Why Travel Is Important For Self-Development.

“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal” ~ Paul Coelho

I’m constantly preaching to people about how important travel is, especially for self-development. You will read it everywhere “travel will change you” and it’s 100% true. Personally, as the quote above says more elegantly than me, I think that the 9-5 daily grind is so toxic to human beings. What it is however is easy. Easy to slip into and more importantly hard to break. We all need some kind of routine, I will admit that, but a routine of making other people wealthy to pay for a house that is empty for the majority of the time while you are out earning money to pay for said house just doesn’t seem like a great routine to be in.

Travel is such an amazing way to develop as a person. It really does open your eyes to completely new perspectives on life. When you travel, you really have no choice but to adapt and grow and let me tell you, you will become a better more wholesome person for it.

So why exactly is travel so important for self-development? You will become enlightened by the different cultures you will be immersed in. Gain a new perspective on life from people that don’t live in the same way that you do. You will accumulate practical life experience and finally because you have no choice but to grow and adapt.

It’s An Incredible Confidence Booster.

You will constantly be thrown in at the deep end when you are travelling. Fear is something that needs to be faced head-on, and once you start doing this you will grow massively in confidence in yourself. Thing is, it’s pretty easy to stay in your comfort zone in day to day life, not so much when you’re are travelling…It’s a love-hate relationship for me, I love how much confidence solo travel gives me, but I absolutely hate the anxiety it can make me feel. The thing is, I know that the anxiety and fear is a temporary barrier, and the only way to break it down is by facing it, and once you do, with practice its impossible to go back!

You have to face situations head-on when you are travelling, you literally have no choice. This results in you coming to the realisation that you can do ANYTHING and any fears you did have were completely irrational. I talk in my other posts about how I’m a bit introverted, but when I travel, I will talk to anyone. The fact of the matter is I don’t want to be alone, so I’m forced to. The positive of this, I’m now super confident talking to strangers and making new friends, as will you be with any situations travel throws at you.

You Will Gain A Different Perspective On Life.

Everyone has their own view of the world, most have this view without actually seeing it first before making up their mind. Travel will give you a deeper understanding of the planet we all share, and open up your eyes to cultures you had previously only read about. When you see life through the eyes of others you will come to realise that your perspective will gradually change. Life is the greatest teacher of them all, and the best news is you don’t need to go to school to study it.

You will see people with much less than you have, and you will notice how they smile a lot more than the people around you that have more. People will share what little they have with you, and they will be grateful that you have accepted their hospitality. Looking through others eyes can really open up your mind and make you question how you view the world. Your perspective on life will almost certainly change for the better.

You Will Become A Better Budgeter.

So you’ve been saving up for travel, you’re planning the trip of a lifetime, and you probably don’t want it to end prematurely…So you’re going to have to become a pretty efficient budgeter! You have to have a budget when you are travelling, after all the pot will run out one day. So you have to keep your spending in check, you’re going to have to budget for transport, accommodation, food, excursions, entrance fees and probably a spot of drinking! This is going to take some effort to keep your spending on track, you have to find the balance between the trip of a lifetime and the trip you can afford.

Unfortunately, money doesn’t grow on trees and the cruel fact of life is that we (mostly) all have to work hard to be able to afford to travel. Don’t waste your money and cut your trip short, use it wisely, budget well and see the world comfortably but frugally and learn a great life skill along the way.

You Will Become A More Empathetic Person.

Although the people you will meet on your journeys will live completely different lives to you, it will become clear that inside we all feel the same. Travel can be incredibly humbling, especially when integrating with locals and seeing how they live. You will gain a deeper understanding of human connection and will become more empathetic as a result.

New cultures will naturally change your perspective and stepping into other’s shoes momentarily will change how you think and feel considerably, you will obtain deeper compassion for others which is a feeling and life skill that you will keep with you forever.

You Will Appreciate What You Have More.

As I said earlier, you will meet people with less than you, and you should probably consider how lucky you are that you have the opportunity to travel. I, like most people, am guilty of taking things for granted. However much less so after I have travelled. We all live in our own little bubbles, and if something goes wrong in our bubble it seems like the end of the world. What we don’t do enough is look at all the things that are going right, we just focus on what’s going wrong.

Seeing people living happy lives with much less than you have is such a humbling experience. Sometimes, embarrassing as it is, I almost feel jealous. These people have next to nothing, yet they are so happy! It just goes to show that the old saying is true, money does not buy happiness. However what it does buy, which I’m forever grateful for, is the means to travel the world freely, and to me that is priceless.

It Kills Anxiety.

Ever heard of exposure therapy? It basically works off of the premise that exposing yourself to whatever makes you feel anxious will, in turn, de-sensitize you to the feelings you feel and help you realise that you can deal with these situations and find that you are much more confident facing them. Travel makes you face your fears head-on. Constantly. That can sound daunting, but let me tell you as uncomfortable as it can feel at the time, it’s unbelievably liberating to be able to take control of your weaknesses and morph them into your strengths.

“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end…because in the end, it shows you a whole new world.” -Manoj Arora

As I have said previously, you have no choice but to deal with situations that will make you feel anxious when you are travelling. I hate having to do this, it’s horrible feeling anxious, but I know that if I keep persevering then the result in my personal self-development will be immense. If you have any anxieties about travel or in life generally then that’s great, go travel and beat them once and for all.

Final Thoughts On Why Travel Is Important For Self Development.

Travel is a surefire, fast-track way to self-development, you will change as a person more than you could ever imagine. You will gain new perspective, become more wholesome and you will destroy your anxieties. It’s amazingly good for your mind. There is nothing more freeing than leaving your bubble, experiencing life through the eyes of others and proving to yourself you have what it takes to deal with any situation life throws at you.

You will learn to communicate with others that don’t speak your language. Make deep connections with people from lands far from yours with completely different cultures. You’ll become completely independent and appreciate what you have got so much more. So now you know how important travel is for self-development, I hope you are inspired to plan a trip and experience it for yourself.