For years, I aimlessly gave in to the ways of the world and sacrificed money and time on things that ultimately didn’t matter. I wasted my youth wishing I could look like the models in magazines instead of accepting my body for what it was. I wasted my college years chasing a boy who I knew wasn’t the one for me. I was constantly searching for something but I didn’t know what.
It wasn’t until I went through a major break up in 2014 that I finally did some much needed soul searching. I decided to go on my first out-of-the-country trip, alone. Well, technically it was with a group of people at church but no one from my family would be joining me.
I immediately applied for my passport and within a few weeks I was attending classes to go on my trip to the Dominican Republic.
Needless to say, that trip changed my life.
I knew immediately that I was meant to travel. It’s what I’d been craving all these years. What I’d been searching for. I wanted to experience other cultures and I wanted to see my own world in a new light. I wanted to change my point of view on a lot of things and not be so small minded. I wanted to meet people from other countries and learn where they come from and how life works for them.
I came home with a strong feeling of wanting to travel again and wanting to see more and more of this beautiful world that we live in. That’s when I knew that the travel bug didn’t just bite but it affected me, body and soul. It changed who I was as a person and it made me grow in ways I didn’t even think were possible.
I look at people now with a more open mind. I give people the benefit of the doubt instead of jumping to the worst conclusion. I have more patience and am more understanding in stressful situations.
Travel has the power to inflict a positive change in peoples lives. It has the power to cause happiness and an overwhelming feeling of joy. Every time I visit a new country, city or state – I get immensely excited and can’t wait to explore it. Travel has made me realize things about myself that I wasn’t sure about before. It’s made me fully accept my passions in life and let go of things that I don’t need.
Before I traveled, I held onto things and bought material objects just for fun. Now, I’m more cautious with my money and am more willing to spend on experiences rather than things. I have one suitcase to my name and that’s it. I believe we often weigh ourselves down with material objects that we try and gain happiness from them – and that will never work. No new iPhone or piece of clothing can give you near as much joy as hopping on a plane, train or in an automobile and exploring a new place. Or better yet, your own city!
Call it an adrenaline rush if you will and if that makes me an adrenaline junkie then I’m one all the way. I saw this meme on the internet that said “You’re lucky, I could be addicted to drugs” in response to a family saying “you travel too much”. I think this resonates with me on so many levels.
By now, my family knows that travel is a priority for me. Whether it be in the state next to us or venturing out of the country again – travel will be in my life forever. I thoroughly believe my travels have also had a positive impact on my life and I see no reason to stop. Sure, it costs money to pay for a plane ticket – but if you’re smart and know how to use Skyscanner to scan for good flight deals, you can save money & be able to explore more.
Sure, traveling can be stressful at times and overwhelming but I often use that to build character and improve on my problem solving skills. I also like to look at it as part of the journey instead of a negative. Everything I’ve gone through the past year while traveling Europe, I’ve never regretted or thought badly about. Each milestone and each experience was one for the books. Even driving on the interstate, in Italy, at night, on a scooter… I learned from that and now that I look back on it – it was an adventure and one that I will never forget!
Travel to Find Yourself
Travel has a positive impact on not only ourselves but also the world around us. When we educate ourselves on the environment, political news around the world, different cultures and other things – we become more well-rounded individuals and have more to offer to society.
I don’t want to live in this bubble where I only know the people in my town and I only know the news going on in my country. I want to know what’s happening in OUR world and what’s happening to OUR neighbors. How is this affecting us and how are we affecting them? What change can we, personally, bring about in our lives and the world around us?
Travel – it broadens our horizons and opens our eyes. It shows us things we do and don’t want to see and we become better people because of it.
Travel – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
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This blog was originally published on 'voyageur kalee'