If there’s one thing everyone can relate to at some point in their life, it’s feeling “travel blues” after returning home from a trip.
While the memories we make on vacation can last a lifetime, adjusting to reality can be tough in the first few weeks back home.
A woman took to TikTok to share five tips people can use to cure their “travel depression” after returning home from a trip:
Natalie Louise began her video by saying, “Every time I go to my dream place, which is Malibu, I come home to Chicago and I always feel super sad about it.” She then offered some ways people can heal their feelings of sadness when it’s time to return to reality.
1. Clean your house
Deep cleaning and organizing your space is one of the best forms of therapy for any situation, but it can be especially beneficial after you’ve been out of town for a while. While no one likes the dreaded task of unpacking and cleaning after the peak of a fun trip, it will make your adjustment feel much smoother and more comfortable.
“Organize everything so that you can go about your normal daily routine and have a clear mind,” Louise suggested.
When you return home from a trip, the energy may feel stagnant from the last time you were there. Clearing and cleaning your space is a great way to get the energy flowing again.
Unpack your suitcase, do your laundry, sweep, mop, dust, light some incense or sage, and maybe even rearrange the design of your space so it feels like a new chapter in your life.
After all, you are not the same person you were before your trip, so your space should align with your changed perspective.
2. Create an album with your favorite photos and videos from the trip
Sometimes our responsibilities and life challenges can take us away from the positivity we experience in our lives. The best thing about technology is that vacation memories are just a tap of the phone away.
“If I get sad, I can just start swiping through these photos and immediately inject those positive memories into my mind, and then I’ll be happy again,” Louise shared.
By bookmarking photos and videos from your trip and revisiting them from time to time, you’ll reignite that spark within you and enjoy the experiences that make life worth living.
3. Remember that nothing is permanent
“Your current living situation, that’s not permanent,” Louise said. “You can change it at any time, and it’s nice to know that there’s a place you have in mind that brings you so much happiness.”
If there’s a certain destination where you always feel like the best version of yourself when you visit it, then you’re already one step ahead in planning your next moves in life. Remember, everything is temporary.
Have faith in the process and trust that your hard work will one day pay off. In the meantime, appreciate the present moment, practice gratitude for what you have now, and continue working toward the life you want.
4. Plan your next vacation
Whether you’re ready to book your next trip or want to start planning ideas in advance, having the next experience to look forward to will help keep you motivated in your daily routines.
“We only live once, and if you don’t see the world, then when will you see it?” Louise expressed. “I don’t think there’s a better time to travel than now.”
Louise is right, and if you are able to take some time off and indulge in a trip around the world during the year, then take advantage of the exciting experiences you can gain from it.
And during the months when you’re not traveling, planning your next trips will be a great hobby to pass the time.
“I’m going on a two-month trip around Europe and visiting a bunch of different countries,” Louise shared. “So I’m taking a few months off from traveling, which is really sad for me, but I think it’s going to be worth it because I have to plan this long trip. So thinking about it kind of makes the depression and sadness go away.”
5. It’s okay if you need to cry
Going on vacation to your favorite cities can put you in such an elevated state of mind that the serotonin drop you’ll experience upon returning home will leave you feeling quite emotional. And it’s okay and natural if you feel the need to cry.
Many of us would love to spend our entire lives traveling the world and experiencing the diverse cultures and communities that exist around us, but unfortunately, this is not realistic unless your profession involves traveling.
“It’s normal to feel a rush of emotion when you return home from a trip,” Louise said. “It can feel like a chapter has ended. An era has ended. Dig into it. Find the root cause of the feeling.”
Don’t internalize the challenging emotions you may feel upon returning home from a trip. Instead, use them as motivation to plan your next experience, and consider spending your days off as a tourist in your hometown to reconnect with that sense of wanderlust. Your hometown may just be someone else’s dream vacation, so try to embrace the parts that make it so special.
Be grateful that you can travel on such extravagant excursions and work hard to center your life around collecting these experiences if that is what gives your life the most meaning.
Coming back from a trip isn’t always so bad!
Personally, I know I look forward to the new perspective I gain on my hometown after such an eventful trip.
While I always miss and reminisce about vacations, there is something very comforting about returning to a cozy home, relaxing in my own bed, and appreciating elements of my city that I hadn’t enjoyed before the trip.
Often times, leaving home for a period of time allows you to appreciate things you didn’t notice before. This post-travel depression is only temporary, and there are always new experiences to look forward to.
Francesca Duarte is a writer for YourTango’s news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human interest, adventure, and spirituality topics.
