Travel can be one of the most enriching experiences and an opportunity we shouldn’t miss. Photo: Pexels
Today I want to share with you why traveling can be such a valuable experience, next to culturally and intellectually of course, but spiritually as well.
Sometimes we only see how much a trip can change us when the goodbyes are hard. Travel changes us over and over again – and sometimes we don’t even notice it, but somethings inside us change, they adjust to what we’ve seen. An opportunity we hardly ever encounter in our daily lives. Let me share what else about traveling can make our lives richer.
Get out of your environment to see how it’s hurting you
I don’t think I have to tell you how stressful our lives can be sometimes. When I look around, especially during winter, people don’t look happy, nor do they look healthy. I think our society and maybe our generation in particular has gotten used to this constant expectation to deliver something – in work, school, uni, in family functions, or in society etc.
We neglect our sleep, we eat badly, we don’t go outside, we prefer to spend our times online, not socializing, probably we just don’t have the energy to do that – even though we might need precisely that to feel better.
Travel forces you to go outside and interact with people. It encourages you to look at things you haven’t seen before and maybe take your eyes off your screens for a while. It’s an opportunity to physically relax, which is never a bad idea.
Sometimes we just need something different going on in our lives to find out what we’re lacking in our daily lives – and usually that’s a bit of sunshine, a bit of inspiration, a bit of freedom. Tasting that for a little while can feel so good for our souls.
Travel can broaden your experiences
As it’s usually the case when traveling to different countries, we get exposed to situations that might be unfamiliar to us. We might see how other people are living their lives, and in what conditions.
It enables us to get to know other people, talk to them, learn about their culture, their language, their cuisine. We might visit some artifacts of their history. Experiencing a situation we’ve never been in always broadens our horizons, especially if we seek them out actively.
But sometimes we might be so lucky and encounter an unexpected little scene – something that could change our perspective on something forever. A piece of nature, a special location, a special person, a book, a letter – they could all turn into something valuable for us that we might want to cherish.
Give destiny a chance to act out your life
When traveling, it’s much easier to have encounters where you later on find that might have been destiny. I had that lately, where I discovered the many things that had to happen so that I would much later meet a person that has now grown so special to me.
Several people were involved, traveling to far-away countries years before. It’s fascinating having such realizations. You might find your soulmate in some corner at the end of the world. Somewhere, you would have never expected finding something so close to your heart.
The more experiences you live the more chances you have to find little miracles once in a while.
Collect experiences and memories
I am a firm believer, and have shared this thought often before, that at whatever point you are in life right now is just a product of everything you have lived and experienced so far. Had something happened in a different way back then you might have turned out a little different.
And so, traveling, experiencing, living, exploring, encountering, gives you so many opportunities to grow and change. Some little thing might affect you so much, it might influence your entire way of seeing something.
Experiences can alter your perception of the world, of yourself, of others. Living this life is serious. You need to take the opportunities life presents you with to be able to get to know yourself and the world a little better.
Get re-inspired and take a fresh look on life
This is a personal opinion I have. I feel like after every trip, I see the world – and my life – a little different. People inspire me. Places carry energies. It’s not rare that we want to bring this short-lived but absolutely worthwhile little scene of life into our own daily lives.
It maybe pushed us to live our days a little different, to change our taste in music and literature, to call the people we met there – or better; write them a letter – that has only positive impacts on our lives.
Travel can change us, our later paths in life, our perceptions of the world, our relationship to others and it might just bring some special people into our lives. Give destiny a chance to act itself out.
I’m very interested in your own little travel stories so don’t be shy to reach out 🙂 And let me know what place changed you the most. Thanks!
Love, Valentina
Written by Valentina – spiritual writer & founder of Valentina’s Diary
