This. So much this. It's natural human tendency (and quite paradoxical tbh) to have the comfort of a routine also be the root cause of so much pain, feelings of being stuck in a "rut", and general sense of "is this what the rest of my life is"

And I always tell folks that if you can afford to take a few weeks/months off, do take it out and travel. It doesn't need to be a fancy, expensive vacation to the other side of the globe. But as long as it's forcing you into an environment that is unfamiliar, where things like food, culture and even basic human interactions are so different to what you are familiar with, you'll realise how quickly your energies get replenished and the problems/envy/lack of ambition will all start feeling small in the rear view mirror.

As the saying goes, it's just a bad day, not a bad life. :)

Exactly! The problem is people are scared to leave their confort zone while it's what will make them happier, it's kind of ironic. I didn't know that saying and it's pretty accurate! People always say some are "lucky" to go travelling, while in reality "Luck" is at everyone's reach but they just don't have the courage and motivation to do it.

Most people can't do this for a variety of reasons.

Mine is an autistic kids. This isn't really good advice, it's basically an empty platitude.

Find meaning in your life is actually what the 2 of you are telling him. Traveling is super overrated and is not an ends to itself.

Without meaning, there isn't much point to life.

I would say that travelling on a super low budget (or no budget at all) can be a transforming experience. It forces you to interact with locals to obtain any kind of food and shelters, and to live their lifestyle (because you can't afford anything more comfortable). On the other hand, I don't see much value in travelling where every discomfort can be removed by just opening up your wallet. It's nice but no essentially no different than going to the mall and movies in your town.

100% this. I went traveling searching for meaning in my mid-20s. The most important lesson I learned was “Wherever you go, there you are”

Exactly!

I'm sorry to hear about your kid. I don't know about your situation to give you any help. Most of the people have no valid reason at all, they imagining the chains that are holding them down. There is not always meaning in life, sometime you can just go with the flow and still enjoy life. Travelling is not the answer to everything but it will make you a lot happier if you do it right. It's the not the Destination, It's the journey -- random smart quote.

Your reply I'm sure won't be the most popular with the younger generations, but this is more realistic.

edit: A sabbatical may be a good idea in the OP's situation and need not always mean travel. Could also be a pursuit of arts, further his interest in physics etc.

I think it's a mindset. People want meaning in their life, I wonder if it's because they are bored. I have travelled a lot and I had no meaning in mind, just went with the flow, no plans at all, just places I knew I wanted to go. I can't say it's the solution for everyone, but for many it will do you good.

I love that you use the EBC trek as an example for breaking out of a rut. I completely agree with your point about "work to live and not the opposite". However, I did Salkantay, Laugavegur, and EBC, and all these treks simply made me want to do more travel. Going traveling did not teach me how to consistently work a few hours every day on a side project. It did not teach me how to work whole days, month after month, on my own projects where I was my own boss during a sabbatical. Travel is good advice, but it can be distracting too.

Salkantay is a great trek too, as for Laugavegur I would have to go back to Iceland and do that one, it looks amazing! (how long was the trek? Did you prepare/book long in advance?). Well yes travelling is great but it's not the answer to every problems, it's a way to know yourself outside work, which is more important in the end. And yes I completely agree with you, you just want to travel more, it's really addictive and I take it, it's because it gives you a lot of enjoyment as life should be.