7 Ways Traveling Can Change Your Life
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
#1: Open your mind and heart
There is nothing that opens your mind better than being immersed in a completely different environment than your day to day. Walking the streets of a new country, hearing a different language, and immersing yourself in another culture shows you the many ways people around the world live. It teaches us to understand others, whether we can communicate verbally or not. Have you ever looked at someone, and only by their body language and facial expression knew exactly what they needed? Or by a simple interaction and smile with a stranger on the street, felt a deep connection? Traveling forces you to open your mind to new cultures, cuisine, lifestyles, and customs, which essentially makes us realize how much there is we can learn from each other and how much we are all connected.
#2 Reduce Stress
I don’t want to speak for everyone, but as 2022 comes to an end and we gear up for 2023, I am sure it is on a few peoples New Year’s resolution lists to reduce their stress. However, in an attempt to reduce stress, it can lead to even more stress when you realize your current strategies aren’t working. No, you don’t need to read 1,000 books about how to reduce stress and anxiety, to buy lavender pillow spray, fancy bath salts, and high end yoga classes. Yes, these things are all amazing. But they are most likely going to offer you temporary fixes, which lower your stress momentarily.
When do I feel the most relaxed, alive, and stress-free? When I am traveling. It is one of the only opportunities that you 100% check out of your obligations, and enter what many know as “vacation mode”. It’s when we allow ourselves to sleep more, enjoy delicious meals, swim in the warm turquoise sea, drink piña coladas, laugh, explore, shop, and learn. It is when we feel as if we have entered a completely new world, which then leads to inspiration, motivation, and improved health.
#3 Get inspired
Traveling inspires me. Period. I often come home from a trip with 1,000 new ideas for both my personal life and business, recipes to test out, home decor, activities and hobbies I want to try, and a whole lot clearer of a mind. Going off the previous two points, after seeing how other countries live, and reducing my stress, I return feeling like I can do anything and everything, and so inspired to start NOW. Sometimes the inspiration comes from a bustling city, a small handmade goods market, the stray animals, the colors of the buildings, the ceramics, the pastries, or the foam of a cappuccino. My point is, it’s the small things. They all come together and create the perfect storm to refresh the mind and inspire us when we come back.
#4 Recharge your batteries
As much as you may think you can go, go, go, and that this is healthy… I’m here to tell you to stop. You simply cannot go through your life without giving yourself a break. I truly believe that the more we charge our own batteries, the more we can charge those of others. We must take care of ourselves first to be able to help those around us. No one wants to be around a grumpy, burnout, exhausted person. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with feeling this way. It happens to all of us! But when this happens, or even better yet, before this happens, why not book yourself a flight somewhere far far away and give yourself some time to recharge? Whether you need the great outdoors, a vibrant city, or a relaxing beach, it’s necessary that you set aside this time to reset. What I love about our Mystery Trips, is that we can take care of it all for you. When you feel the need to recharge, and don’t want to deal with all the planning a trip requires, let us help you out. There is nothing I love more than seeing the new and relaxed version of yourself return home.
#5 Improve your communication skills
Have you ever arrived in a new country and quickly realized you probably should have done your Duolingo lessons before to learn a phrase or two in their language? Yep, been there. But the best part about this is that we are forced to find new ways to communicate. Of course, Google Translate can come in handy when faced with this situation. But the more we travel, the more we realize that communication is not only verbal. It’s as simple as learning to communicate with our bodies, faces, and attitudes. As I mentioned before, a simple smile goes a long way.
At the same time, when traveling in a group or with your family, it also helps us learn to communicate with each other, express our needs and desires, help each other, and lift each other up. It brings us closer, to the point that sometimes you don’t even need words-just the simple eye contact can send you into complete laughter.
#6 Boost your confidence
The ability to get out of your comfort zone, take risks, make new friends, and navigate your way through a new city are all ways to naturally boost your confidence. We are capable of so much more than we think we are, and it sometimes only takes putting yourself out there to realize it. I’ll never forget being completely lost in Italy with a dead phone. I had been wandering and wandering, until I realized I had absolutely no idea where I was, what direction I came from, or even what time it was. I quickly found a restaurant to pause, get something to eat, and hopefully get some answers from the waiter. Lucky me, he told me 3 different buses to catch, and instructions that only somewhat made sense. So what did I do? I followed his instructions to the best of my ability until things started to look somewhat familiar again. I used the small amount of Italian I know to ask a few more locals for directions, until finally… I saw my hotel shining through the sunset lighting. I made it. It was an adventure in itself, but the best thing that came from it was that I woke up the next morning feeling invincible. I was no longer afraid of getting lost, speaking Italian, and talking to the locals. This boost in my confidence made me have the most amazing rest of my trip, and was just what I needed to inspire me on my next trips.
#6 Improve your finances
Okay, okay… you’re probably wondering, “how does spending money on traveling help me save money?”. This point had to come last, because it is essentially taking all the previous points before and seeing how they can produce this outcome: more money. Let me explain. How many times have you gone out pointless shopping to reduce your stress? Or bought a bunch of products you don’t need because someone said they would make you age better? Stress ages you faster than any product can heal. How many times have you wanted to start your own business, but then quickly stopped because you didn’t feel confident enough or have enough inspiration? With all the ways traveling can improve your life, it is natural that by doing all of those, you may improve your financial situation or become inspired to completely change the route of your life. Life is not about money. I’d rather be rich in experiences than rich in money. But what if you can have both? Just think about it.
Ready to head into 2023 with new ways to improve yourself and your life? Click here to fill out your questionnaire and book your very first (0r 10th) Mystery Trip.