1. Traveling changes your perspective on life.
Sonder-n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries, and inherited craziness. Often times we as a society are so wrapped up in their own lives that we tend to forget that there are people with completely different cultures and backgrounds from our own. Experiencing sonder is an amazing way to hone a new perspective on life and is one of the many gifts you experience while traveling.
2. Traveling changes the way you relate to others.
Once you’ve come to the realization that the world is a big place and that it doesn’t exactly revolve around you, you come to terms with a whole new way to relate to people. Traveling gives you a deeper appreciation for what it means to be genuinely kind and to truly care about the life and experiences of someone other than yourself. This perception allows you to connect with people in a whole other level. While obtaining this trait, people who travel also accumulate friends from all corners of the world—which is pretty awesome in itself. The ability to understand that there is a little bit to learn from everyone you meet is an amazing quality and is one that is typically found in people who have a passion for experiencing the world around them.
3. Traveling is a humbling experience.
Nothing is more humbling than realizing that you’re not the center of the world. People in our society tend to be extremely close-minded and often fail to see the big picture. The truth is that our world is home to 7 billion people, and if you think it’s going to end because of a petty, first-world problem, you are sadly mistaken. It’s easy for people in our society, including myself, to get worked up over something seemingly irrelevant, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s important for us to remember that while some of many of us can be found bitching over a petty argument, too much homework, or only getting four hours of sleep before an exam, we realize there are people in this world that don’t even have the basic essentials to survive. Yet you may ironically come across people that are better off or wealthier than you’ll ever be. Life is a funny thing, and the only way to understand it is to experience it. The way traveling humbles you gives you empathy for the suffering of others and an understanding of wealth and success. Understanding these two spectrums of the world is crucial when grasping the big picture.
4. Traveling empowers you to take on new challenges and become independent.
While traveling the world and experiencing cultures different from your ow,n you will experience a variety of challenges that force you to use your own knowledge and judgment. No longer are you in a place where you understand what is socially acceptable or possibly even the language, but you must use what you have and your ability to be truly independent to make it work. Life really does begin on the edge of your comfort zone and it is here in which you find yourself.
5. Traveling makes you realize the importance of how short life really is.
The truth is that no one is guaranteed a tomorrow and, if you don’t live your life how you wish and experience all you can in the moment, there’s a possibility that you’ll never have a chance. We only have a short time on this earth, so if you don’t live it how you want, you’re just wasting your time. So reconcile with someone you said you love, learn all that you never thought possible, do well for others just as you wish to do for yourself, and don’t be afraid to travel all corners of the world.
