Many people invest significant meaning into holidays, expecting to return as a different version of themselves, according to Dr Jade Thomas of Luxe Psychology Practice. However, she explains that returning to the same job, responsibilities, relationships, and potential stressors can create a stark contrast with how one felt during the holiday.
While changing environments can temporarily improve mood due to novelty, anticipation, and a break from routine, Dr Thomas cautions that if dissatisfaction stems from internal factors such as stress, low self-esteem, anxiety, or feeling unfulfilled, a change in physical location may not alter these patterns.
The idea that travel should serve as a 'spiritual reckoning' or 'personal renaissance' has become prevalent in modern tourism. Writer Agnes Callard, in The New Yorker, suggested that travel can be an exercise in self-deception, where individuals believe moving through space changes who they are, when they often just perform uncharacteristic habits before returning to their baseline.
Dr Thomas also highlights a paradox where attempting to achieve a specific emotional state can move individuals further from it. She suggests that sometimes it is necessary to stop questioning whether one is having a good time and simply experience the moment.