Build Healthy Gratitude for Travel this Holiday Season

This is a holiday season like no other in history. The world is twisted in knots with Covid-19, social turmoil, and the altogether strangeness of the year. In such a context, leisure travel has often taken a back seat in favor of social distancing and hunkering in place. What a perfect time to give thanks and discover gratitude for holiday travel.

What are your Thanksgiving holiday traditions? For many, social gatherings rather than social distancing are the name of the game. Personally, I want zero distance between myself and the turkey on the table. However, to get to the family gathering and that delicious dessert spread, I need to travel. Well, need is a strong word. I’d like to travel.

Prior to Covid-19, there was never a question about whether or not domestic travel was a reasonably safe venture. The old saying “you don’t know what you got until it’s gone” certainly rings true here (Amy Grant sings a great version with these lyrics). Think about it. When you were able to travel without any personal, social, or governmental restrictions, did you purposefully devote any time to gratitude for travel? If you’re like me, it’s been taken for granted.

Gratefulness for Travel

This Thanksgiving is going to look a little different. Rather than getting family hugs around the hearth, I’ll be getting family stares around the Skype. Instead of unbuckling the belt to make some room, I’ll be unfolding the laptop to do the Zoom. Rather than enjoying the chow, I’ll be enjoying the chat. Okay, you get the idea.

Psychologists have long known about the mental health benefits of travel and the mental health benefits of gratitude. Eastern traditions, including mindfulness practices, have long embraced gratefulness as an important component in awareness of joy. Can you still be grateful this Thanksgiving despite all of the health and social/cultural turmoil? In short, you should.

Let’s be grateful for travel. The freedoms that it affords are many, and the connections that are forged are meaningful. If you’re able to safely travel this holiday season, be intentional about taking time to be grateful for it. Even the challenging or stressful parts.

If you’re in a position where you’re not able to safety travel this holiday season, be intentional about taking time to be grateful for it anyway. The idea, hope, memories, and anticipation of travel are worth being grateful for. It may even help to reduce some of the disappointment about being unable to travel in this moment.

A Twist on Gratitude for the Holiday Season

Let’s talk about how to do this whole gratitude thing this holiday season. In fact, here’s a twist on traditional gratitude journals (which are definitely recommended and helpful, click here to get a gratitude journal for yourself and even for your kids). It’s one way to be grateful this holiday season, specific to travel whether you can travel or not this season.

First, write down the parts of travel that you don’t love so much. The hassles, the lines, the traffic. Write ’em down. Next, and here’s the unexpected part…write down why you can be grateful for each of those aspects anyway. Find gratitude in your ability to have patience in the long lines. Be joyful about the opportunity to join others in traffic. Explore the ways that any travel hassles ultimately mean that you are able to travel!

If you can find gratitude in the aspects of travel that are most challenging, imagine how this will train your brain to more easily scan for gratitude in the parts of travel you love! Have a happy holiday season, traveling near or far, enjoying every moment of travel wherever you are.

Happy Travels,

Dr. L
Founder; PsychologyofTravel.com

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