy people also budget their income to ensure they’re increasing their wealth, not squandering it. Keeping track of where your money comes from and where it goes each month can help you build better financial habits and security overall.
Budgeting isn’t rocket science. Here’s a quick guide to effective budgeting to get you on track to more travel.
5. Narrow-Mindedness
Would you believe that some people don’t travel due to simple narrow-mindedness? It’s true! Some people have a habit of writing things (or people/cultures) off before they even get to know them. This is a habit that’s easy to break once you look into it. New cultures and traditions can make your a more cultured individual, opening the floodgates of desire to experience different cultures across the world. All it takes is that first step of opening your mind.
6. Poor Diet
Yes, your poor diet is potentially holding you back from traveling more. Why? Because you’re unhealthy. Traveling is something that requires some measure of good health, as you’ll likely want to experience outdoor locations and fly in some cases. Poor health can restrict movement, energy, and even motivation, which can hold you back.
What you eat is so much more important than we think. The foods you put into your body can either pay dividends or leave you physically bankrupt, and it’s always a personal choice to eat poorly or healthily. Which choice will you make?
