“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” -Miriam Beard
As we head into the thick of summer, I feel my energy waning with the unseasonably warm temperatures here in Oregon. So naturally, finding the inspiration to travel is following suit. Where to go next? How should I plan? Do I even want to travel in the near future? Even though traveling is my life’s passion, occasionally I lose the desire and feel I have to look outward to jumpstart my inspiration to travel. Here are some tidbits of wisdom I picked up from GoOverseas.
Alter Your Way of Thinking
The biggest benefit of travel is rearranging not only your mind, but the way in which it operates and creates new memories and ideas. Many people leave on their journey dissatisfied with their home and surroundings, only to find upon their return that they missed home more than they thought they could, and to look upon what was once bland and familiar with new, refreshed and loving eyes. Changing your perspective on your surroundings isn’t the only positive aspect of a mental shift. Depending on where you travel and how hard you try to expose yourself to the local cultures (and most places you go, it’s more difficult to resist than to succumb to), any traveling can find their artistic side through entire fields, styles, genres, and media they were never exposed to at home.
Meet People you Wouldn’t Normally Meet
While there may be a language barrier, there’s always etiquette, hospitality, and universal actions that allow resourceful travelers to get into some quite interesting conversations with locals almost anywhere in the world. Through conversations with people very different from yourself, you will learn what people’s lives are like, and the sort of differences that exist on the most fundamental levels, such as life priorities. Many times it’s those conversations that will bring about the greatest self-reflection and positive change.
You will never understand the true meaning of your life, until you travel and experience how others are living theirs…
A Change of Scenery
The world is so immensely filled with beauty that we often forget to look at the parts that stare us in the face saily. It’s like staring into a bright light, or listening to a loud noise, eventually you get acclimated and don’t notice it even exists any more. When you find yourself in a rut, changing your surroundings will almost always open your eyes, simply by giving you something new to look at. This will often bring you to realize that the same things you find so amazing here probably existed back home, but in forms you had never previously noticed.
Have Courage
Taking the leap and deciding to go abroad does a whirlwind for your psychosis. Being thrown into the unknown, facing challenges daily, and ultimately surviving will inspire independence and self reliance. You got this, and your newfound confidence will spill-over into many aspects of your life, including your ability to create. The most important thing to remember when traveling is to have an open heart and an open mind. Take that jump with no reservations and you’ll be surprised by what most meaningfully impacts your travels. Remember, 90% of all progress as a human consciousness happens outside one’s comfort zone.
How do YOU get the inspiration to travel? Leave a comment!
