1) Traveling to a new place is exciting; an adventure. It makes you feel alive. As Tim Ferriss says, “the opposite of happiness is not sadness. Happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin, but the opposite of happiness is actually boredom.” The best way to avoid boredom…go somewhere new; break up your routine. It does not matter if it is domestic or international, near or far; just that it is somewhere new.
2) Traveling to a new place requires adaptability. Like a muscle on your body, when tested, your adaptability grows in strength. The more adaptable you are, the more confident you are and this will help in all aspects of your life. Whether you think travel is part of your life or not, adaptability is in one form or another, so the more you build that muscle, the more manageable life is in the future.
3) Travel builds your connectedness to the world around you and the people around you. When you stay in your own sneakers (apart from the ground), in your own cubicle (apart from others), in your own car (apart from the drivers around you), it is easy to feel isolated and disconnected, but when you travel, you force yourself to get out there and connect with the physical world and the social world in an unfamiliar way. This builds your compassion, empathy, connectedness, mindfulness, social skills, and sense of community. It does a body and a mind good.
Has traveling always been smooth sailing for me? Not in the least. I got in a car accident while working in Italy. I drove on the autobahn with my parking brake on while working in Germany (having never used a parking brake before and not knowing engaging them was standard for people there). I was detained for suspicion of espionage while working in the Middle East. No, definitely not smooth sailing. Whether the hiccups were my ignorance, bad luck, or anything else, it does not change or mitigate the impact travel has had on my life, my heart, my soul and my character. I do not regret a single trip and I am full of gratitude for even the most challenging of travel circumstances.
Making tracks around the world, one step at a time,
Nikola Rosa
