3 Ways Travel Helps You Embrace Change
If there's one thing I'm passionate about, it's travel. To be able to explore unknown places and encounter people from another culture, way of life, and mindset- this is something I have always loved. Through travel I have always felt the most myself, the most at peace, and the most free overall.
Why is that? What is it about diving into the unknown that has made me feel so great? For many people, the idea of diving into the unknown is terrifying. It means stepping out of your comfort zone to create a change. And naturally, leaving your comfort zone is an uncomfortable feeling because it means you are no longer being protected by the familiar. You are no longer comfortable which means you no longer feel safe. And your brain is wired to do whatever it can to get you back to a feeling of safety. It will resist the idea of change as much as possible in order to protect you from an unknown risk. Which is why change feels so scary in the first place.
BUT LET'S BE HONEST, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE SIMPLY FEELING SAFE? DO YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE FEARING THE UNKNOWN AND UNWILLING TO STEP OUT OF YOUR SMALL COMFORT ZONE? IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT TRAVEL HAS TAUGHT ME, IT IS TO LOVE AND EMBRACE CHANGE.
HERE'S WHY.
1. Diving into the unknown means adventure time
What words come to mind when you first think of an adventure? For me, it's about excitement, thrill, challenge, and inspiration. There's nothing boring about going on an adventure! First, there is the excitement that comes up simply by being in a new, unfamiliar place. It's as if the world has suddenly opened its doors to be fully explored by you, the hero of this new adventure. As the hero, you encounter new thrills- new people, food, language, and viewpoints. These new thrills spark a new curiosity and fascination that perhaps you hadn't felt back at home, in familiar land. But of course, with any hero, you will encounter challenges that you probably wouldn't find had you stayed at home. Challenges such as communicating, navigating, and making decisions in unfamiliar territory. But the more challenges there are, the more potential there is to overcome them and grow as a human being. By fully allowing yourself to experience the challenges of a new adventure, and learning to embrace these changes, you will start to feel a sense of inspiration and admiration for yourself, most of all. Imagine how proud you felt the first time you overcame a difficult challenge in your life. Now imagine how proud you would feel to do that in unfamiliar territory. A new adventure gives you the chance to overcome a challenge, and feel proud of what you are truly capable of.
2. You lose yourself to find yourself
In my junior year of college, I had a strong desire to study abroad in Spain. I didn't have any friends or family telling me to do so, and I couldn't even explain this desire. All I knew was that my intuition was telling me this was something I needed to do in order to grow. I needed to prove to myself what I was capable of accomplishing completely on my own. Was I terrified to go? Absolutely. I was so nervous the night before my flight that I couldn't even fall asleep. But I got on that plane, landed in Madrid, and managed to get on an 8-hour bus ride to a remote northern city called Oviedo to start my semester abroad. Was it an easy semester? Not at all. But the greatest challenge I faced during that time was in facing my own demons. It was losing myself in order to find myself. Shedding my old skin in order to embrace who I was becoming, the new and improved me. It was this adventure, studying abroad on my own, that allowed me to embrace my own internal changes and to feel proud of what I was able to accomplish completely on my own. This adventure helped me discover a new, more confident me.
3. You learn to let go of the 5-year plan
Traveling has hands-down been the biggest reason why I no longer have a 5-year plan. And here's why this is a great thing! While I still have on overall vision for my life and my goals, adhering to a 5-year plan creates so much pressure for ourselves. Think about it- do you really think you will want the same things 5 years from now? Will you still be the same person? Creating a strict 5-year plan creates this inflexibility for your life, where if you start to go off track, you feel all the more guilty and disappointed in yourself. Through traveling, I quickly realized just how easily plans can change. You never know what unexpected events or people will come into the picture to throw off your original plans. And if you throw a tantrum every time this happens, you are in for a very sour and perhaps lonely trip. Instead, I learned to release the control I once believed I had, and allow myself to go with the flow more. I allowed myself to smile and embrace change and open myself up to the idea that the outcome might be so much better than what I could have planned myself. Some of my greatest memories happened in the unexpected twists and turns. As a result, I learned to THRIVE in the face of change and welcome it as a dear friend.
Imagine how many possibilities this can open up for you, too. Because once you allow yourself to receive more change in your life, you can marvel at where it takes you. I’ve heard that "man plans, and God laughs." Well, I couldn't agree more.
