Traveling has never been this accessible. More and more, we are using school exchanges, working visas or just backpacking around as a common rite of passage.
We all want to see the world, to live the dream, to pursue our passion and hopefully make money while doing it. On top of that, we want to be seen; we want people to see our accomplishments and how many places we’ve visited. Technology has made us dependent on that now, the craving to constantly share what we’re doing with the entire world.
Of course, I’m generalizing here, it’s obviously not like that for everyone, but a majority of us have made social media a part of our daily routine. But there is more to traveling that having a few hundred likes on your “just bought a one-way ticket to Bali!” post, or a few more extra followers every time you post a beach selfie.
School of life
There’s something about traveling that you can’t learn at school and that no one can actually teaches you. Traveling gives you the opportunity to learn more about yourself that you could ever do at home. It makes you feel things you didn’t even know you could feel. It opens your mind to a whole new world of possibilities. You meet new people that end up having a big impact in your life, you are more willing to try things that you would never have tried back home, you frequently jump on opportunities without a second thought. Increasingly, you start to think less and act more. You allow that little voice inside you to be your guide, your instincts your compass.
Then there’s the hard stuff. You realize you have been raised in a world of abundance. Slowly, you realize, never growing up did you have to worry about having a roof over your head, wether there would be food or water. You realize this has made you soft.
Traveling makes you stronger. Mentally and physically. It puts you in uncomfortable situations where you miss home and your people like hell. But you grow from it. You become more and more ressourceful. You move everyday; walking, hiking, surfing, bungee jumping… you get to really enjoy the gift of your body when you travel.
Travel: a fresh challenge every day
Traveling gives you fresh challenges every day.
But it makes you feel more alive.
It makes you worry less about superficial things and more about living in the present moment. It makes you go back to the essentials. Less material possessions, more experiences.
Traveling is so tiring that you are usually thankful for any kind of cheap bed you get in your cheap hotel room. It makes you as happy as a kid on Christmas Eve to see that there’s hot water in your shower. Poor wifi connections in dodgy places sometimes forces you to disconnect from the outer world and reconnect with your true desires.
Travelling stops you becoming a bitter, frustrated person who constantly finds excuses for why she’s not doing the things and living the life she dreams of.
Traveling makes you less selfish and more conscious about people surrounding you. You greet strangers, you’re interested in hearing their stories. Traveling makes you see poverty. Real poverty. Little kids in the street looking at you with so much fascination and admiration. You’re happy to buy them a juice or whatever treat and they give you the biggest smile. Making people happy warms your heart. It truly does. People living in poverty do not take anything for granted and they constantly remind you the importance of being grateful.
People make places
Traveling makes you enjoy those beauties of this world. Ocean. Nature. Animals. Sunrises. People… We often say that “people make places”… it does! It definitely does.
At the end of the day, what matters is who you share your precious moments with. People that will make you laugh your brain out, people that will help you push your limits, people that keep your light shining inside. Humans that will encourage you to get rid of your useless material belongings to go on a infinite adventure. People with who make you feel alive.
Traveling makes you a happier, smarter, open-minded, altruistic person.
So… what are you waiting for?!
