If you have ever wanted to travel around the world, I encourage you to turn this from a dream into a reality. When you open yourself up to travel, you open yourself up to life-changing experiences. You expand your mind and can transform your insights while learning valuable lessons along the way.
When you travel around the world, not only are you exposed to new cultures and societies but to new ideas and outlooks. There is nothing that can help you grow as a person as much as traveling. There is a famous saying, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”.
Here are 9 reasons to travel around the world and the life lessons it will teach you.
1. You Get To Experience New Culture
When you get caught up in the same experiences of your own culture, you forget that this is not common in other parts of the world. Where we live in more of a dog eat dog society, you will see the benefit of a community that is embraced by other cultures.
You will learn how there is more of a focus on “we” instead of “me” in other societies and all the benefits that come from that. You also get to see traditions and customs you haven’t ever been exposed to. It helps you see how other groups of people have evolved and developed their own identities.
This is important to give you a real wider view of the world instead of just what’s in your own backyard.
2. You Get To See New Perspectives
We get so used to our day-to-day lives and the experience of the rat race when it’s easy to forget that people in other countries don’t live like this. When you travel around the world you get to see how different cultures act and exist.
Some of these will really surprise you whether you’re on the coast of the Mediterranean in Greece or in a small village in Thailand. You will see how other cultures take life at a slower pace and they look to live simply and without stress.
It may seem like a foreign concept, but you see a better quality of life. This is a real perspective on how to embrace life instead of being overwhelmed by it. If you’re young, this is an important aspect of traveling to help you grow in character, and as a person.
3. You Learn The Value of Experiences Over Materialism
Possessions are great and they can make you happy, for a short period. When you travel around the world, you get to see how superior experiences are and the real value they bring you. A new car is amazing, but seeing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or watching the sunset in Hawaii can have a longer lasting impact on you.
4. You Expose Yourself To New Foods
Once you try different cuisines when you travel around the world, you may never go back to the bland staple foods that make up our modern diet. There is such an abundance of foreign spices, flavors, and dishes all over the world that can transform the way you think about food.
Being exposed to the sweet/sour/salty/spicy dynamic of Thai food or the spice combinations of Indian food will make you desire those foods for the rest of your life. When you travel the world, not only do you open your mind but you open your taste buds for a life-changing experience.
5. You Gain A New Found Independence
This is important because when you travel you have to become self-sufficient. You have to be able to navigate and accommodate different situations and dynamics. Even though these challenges are not ideal, they serve a great purpose as they allow you to persevere and overcome them.
When you develop more of this perseverance, you will develop true independence. This may be one of the most valuable benefits that come when you travel the world.
6. You Get Exposed To New Ideas
If you’re always around the same people and ideas, you never will challenge your thinking. When you travel the world, you get exposed to new thoughts and ideas that can help in shaping a new-found perspective.
You need to be around differing opinions and viewpoints to help shape a well-rounded way of thinking. If it does not challenge you, you won’t get the opportunity to grow as a person.
7. You Will Learn To Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Traveling is not always easy, and it takes a leap of faith to get out and explore the world. But once you get on the move, you’ll be amazed at the new-found confidence you have which will motivate you to see more and more.
This is critical because it helps you to get out of your comfort zone and continue to take on new challenges and experiences. When you get home, you may find you’re a more engaging person who’s not afraid to approach things you used to shy away from.
You’ve learned the strength you have inside and it equips you to tackle any situation.
8. You Will Learn How To Manage Money Better
This might not seem like something that comes from traveling but it’s a skill you will find is needed. When you have limited resources, you become a master of making your dollar stretch and keeping on a budget.
You learn how to not waste money and plan better for things like transportation, food, and accommodation. When you get home, you may find you’re less likely to throw money away. You will become more careful at spending on only what you need.
9. When You Travel Around The World You’ll Want to Get Right Back Out There Again
Be warned, traveling is addictive. When you travel around the world, you will really see how much you haven’t seen. You will become more motivated to get out there and do it again to experience as much as possible. You will meet people along the way that can change your life and encourage you to see new places you had never planned on seeing.
So let this be the motivation to get out there, experience everything the world has to offer and to let yourself grow. Your self-confidence will skyrocket and you will grow in more ways than you can measure. There are always a million reasons to not take the leap but just ignore those thoughts:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
