The Story

I just wanna share one of the greatest lessons which I learned from my 24th year plus 365 days of existence in this cruel but undeniably wonderful world.

For the past 12 months, I dedicated my money and most of my time to traveling and reflecting.

Yeah, I just had a year of introspection and soul searching.

I started traveling for the reason of escaping the stress and depression which I think I am getting from daily hardships, disappointments, and oftentimes, work.

My first adventure made me realize that traveling can help me to achieve greater things in life. It made me understand the world and the lives that thrive in it.

After that adventure, every travel I did and every cash I spent, I ensured that they are going to create enjoyable and fruitful moments. On top of everything, I deviate from vanity and get as much sense as I could. But if you saw me taking a lot of pictures of myself, I honestly did that for the purpose of expressing myself in a creative way. I use pictures and social media as a tunnel of my thoughts towards the world.

Traveling is an education for our soul and I really encourage people to do so especially when they know they are currently capable or still capable. The world is too big and offers too much beauty/sense/meaning for us not just to spend our lives looking at our phones to play games or watch fiction.

The biggest lesson or realization it has imparted to my consciousness is the belief that I am always better than what I currently know with myself. Believe me, before, I never thought that I would be able to climb a mountain despite my fear of heights; jump into the water from a 40ft cliff, or travel alone in a foreign land all by myself. But now, I did them all.

Traveling is really empowering though, it liberates us from our fears and self-doubts as well.

The empowerment I get from it transfigures to things that I can use in my daily life. I cannot mention it all here or precisely enumerate each moment I used them. But in summary, it's all about having guts (meaning: to have courage/ spirit, boldness/ fearlessness/ determination: bravery) to act for something I want especially when I know it is necessary, good, proper, and just.

It is really unbelievable that I will be coming to a point where I have to pause this traveling stuff so I can try another stuff (as I have promised to myself just before I started it). It really sucks not to be financially free. The feeling is like stopping to smoke after a long time of addiction – although I really haven't tried smoking ever in my entire life.

I just hope I would be able to think or find a way to continue this without sacrificing other priorities. Ultimately, from what I learned: I'm better or smarter than what I think of myself today; I always will find a way.

Conclusion

Traveling could be your way to feel alive again. Seeing new places, meeting new people – they help you clear your mind from all the current problems that you have. Traveling helps you find yourself, your strengths, and your potentials.

You know, when you travel, you do not just escape. You are going away to a different place to learn. So when you come back, you can now overcome the challenges you left behind.

Lastly, you deserve to live your life. Do whatever you like, whatever makes you happy as long as you are not hurting other people. Never let regret visit you before your last breath. I hope, one day, you'll say to yourself, "I lived."