4 Ways Road Trips Can Be Personal Therapy

Written by Contributor Writer Heather Clark

When you hear the word road trip, what do you think of? Perhaps, piling in a Volkswagen van with your carefree friends to arrive at a music festival filled with way too many illegal substances? Okay, quite stereotypical if we lived in the 70s. Insurance was not much of an issue back then, it is now though! Nonetheless, if you look online you will be able to find low price car insurance.

How does being cramped in a small car next to an immense amount of luggage, driving nonstop until you hit your destination 15 hours later sound? Obviously, a 2-hour flight seems a little more rational. However, as brutal as the trip may sound, a road trip with the people you love will leave you with memories you reminisce about for decades. Whether you choose to use your own car or you opt for car rental and leasing services instead is completely up to you. What really matters are the memories that you are able to create.

There are plenty of options at home and abroad to get out and about in the car. If you would love to hit the road with your friends and family but are worried about not having enough space, you could even consider renting a car from a rental service like e-mietwagenkreta. Just make sure you are familiar with the rules of the road if you are driving in different countries!

Recently, I took to the open road with my best friend around the UK and it reminded me that seeking adventure and exploring with friends can really soothe your soul. This was her first road trip since passing her driving test and we had such an amazing time! I have to say, learning to drive came totally naturally to her.

It feels like just yesterday she was having driving lessons in manchester and learning all about The Highway Code, and now she has her own licence and can drive whenever and wherever she wants to! Can you remember what learning to drive was like? I was always so nervous! I am a much more confident driver now though and I love going on road trips.

Road trips are the moments we can take a break from life, be young and free, and cherish the simplicity of being alive. Here are 4 ways a road trip can lift your spirits and be your own personal therapy:

You express yourself

It is very few and far between that you are sitting in the same spot with someone for hours on end. You have an immense amount of time (depending on where you drive) to talk about absolutely anything. It can range from whom you see your best friends marrying to whether or not the “H” on road signs means highway or hospital. Either way, you truly have the time to express yourself. The most random discussions will happen and you will get to learn a lot about one another. You are bound to share embarrassing stories, secrets, music, and personal thoughts, and receive support or advice from your closest friends.

Laughter is inevitable

This one I love the most. The longer your trapped in a car with the same person or people, the funnier things become. I honestly live for the belly laughs with my best friends. You would assume that the exhaustion of being behind the wheel would lead to grumpiness and irritability, but it is the complete opposite. Everyone is filled with adrenaline and excitement to get where they are going, and the silliness multiplies by a thousand. I constantly share funny stories from a road trip to Texas last year, and even if “you had to be there”, I will remember them for a lifetime.

Traveling makes for new sights

This one is kind of a given, but you really do not recognize the value of it until you are in the moment. Quite often, we get so caught up in our day-to-day routine and we are not able to appreciate the world around us. Even if you are traveling in the same country, you notice the different cultures and aspects of the city you are driving through. New sights are exciting regardless of where you are. I have not gotten the chance to travel far, so basically anything makes me scream for joy. Mountains, a large city, a Texas sunrise, the ocean … Seeing them makes me feel like a little girl going to her first NSYNC concert in 2000. Once you step outside your ordinary surroundings, you begin to understand how beautiful the simple things are. I do not need a luxurious home, fancy jewelry, or a million dollars to be satisfied. The world already has so much to offer and it is awesome when you experience it first hand.

You grow as a person

I am a firm believer that we, as individuals, will always be a work in process. There is always something we could work on. Simply put, we are all a bunch of imperfectly perfect beings slowly learning new things about ourselves as we endure different experiences. After we traveled the open roads for an endless amount of hours, I truly do feel that I learn more about myself each time. I gained trust, appreciation, and that much more love for the girl friends I was with. I realized how much I value the opportunity to entirely be myself around my best friends. I analyzed situations in my life and expressed certain parts that got me down, and understood different ways to tackle them. I know that driving and blaring a really great song as loud as possible makes my day better. I learned that it is irrelevant to get caught up in one life absorbing moment when there are so many aspects to be happy about. I grew.

So one day pack your bags, get in a car with your closest friends, and just drive. It will be your own personal therapy you never expected, I promise.