How often in life do you take the scenic route?

You’ve probably heard that in life and even as you progress towards goals, it is all about the journey and not the destination, but do you pause to enjoy the journey, or do you just plow ahead?

Indulging yourself in taking the scenic route is not about being lazy or wandering without direction. It’s about meandering and appreciating all there is along the way.

In today’s world of easily available GPS, so much adventure and fun have been stripped out of almost all journeys. You enter your destination, and bam, you get the quickest, most efficient route. And while there’s a time and place for efficiency, it also removes any sense of wonder.

Oh, and just a side note regarding the GPS. Unless you’re extremely familiar with all the nuances of the area you’re in, you are relying on someone else’s opinion, all be it in algorithm form, for the best route to take. And, if you’re like most, you don’t take the time to verify whose best interest the algorithm is written for. It could be you or the McDonalds you pass on the way to your destination.

The analog versions of the GPS are tight schedules and college and life plans that supposedly get you to your goals as efficiently as possible. And while I’m not against planning, I don’t recommend you become so goal-focused that you develop tunnel vision and miss all the beauty available to you on your journey.

One of the major factors of mid-life crisis is the feeling of remorse. Individuals feel they missed out on life and wish that they had spent more time with family and friends and slowed down instead of being obsessed with their career or goal-driven. They wish, to some extent, that they had taken the scenic route.

So, the next time you find yourself scheduled from dawn to dusk or obsessed with the most efficient way to get through life, pause for a moment and consider slowing down. Yes, you might experience delays in reaching your destination or goals, but you’ll also reap the benefits of taking the scenic route.

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