As the year winds down and we reflect on the highlights, other than the time spent with family and other loved ones, memories of our travels are often what stand out most. It’s not the “things” we buy but the experiences that make life so rich, which is one of the reasons travel can change your life!
While not discounting that a lot of people are struggling just to afford rent or mortgage payments, the money you spend on travel is an investment in yourself. It provides many benefits you might not have considered, mentally and physically. That’s something that’s been proven by science, plus it’s usually a lot cheaper than paying a therapist. Furthermore, it comes without the side effects of medications.
I’m grateful to have enjoyed some truly bucket-list experiences this year, including a trip to the Galapagos Islands, but I think getting so close to grizzly bears in the wilds of Alaska ranks No. 1. It’s the perfect example of how travel can change your life. I was filled with gratitude by the realization that relatively few others have enjoyed the privilege. But it was much more than that. It was overcoming the fear of having a massive bear just steps away and being immersed in the moment. If I can do this, I thought, I can do anything.
The bears have become a good reminder when I’ve been inside at home too long and start getting anxious about leaving. I tell myself, what are you so afraid of? You stood among a dozen grizzly bears, you can leave the house!
As you book your trips, don’t forget, travel can change your life as an investment in yourself!
Boosting Self-Confidence
One of the natural by-products of traveling is greater self-confidence. Anytime you put yourself into unknown territory, it helps build more confidence, creating an internal shift with every new experience. Each time you do something new or take a risk, even if it’s small, like driving on the opposite side of the road while navigating unfamiliar streets, it provides the opportunity to boost self-confidence. And, more self-confidence is obviously an impressive way that travel can change your life. It flows into everything you do, from acing an interview to trying something new.
Improving Problem-Solving Skills
When traveling in a new place, especially a different country, you’re bound to run into some issues that you wouldn’t encounter at home, from driving on the opposite side of the road to attempting to communicate in a different language. While it might feel uncomfortable or frustrating, it helps to improve your problem-solving skills as the brain builds new connections with every new experience. Even new smells, sounds, or tastes can have that effect. It improves your ability to “think out of the box,” as research by INSEAD and Kellogg School of Management found. Reading a textbook or taking a class is unlikely to produce a profound transformation. Travel can change your life when you enjoy firsthand experiences.
Emotional Strength
If you’re lugging a heavy suitcase around, it will probably make you physically stronger, but traveling doesn’t just result in muscle growth, it builds emotional strength. When faced with all sorts of unfamiliar situations and new people, it teaches you to be more patient, flexible, and emotionally strong. There are almost always going to be some inevitable bumps on the road that can’t be controlled, whether flight delays, traffic congestion, or an unexpected storm.
When you’re forced to surrender control by being in a situation where things don’t always go as planned, no longer will you see small issues as major tragedies. You’ll be better able to deal with the bigger problems and uncertainties in life.
Gratitude
As the saying goes, you never seem to appreciate what you have until it’s gone, from your comfortable bed to your friends and family, or even your daily routine, such as grabbing coffee at your favorite cafe. But that’s only going to help you develop a greater appreciation for them. Once you’re home, you’re bound to feel more grateful for what you have.
Greater Desire to Explore
Something that I know all too well – once you travel, it sparks an even greater desire to explore more of the world and the many different types of people in it. The more you discover and learn, the more it expands your mind while bringing joy to your spirit.
You might find yourself traveling solo on an international trip for the first time, perhaps taking baby steps to a place close to home, and then before you know it, you’re halfway across the globe with a big monkey that broke into your room gnarling its teeth at you. (Yes, that did happen, but that’s a story for another time)
Changing Perspective or Confirming Beliefs
Many people have a certain perspective on the world and views on life that naturally develop while growing up based on what’s seen or heard around them. By traveling somewhere new, your perspective is likely to change, at least in some aspects, or it might confirm what you already believe. Either way, it’s an opportunity for growth that can also help you understand yourself better.
Has travel changed your life? I’d love to hear about the experiences you’ve had! And if you haven’t had any yet, it’s time to change that in 2024!
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