“The journey, not the arrival, matters.”
– T.S. Eliot
In this era of social media, we tend to ignore the small things that bring us joy. We mostly focus on things that are extravagant and can be shown off. This kills the ultimate joy of travelling. We forget to enjoy our journey and focus only on the destination. If you are a person looking for some adventure and want to explore places, it is important to understand the difference between a traveller and a tourist. Being a tourist is all about having perfect leisure and relaxation. Being a traveller has a broader purpose.
Travelling is….
More like an experience with the purpose of learning, exploring different cultures and seeking personal growth. It is an investment that will help you to be better equipped for life. So, let us dig deeper into the world of travelling and understand its importance.
Travelling alone can be a very liberating experience. It offers a unique opportunity for self-discovery, personal growth, and freedom.
The joy of travelling alone:
We have listed some reasons why travelling alone can be a joyful and fun experience:
- Self-Discovery: Solo travel allows you to be out of your comfort zone and overcome challenges. Being in a new environment and navigating through unfamiliar situations and handling everything alone can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your strengths and also your weaknesses.
- Freedom and Flexibility: If you are travelling alone, you will have full authority over your itinerary and budget. You can choose the places to see, and where to stay. You also have the flexibility to squeeze everything within your budget.
- Authentic Connections: When you are alone, there are more chances of meeting new people during your journey. When you do not have a person of comfort with you on a trip, you will be motivated to initiate conversations, mingle with the locals, have some local insights and explore the culture. These can be stored as experiences of a lifetime and can never be experienced while travelling with companions.
- Spontaneity and Adventure: You will have the freedom to explore the off-the-beaten path if you are travelling solo. You are free to embrace adventures and create unforgettable memories for yourself.
- Personal Growth: Travelling alone allows you to become more open-minded and broadens your perspectives. It also encourages personal growth by pushing you out of your comfort zone and your territory. It makes you culturally aware and helps you adapt to new situations.
Things to learn:
Travelling endowers us with numerous learning opportunities and a scope of self-realization and personal growth. It gives us life-changing experiences that not only empower us but also help us understand the real person that we are. Here are a few things that we can learn from travelling.
- History: When we go to new places, we get to know the history of the place. We witness the historical monuments that give us a great insight into the history of that place.
- Culture: By immersing in new and different cultures, we can gain a deeper understanding and develop an appreciation for diverse traditions, customs, and ways of life.
- Appreciation of nature: We are used to living in the jungle of skyscrapers and do not get enough chances to connect with nature. But going to places and witnessing nature at its best, makes us grateful for having the chance. Witnessing different ecosystems also strengthens our understanding of the persistent environmental issues. We feel connected to nature, we will convince ourselves and our friends to to get used to sustainable practices.
- Adaptability: When we are travelling, we have to adapt to new situations, the food and have to be resilient. Adaptability helps us adept in problem-solving skills.
- Problem-solving skills: When we are in a new place with zero ideas about the locality, language, etc., we can face many unfamiliar situations. In these situations, we have to use our quick-thinking ability and have to be resourceful to find a solution to the problems. This polishes our problem-solving skills and makes us better equipped at handling difficult situations.
- Social Skills: In our real life, we often lack social skills as we can easily avoid social gatherings if we want to. But when we are new to a place and trying to embrace all the things that the place is ready to offer us, we must show some interest in the local people and the culture of that place. So, these social interactions help us with our social skills and make us better people.
What are the benefits of travelling?
Travelling is not only about fun and adventures. It also shapes us and helps us with our physical and mental health. Let us have a look at the benefits of travelling that enrich our lives.
- Many of us plan our vacations to get rid of our daily tensions and stress. But do you know that scientific study has reported that vacations have positive effects on stress relief and can improve well-being? So, next time when you feel too stressed to carry on with your daily work, treat yourself with a travel plan!
- Positively affects relationship Going to a new place with family, partner or friends and enjoying a few days together can positively affect the relationship. It strengthens the bond and we also get to discuss matters freely which we generally avoid.
- All of us are busy with our carrier, family and with our ambitions. Travelling can provide us with time for ourselves. It helps us to break away from our daily routines and responsibilities and gives us the opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and focus on our own well-being
- According to a study by the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association, people who travel frequently, like every year, are healthier than those who travel far less frequently.
We can now say that travel is not just about exploring new places, it is indeed a journey of self-discovery, self-rejuvenation and a greater way to learn many new things. Travel pushes us to embrace ourselves by uncovering the different layers of our identity. Do not wait for the right time now! It is already summer, the best time to explore places! So, pack your bags, come out of your comfort zone and embark on the journey of exploring yourself!
Amrita Chowdhury
Amrita is an experienced content writer who is passionate about weaving words into stories so that they can reach the audience across all boundaries. She is passionate about reaching and communicating with people worldwide through her content.
