Traveling is one of those activities that doesn’t need too much encouragement to do.  I have to admit, traveling has never really been one of my favorite things to do, but those feelings have intensified since I found out that life isn’t as fair as it was when I was ten years old.

But, sometimes we need encouraging.  We need someone to help us pick up the phone, or drive to a travel agent or just ask the simple question; “where do you want to go”.  Everyone is different when it comes to coming up with reasons to do anything, but taking a vacation shouldn’t be a long grind.  It should be like having a party – and who really needs a reason to have a party?

Of course, if you need a reason to take a vacation – here are 10 reasons right off the top of my head:

10. All your friends are doing it.

If everyone jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you do it?”  The answer is a resounding – yes!  Who doesn’t want to fit in – and even though it is the Brooklyn Bridge – keeping up with the Jones’s is better then doing the same old thing.  If your neighbors know that you are the best person to watch over their house while they are gone on vacation – because you never take one, it might be a good idea to update your passport.

9. Your screensaver on your work desktop is a picture of a island getaway.

I know that when feelings for traveling get stronger, I surround myself with photos and little write-ups that talk about far off places.  And seeing as how pictures speak louder then words, one place that I always update is my desktop at work.  Picturing a beautiful sunset give way to light of the moon puts me right in the mood to find myself on that piece of salty land.

8. The first part of the newspaper you read is the travel section.

I used to do this because it was the only part of the Sunday paper that my dad didn’t like.  Now that I have my own subscription to the Sunday news, I flip through the funnies to get me ready to read about the next celebrity appearing in rehab – or the lottery winner who just went bankrupt.  The travel section very rarely leaves the bulk of the paper, until the bug resurfaces itself and makes me read about some all-inclusive resort in Antigua.

7. Stress levels have far exceeded their maximum.

Very seldom do I suffer from stress –having said that, my stress-o-meter is a good indicator as to when I need to recharge my battery.  I know people that get stressed out when ordering a sandwich at the local deli.  If stress is your enemy, then one sure fire way to combat it is through rest and relaxation – or at the very least, changing what you are doing.  Either way, a vacation can help accomplish both.

6. You can’t seem to find anything else on television except what the Travel Channel is airing.

I love the Travel Channel, but even I get the itch when I’m watching it for more then 10 minutes.  The shows that they put on their make you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action – which is great.  But, when you watch one show after another and think that the existence is better on the screen then in your living room, then give into your intentions and book that trip.

5. You have extra spending money.

Money is what makes it all possible, and to have extra amounts of it, regardless of how much, is a great feeling.  If you are thinking of whether to take a nice ski vacation/tropical getaway or spend it on the first 5 seasons of Seinfeld DVD’s…remember that Seinfeld re-runs are still running.

4. You really want to wear those flip-flops and that Hawaiian shirt.

Nothing says “look at me, I’m on vacation” more then a shirt that goes with everything!  I used to have a closet full of these types of shirts – but since I got married, my wife gave me an option…loose the shirts.  Not much of an option – but I did manage to keep one or two.  Nothing says ‘cruiseware’ then hula girls dancing around your chest.

3. You love sending home postcards from your trip.

I swear that this was always something that I enjoyed doing more then maybe I should have.  Making people envious of the fact that you can and will take a vacation is a sign of validation for all those times that you looked after their house while they were gone.  Inasmuch as I hate receiving them, the thought of writing to someone that you are having a great time and wishing, albeit ungenerously, that they were there is priceless.<

2.You have time off from work.

all the reasons for not traveling, this one has to be the biggest.  Its one thing if you don’t have time off from work – but your excuses fall short when you are allotted the time to not show your face in the office.  Getting away from all the fiber optic gear and swaying to the sounds of a calaypso band might be the best remedy, and what better way to do that then having a nice boat drink on a cruise to the Caribbean.

1.You deserve it.

There is no better reason to travel, or to do anything for that matter, then because you deserve it.  Even if you feel like you don’t deserve it, don’t blind yourself with the negative things that you have done all year.  We are all made from the same cloth, and in the long run the option to do nothing is something that everyone, at one point or another should strive to achieve.

Without doing too much homework, I’m sure that anyone can come up with a few other reasons to pack your bag and get moving.  If life is making you wish that you had some sort of outlet – remember that traveling is always a great remedy.

Photo by Zoltan Papp.