Photo Credit: Katherine Scott, taken on a Girl's Trip in Camargue, France.

“We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has changed, and that changes everything.” – Jonah Lehere, Rhodes Scholar

What does money have to do with enriching, rewarding experiences abroad? Everything – because in the United States, money is the #1 reason why Americans don’t travel. As we saw in one of  our latest blog posts, Solo Female Travel, it’s actually easy to travel because it’s so affordable.

Not only is it more affordable than we assume, easier than ever and safer due to growing tourism, there are several benefits to traveling too.

Relieve stress. This one is a no brainer! We all love the feeling of being free from our obligations at home. There’s nothing like turning your phone off and tuning in to our surroundings with friends and family.

Boost creativity. Researcher Adam D. Galinsky’s suggest that professionals tend to be more creative if they travel. This could be due to the fact that exposure to foreign environments sharpens your mind, changes your perspectives, and drives you to try new things.

Lower risk of depression and enhance good moods. While depression is a taboo topic, it’s an all-to-real problem in our society. Research suggests that travel helps people escape feelings of hopelessness. Even planning a trip makes us feel happier!

Increase empathy. As we are exposed to different cultures and ways of life, we begin to feel for strangers that may have harder lives than we do. This paradigm shift is then taken back home, forever enabling us be more compassionate, caring humans.

Get back in shape. Sunshine and the good ol’ outdoors is a perfect combination for fitness. Vacation allows us to escape routine and enjoy moving our bodies in fun, new ways.

Still unconvinced? That’s ok, we got you. Here are 5 easy steps to start traveling:

1. Go to a country that speaks your language. For example, if you speak English, England or Belize may be a good fit.
2. Don’t go too far away from home. For example, Canada or Mexico if you live in the states.
3. Visit a country that is very used to tourists, like Costa Rica.
4. Start small. Go for a week, see if you like it, and then book your next trip for two weeks.
5. Travel with a group! Traveling alone can coax up some anxiety, but traveling with other people eases all stressful woes.

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Written by Randee Lee, Travel Blogger & Writer for Chasing Atlas