You don’t need a plane ticket to be away.
The deck WalkWell4LifeBeing physically far is one way to get there, but not the only one. A walk through your own town, a nearby trail or a gallery you have never visited can rest and restore you too — and you can do it often.
Restoration needs you to be mentally away, not necessarily far away. Research on restorative destinations treats the two as separate.
Lehto, 2013 · Lehto, X. Y. (2013). Assessing the perceived restorative qualities of vacation destinations. Journal of Travel Research. DOI 10.1177/0047287512461567
In a study of nearly twenty thousand people, those who spent at least two hours a week in nature were more likely to report good health and high wellbeing.
White et al., 2019 · White, M. P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B. W., Hartig, T., Warber, S. L., Bone, A., Depledge, M. H., & Fleming, L. E. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9, 7730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3
Take the street you never take, and look up. Notice three things you have never seen before.
Near A morningGo early, go slowly, and leave the phone in your pocket for the first half hour.
Near An afternoonSomewhere that fascinates you, close enough that you can go again next month.
Near Once a monthPut one Saturday a month in the diary for somewhere near. Looking forward to it is part of the rest.
Near TogetherInvite someone. Shared experiences are remembered more warmly, and the road is better shared.
Near With the deckDraw a card from The Travel of Life and carry its line with you on the walk.
Near