Here’s a toast to those who have done it – the solo travelling, going to places they’ve never been. To those who’ve given adventure a chance. They are doing it afraid, doing it with the little resources they have. We raise a glass to anyone who pushes themselves out of their comfort zone to learn about the world and the people in it.
If you have yet to do so, we invite you to take a chance and book a trip someplace new. You will often hear people say that travelling has changed them and it is true. Travel widens your worldview and makes you reconsider preconceived notions about people and places, but more than anything, if you give it a chance, travel teaches you about love.
1. To express myself creatively
One of the greatest gifts frolicking in foreign lands has given us is the gift of creative expression. When surrounded by different architecture, landscapes, fashion, food, music, history, and language, it’s hard to walk away without slivers of another way of life making its way into your everyday life.
Creative expression is not simply about painting and making pottery, though those are beautiful ways to expel creativity when downloading so much visual information on your trip. It is also how you dress yourself, the way you speak, the food you cook and eat. It’s how you present yourself to the world, the conversations you engage in and the relationships you build.
Travel enables you to step into your most authentic self through creative expression. And when you do, you not only set yourself free from the opinions of others, but you make room for others to be their authentic selves too.
2. To have self-confidence
You gain a degree of fearlessness with travel that you don’t often find through other experiences in life. Being in a new place puts you in a position where you have to get comfortable in your own company, trust your abilities and overcome fear regularly.
Learning your strengths and weaknesses and being aware of when you need to ask for help teaches you to be confident in yourself. A person with true self-confidence will rarely speak poorly of themselves and others.
3. To have discernment and better judgement
They say never to judge a book by its cover – that’s true of people and places. Being in the company of a few friends, you learn to rely on each other, keep one another safe, and make choices that serve everyone’s best interests. You also discern with time the people that you can count on.
If we are a reflection of those we surround ourselves with, keep in company with those who are kind, calm under pressure, and treat everyone with respect regardless of who they are. You’ll find that you have more peace of mind and more fun on your travels and in life in general, and in time, it makes you a better person to be around.
4. To build connections with people from all walks of life
If there’s one thing travelling teaches us, it is that we are more alike than we are different. Some of the best connections are made in the most unlikely places when we put aside prejudices and learn to love and accept people as they are.
We find that most people are generally friendly and good to others. They are willing to offer a helping hand, they are generous, and they recognise that at the end of the day, we all need each other. Travelling encourages you to keep an open heart and mind when connecting with those who grew up differently.
5. Courage to stand up for myself and for others
Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” We’re not always treated fairly when travelling to different places. Sometimes, we end up being cheated by the taxi driver, overcharged for a piece of clothing, or harassed to pay for a service that was forced on us.
When these things happen, you’ll need to learn to speak up for yourself and not allow people and systems to bully you into feeling small. By standing up for yourself when you are wronged, you inadvertently stand up for others who have been wronged too. That kind of courage carries you wherever you go, and in turn, you learn to stand up for what’s right and fight against injustice.
6. To have a sense of humour
The more you see the world, the more you’ll learn just how imperfect it is, and that can be disheartening sometimes. Just as it is in life, travelling doesn’t always go as planned, and when things go awry, you could be kicking and screaming about it or laugh it off. We always find the latter to be the better solution. Patience and a little sense of humour are a couple of things we’ve learned from our trips.
Not every situation has to be dealt with with crude force, nasty words, and anger. Learning that you can be bold and eloquent, kind yet firm, curious but not easily fooled, and uncertain but wise, makes you and everyone around you love the person you are growing into.
7. It’s not about what you gain; it’s about what you leave behind
In many ways, travelling can be seen as a selfish act. It is, after all, all about “ME”. “I need a break, I need to relax, I need to see these places, I need to fulfil my bucket list, etc.” But the more time we spend globetrotting, the more we realise how fleeting that is. You stay at lovely places, have amazing food, meet wonderful people, and just as quickly forget about it as soon as the first working Monday comes around.
The only way to make it last, impactful, and life-changing is by sharing it. Whether that be with friends, family, or through social media. Share it in a manner that allows others to have that experience for themselves too. Consider cooking for a friend who’d love to try a meal you tried that you know they’d enjoy. Take your children on a holiday there over Christmas.
Travel stories are like time capsules. They keep your history alive and leave a legacy for those who come after you to continue to explore these places for themselves. There’s nothing to be gained by keeping a good thing to yourself. But when you share it, the world gains so much because of you.
