Pretend Plans Can Be The Perfect Plans

Imagine you had all the resources you would need for your dream trip… time, money, perfect travel partner… or not… where would you go? While we might be in an odd time to plan epic journeys, there is actually a lot to be said for planning a trip you may never take and plenty of evidence to suggest even planning a trip can provide many mental benefits. Maybe I’m just latching on to this soundbite because I love any excuse to plan a trip, but hear me out!

Learning about a new destination, the culture, the people, the food, the politics, etc., while planning can give us a better perspective of our own reality making us appreciative of both what we have and what we might be lucky enough to experience. Even if you never actually embark on this trip you can still experience the destination by trying recipes, music or following YouTube travel vloggers who can take you on a tour!

Planning a trip can provide a nice distraction! You’ll imagine yourself on the beach, strolling through a museum, or hiking through the mountains and even those visions can provide a nice temporary getaway. And, distractions aren’t always a bad thing, especially in tough seasons, hello COVID? 

As you plan a dream escape, notice the feelings you have while you’re planning. Happy. Relieved. Relaxed. Curious. Intrigued. Inspired. Adventurous. There is no downside to finding your way into these feelings, right? So I’d argue this exercise is actually kind of a great coping mechanism in hard moments, but maybe that’s just me justifying the 12 trips I have planned at the moment. 

It’s never a bad thing to have something to look forward to! And having something to look forward to (real or imaginary) keeps us curious and gives us a mental escape at the very least.