11 Ways Travel Makes You the Best Version of Yourself
Let’s get stuck into it. You feel stumped. Days are on repeat. No change. Everything is so predictable that you have become a fortune teller of your own life and without a change, you will be destined to the plainer side of things. You just want more from this life, right?
If the above sounded a little too lifelike to you, then it is seriously time to leave behind the 9-5 grind, the endless study cram sessions, toxic relationships on repeat and start using your life wisely. Go explore this big beautiful world! To inspire you to get on your way, here are 11 ways travel is only going to make you even greater!
1. You will meet forever friends
So you have your besties from school or maybe one or two close pals back home which is awesome, but meet a person on the other side of the world who is experiencing the same new adventures everyday and you will never want to let them go. They will share endless wild tales, share your travel tips, share their food, get lost with you, party with you and encourage you to do more than you think you are capable of.
2. You will learn to chill…
At home you have work, study, personal battles and stress is somewhat mandatory in some way. Now you are about to learn how to live with zero stress and just chill, because travelling is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to unplug and live in the moment. Travelling between each place is a reason to do nothing, sit amongst your thoughts and realise that life is friggin' epic. Embrace the chill lifestyle and your days of stress will be long behind you! You know those insty photos of someone laying in a hammock between two palm trees on an island. They are your new idol. Be them.
3. You will learn to value the little things over money
Money is great, it buys you all the shiny new things that you want. But when you travel you will learn to live only out of a suitcase, begin to focus less on things and more on experiences. Money becomes overruled by experiences, adventures, moments and it will surprise you how little you care about it anymore. All you will need to buy on the road is food, booze, a spot to sleep, possibly toilet paper and a postcard, or a magnet. You know that saying “travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer” is completely on point.
4. You will have a new appreciation for home
Yes, we’re all looking for an escape from the norm of home from time to time. But, you are only human and are going to either be reminded of things from home or just miss them like crazy. You will miss parents, family and pets (in no particular order), followed by your bed, food (Aussies go loco over Vegemite withdrawals and Canadians will sell body parts for a Caesar), then driving around and finally you will miss it just because it is your home and takes up a bigger part of your heart than you thought.
5. You will become more interesting
So before you went overseas you were from that simple town, with that average job and had a dog named Barry. Seems pretty basic, but once you head overseas and meet someone from another country -they will think you are the most interesting person on the planet. All of a sudden you are that exotic person, with an accent, who loves dogs. Who wouldn’t love you! Then when you get home again you’re the super interesting nomad guy who has been everywhere and has a tonne of tales to tell. Barry is also wagging his butt off with excitement to see you again.
6. You will realise that you can do anything
Before you even decide to head abroad you will have doubts. Can I do this? I have never left my home on my own. No, I can’t do it. Wait, maybe I can? You’ll be talking to strangers, booking flights/boats/trains/ferries/buses/cabs, owning minimal, getting lost and finding yourself. Once you’ve started exploring, using made up sign language to order food, carrying a giant backpack everywhere and sorting life out on your own… you will realise you can do absolutely anything you want! Instead of that endless argument in your head, the only thing you need to say to yourself is ‘just go’. You got this!
7. You will become a super employable person
Most jobs overseas are probably going to be a little downgrade from whatever you were doing back home. But seeing the world, getting some experience here and there and learning about different cultures, world history, traditions and languages is the best education you can get. When you are ready to head home again employers will be stoked at how worldly you are! Traveling shows independence, the ability to take on challenges and succeed all on your own, you can converse with characters from all walks of life, plus you know the world is large and you know how to set goals and conquer them. You're hired!
Related: Why Travelling Makes You MORE Employable
8. You will overcome fears
Ever thought you would jump out of a plane? Maybe hold a snake around your neck? Snowboard the black runs on a mountain? Eat a fried scorpion? It’s nearly impossible to travel and stay in your comfort zone. It sounds make-believe but travelling to somewhere abroad gives you some kind of an automatic injection of adrenalin and at the first offer to do something hectically unlike yourself this raging courage will rise up through your soul and next minute - you’ve just leapt out of a plane and free-falling 14,000 ft. It will force you to confront your fears and learn new techniques to manage them. So write down all your fears and go smash all of them. What comfort zone?!
9. You will eat from all over
Travel & Food. Two of the best things in the world and you can do them both at once! Real authentic foodie experiences are what make an adventure! You’re totally missing out on so much flavour and happiness if you’re not tasting your way around and trying out what the different countries have to offer. Nothing compares to chowing down on delicious Pad Thai as you explore the street markers of Thailand, eating pizza in Italy or testing your chopstick skills at a dumpling house in China!
[Shout out to Global Traveller Ben Leo Davis capturing this beautiful world in the most wonderful way.]
10. You will learn to budget better
Travel means leaving your routine, job and weekly paycheck behind. Whether you’re travelling on a shoestring budget or splurging on a luxury resort, a trip is often one of the very first big purchases we make. Whether you plan way in advance and save every penny beforehand, or are left paying off a nasty credit card bill afterwards, you will learn heaps about how and where you should spend your money when you travel. You’ll either be patting yourself on the back or trying to rectify your mistakes afterwards. Either way it’s a great life lesson for your next adventure!
11. You will learn more about the world than you could reading a book
Books are awesome. They teach you a tonne. However, books are just the tales that someone else has written. The best education you can get in life is through travel. Go experience for yourself, meet the locals, eat the food, find the places the locals hang and the best ways to get around. Learning by experience is always more fun than reading about it and you’ll learn by amazing first-hand experiences anyway.
Travel is by far one of the best universities you could ever attend, the wisest friend you ever met and gives you the courage to believe anything is possible, which it is. Sometimes it really is as simple as closing your eyes, pointing somewhere on the map and just going.
Click the green button below for a new spark in your life, we dare you!
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