The sun setting in New York City
Let’s clear the air right now:
Traveling is stepping into life, not away from it. There are many people – well-intentioned, but sadly misinformed – who are under the false belief that leaving the safety of your home and daily life to travel the world means you are avoiding responsibility and shirking obligations.
This is not the case! When you travel, you are:
- Stepping into adventure
- Entering into a world of infinite possibility
- Creating a wonderful life for yourself
You Are Not Missing Anything
I studied abroad for my entire junior of college, a magical year in which I worked a full-time job, played on a Hungarian baseball team, traveled around Europe and Asia, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. My undergraduate school McDaniel College’s main abroad campus and sister school was in Budapest, Hungary and I’m 25% Hungarian, so it was a good choice to make (a lot went into making that choice, including dealing with some unexpected setbacks, but that is not the theme of today’s post).
Before going, I talked to a lot of people who had already studied abroad in Budapest. I shared with them my fear of missing out. One friend said to me,
You’re not the one who will be missing out – people here on the home campus are the ones missing out! While you are climbing the Eiffel Tower, exploring Europe, and living the dream, they are the ones who will be jealous, not you.
The goal is, of course, never to try and make someone else jealous of you. Please understand that by traveling, we are not trying to make other people feel badly about themselves; rather, we are acting as leaders by being an example of all the good things that can happen when you leave your comfort zone.
The point is that my friend on campus, alleviating my fears, helped to shift my mindset and change the ballgame – it was no longer me being the one left out; it was now me creating a life of epic and adventure and other people missing out on the X-factor possibilities of life.
Be Wary of Naysayers
People love to tell you that that place you are traveling to is dangerous. While I am all for doing your research, nine times out of ten the naysayers’ fears are unfounded. In fact, in my experience, many of the places I’ve traveled to are safer than my home state. Before letting someone fill your mind with garbage, ask yourself:
- Is this person credible and do they know what they are talking about?
- Have they been to the place you are traveling to? And if they’ve been there, have they visited in the last five years?
- Are they a knowledgeable world traveler or are they just spewing a bunch of falsehoods out of a loving (but misguided) sense of wanting to protect you from harm?
Again, I emphasize the importance of using your commonsense while on the road, being careful, and keeping your eyes out for people with bad intentions. I’m simply saying that most of the time, you are safer than most people think; please do not ever let someone take the joy out of your travels because of their own limits and insecurities.
Benefits of Traveling
I recently got back from a 3-day weekend in Bogota, South America. It was an amazing trip and I not only had free accommodations, but also flew there for free. While on the flight home feeling recharged, I thought about all the benefits of traveling:
- It refreshes you and leaves you feeling reinvigorated and ready to conquer life
- It gives you incredible stories to tell friends and family members
- It creates epic experiences that you can write and speak about
- It expands your perspective and develops your global mindset
- It reminds you of all that you’re grateful for and how lucky you are to have clothes, a bed, food, and a roof over your bed (something many people in this world don’t have)
- It reconnects you with childlike wonder and your ability to have fun and create spontaneous adventures
- It connects with you friends and colleagues from around the globe – you never know who you are going to meet
Take it from someone who has been all around the world: the benefits from traveling are unlimited!
Get Started Today
Now, let me be very clear by saying that I am not telling you to suddenly just get up, leave, and go travel (though that’s an option). I know what it’s like to be on a tight budget and I’m definitely not suggesting for you to break the bank. But as I’ve shared in other posts, you can travel the world for far cheaper than you ever thought possible. The best part about this process is that you don’t need to move to a new country or even go a long trip; you can cultivate a sense of adventure in weekend trips, day-long adventures, or even walking around your own town!
My action step for you is to take three to five minutes writing down several of your dream destinations. Then do what you need to do to get there even if the trip doesn’t happen immediately. Read my blog posts and other travel bloggers’ blog posts. Research the best deals and remember that it’s easier to travel than you may have initially thought. If this is too much for you given your current situation, then create adventure in the present moment by going for a walk, introducing yourself to someone new, and maintaining that sense of wonder and exploration that is your Divine right.
Feeling tired, burned out, and/or frustrated with life? It might be time for you to travel!
Jeff Davis is a professional speaker. Having lived abroad and traveled the world, Jeff speaks about budget travel and what you need to do to make your next adventure possible. For more information, please contact Jeff’s team at 800-315-4832.
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