If you look up the word "wanderlust" in the dictionary, you will find that it is defined as, "A strong, innate desire to rove or travel about."

This is a fairly simple definition, but it is important to note that just because you travel often does not necessarily mean you have experienced wanderlust. You may go visit your grandparents in Montana each year, or go on family vacations to Hawaii every so often, and while that is probably a great time, you aren't necessarily experiencing wanderlust. The word carries so much more weight than that.

Wanderlust is a deep, unbearable longing to explore new places. It's the heart-wrenching desire to pack your bags, pick a point on the map, and just go. It's the pure joy you get each time you get a new stamp in your passport. It's experiencing heartbreak when you have to say goodbye to the cities and the people that have touched your heart. The feeling is overwhelming, addictive, and continues to grow and consume you as each day passes. There is no escape from this feeling, but why would you want there to be?It is safe to say that I am driven by wanderlust. It has gotten to the point that I can't think about anything else but my ever-growing need to book a one-way ticket and see the corners of the world that I never thought I would see in my lifetime. It has become such a huge part of my life over the past few years, and has even reached the point that I felt it necessary to get the word tattooed on my foot as a reminder to never stop exploring. The urge to travel and wander the world is such a beautiful thing.

Here are six things you know to be true if you suffer from an extreme case of wanderlust.

1. You are constantly saving up money for your next adventure.

Whether it's a whole savings account through your bank, or a mason jar collecting coins on a shelf in your bedroom, the wanderlusters of the world know how expensive traveling can be and are always planning ahead. We know that traveling takes a lot of planning and budgeting is key. You have to think about paying for plane tickets, housing while abroad, food each day, activities, and of course, souvenirs to remember your trip by. All of this adds up, and it is important to have a little extra cash in your pocket in case of emergencies. Once your savings is drained and you get back from yet another trip of a lifetime, the cycle starts all over again until you have enough to start planning your next adventure.

2. You have a Pinterest board full of beautiful places across the globe.

Pinterest is a wonderful place to organize your dream life. Most Pinterest users experiencing wanderlust have a board where they can organize their travel dreams all in one place. It has become much like a bucket list for your travel needs. You can compile not only a list of countries, but a list of specific cities, and even specific sights within those cities. Looking through the images of the places you would rather be gives you a better understanding of what the world has to offer, and allows you to form a more concrete plan of where you intend to visit before you start seriously planning your trip. Your Pinterest board will serve as a beautiful reminder of what's out there across oceans and borders.

3. Home is where you're heart is, not where your house is.

I have found that it doesn't matter how long your time away is, whether the trip lasts four days or for a month, you fall in love just the same. Pieces of my heart are scattered all over the world in cities like Sydney, Paris, London, Puerto Vallarta, Oslo, and so many others. You fall in love with the breathtaking beauty, the local people, the food, the culture, and everything in between. You have left your mark there; you have walked those streets, sat in those restaurants, picked up on the local slang, and have become a tour guide to other visitors. You start to realize that these foreign places are no longer foreign; They become your home.

4. You will come back a forever changed individual.

Travel changes you for the better. It is a learning experience unlike any other. The people you meet, the languages you start to pick up on, and the day to day routines you start to adapt to even though they may differ from your own back home are all part of the experience. You will gain a better global perspective, learn about new religions, new traditions, new family dynamics, and all of this will make you a better human being.

5. Your family and friends won't understand unless they have the travel bug too.

This is probably one of the hardest parts of living a life of wanderlust. Your family and friends simply won't understand why you are constantly on the move. They won't always be sharing these experiences with you, and it will be hard for them to relate when you get home. After an incredible time abroad, the only thing you will want to talk about for months is your trip, everything you experienced, and how it changed your life. Your loved ones will support you and will love hearing about it for the first few days after your return, but after hearing the same story for the hundredth time, they will start to get sick of it. It is fun to travel with a buddy or stay in contact with the people you met abroad so that you will always have someone who understands and is excited to share in your experience for years to come.

6. You can't stay in one place for too long.

Your urge to travel will never die. Staying in one place bores you, and it would be a crime to put yourself through that type of misery. You will always have that itch to get up and go and find a new place to add to your list of "homes."

Happy travels fellow wanderlusters. I hope you have the opportunity to see the world and all of its beauty.