If you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably tried a host of self-improvement strategies. Meditating, exercising, journaling… but what about traveling?
Did you know traveling can lead to great things?
Personally, it’s been the most influential factor in my life. I’ve been traveling around the world since 2008, and without a doubt, my experiences have made me a better person. (And not only that — they’ve also been incredibly fun and rewarding.)
Though you probably don’t need an excuse to travel, I’ll give you a few anyway. Here are four ways traveling the world makes you a better person:
“Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet.” ~ Jean Jacques Rousseau
Waiting in line for a museum or flight. Enduring a long bus ride. Dealing with persistent touts. What do these experiences have in common? They’re all familiar to frequent travelers — and they all require patience to manage. When you travel, you quickly learn you can either allow these issues to frustrate you, or you can take them in stride; the end result is the same. So, you learn to be patient.
Now that I’ve spent five hours waiting at the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, sitting in traffic for a few minutes doesn’t faze me. Because I’ve had to brush off an endless stream of inappropriate remarks from Turkish salesmen, the occasional catcall doesn’t upset me. Travel has strengthened my patience muscle like nothing else has.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough.” ~ Melody Beattie
Nothing makes you appreciate where you’re from — or what you have — like traveling does. It could be as simple as missing your favorite brand of peanut butter, or as profound as realizing you grew up in incredible comfort compared to many people. Gratitude is a powerful emotion, and practicing it can have a deeply positive impact on your life.
A few years ago, I spent three months volunteering at an elementary school in Nicaragua. The children there had very little in terms of physical possessions, but an abundance of smiles and positivity. Seeing how they could be satisfied with so little made me more appreciative of what I have in my life — which, in turn, has brightened the lives of those around me.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Howard Thurman
We are at our best when living up to our full potential, and travel often reveals just what that potential looks like. You can be whoever you want to be when you’re traveling — which is often what helps you figure out who you really are. Maybe you realize your partner isn’t the right person for you; maybe you realize your true calling is to become a yoga teacher.
When I look back on it, many of my life-changing moments have occurred on the road. It was while volunteering in East Africa in 2005 that I realized I wanted travel to be the focal point of my life; it was while teaching English in South Korea (and writing a blog about my experience) that I realized I was a writer; it was while taking a long solo road trip down the east coast that I realized I needed to end a long-term relationship. Living a life true to myself has undoubtedly made me a better person.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain
Making assumptions is easy; understanding and appreciating our differences is hard. One of the best ways to learn about other people and places is by visiting, connecting, and experiencing them yourself. Immersing yourself in a new culture will allow you to not only discover the qualities you share, but also to appreciate the areas in which you differ.
I grew up in a homogenous small town of 2,500 people. If I never traveled, I don’t know what kind of thoughts would be traipsing through my head. A lot of assumptions would be made — I do know that. I never would’ve made friends across borders, I never would’ve learned about different cultures, and most importantly, I never would’ve realized how great and good and beautiful our world is.
What do patience, gratitude, self-awareness, and an open mind have in common?
They are all qualities of a great person — and they are all qualities you can nurture by traveling the world.
Though of course traveling — or even volunteering abroad — will likely have the greatest impact, a trip to a new neighborhood or city will do. As long as you’re getting out of your comfort zone and exposing yourself to new ideas, people, and places, you will experience growth.
And it’s only by growing that we become better.
Has traveling made you a better person? Tell us how!
Susan Shain works with Discover Corps, the only volunteer vacation organization endorsed by the National Peace Corps Association. She believes the best way to discover a country is through its people. Click here to learn more about Discover Corps’ all-inclusive volunteer vacations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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Podcasts
Podcast are an emerging form of media that allows you to hear conversations between some of the most interesting and influential people in the world on any given subject. Podcast have been the most profound resources I have ever found for uncovering new interests and passions of mine. They allow you to explore new ideas, perspectives, and philosophies completely for free and at your own pace. I can honestly say that podcast have been the main catalyst for me discovering what I am truly passionate about. If you are someone who is struggling to find your passion than podcast would be the first place I would start.
Books
Books and more specifically non-fiction books are resources you can use to really refine what you are interested in. If you ever hope to make a living doing what you love then you better have a deep understanding of that thing and non- fiction books will give you the knowledge that is necessary to truly becoming an expert in the thing that you are passionate about.
Experiment
Experimenting with thing that interest you is the most effective way to finding your passion. The key is to completely immerse yourself in whatever whim you get. When I was 18 I thought I wanted to be in real estate so went to a free local real estate course, and then I enrolled in school for marketing, After that I thought I wanted to be a music producer and DJ so I downloaded all the programs, bought text books about music production, went to workshops and practiced almost every day. Once I realized that music wasn’t for me I then became fascinated with nutrition and fitness. Now I have a blog where I help people with their health which is what I am truly passionate about. Even though I “failed” at my attempts to find my passionate at first, what I did discover is what I was not passionate about which is just as important and is all a vital part of the process.
Meditation
As my favorite spiritual teacher Ram Dass says, “the quieter you become, the more you can hear.” A lot of my best insights on what it is that I should do with my life have come to me while I was meditating. The more you can quite the constant chatter of your mind, the more you can hear your intuition. When you meditate you are able to hear your inner voice far more clearly which will lead you down the right path. When we listen to our ego instead of our intuition we often make decisions out of fear instead of what we actually desire. Developing a mediation practice, even five minutes day, will help you develop your intuition and will give you better insights into what you are passionate about.
Surround Yourself with Passionate People
Passion, just like a positive attitude, is contagious. When you surround yourself with people are a passionate about what they are doing it can often be the force multiplier that can lead you to your ah-ha moment.
Trust Your Intuition
If it feels right, even though you can’t see where your situation is leading you, just trust that there are lessons that need to be learned and that this is exactly where you need to be right now. Many times I have questioned the seemingly random jobs and projects that I find myself doing however, hindsight is 20/20. When I look back at these random events I can see that they have all lead me to be where I am today. As long as you are enjoying yourself or you feel challenged, even though you have no idea where your situation is taking you, just have faith that it is leading you exactly to where you want to be.
Ask Yourself “If money didn’t exist, what would I do?”
This is a very powerful thought experiment that for a lot of people is a very difficult question to answer. Too many of us are focused on money and we tend to sacrifice what we really desire for bigger pay cheques. What nobody tells you though is that the novelty of money and material possessions wears off very fast and often leaves you feeling empty. Finding the answer to this question is a great place to start on your journey to finding your passion.
Follow Your Interests with No Attachment to the Outcome
I feel like a lot of people don’t follow their interests because they are afraid of what other people might think or they are afraid they might fail. However, if you can follow your interests without attachment of the outcome, succeed or fail it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you’re enjoying yourself and you feel happy. When you are searching for that thing that you feel like was meant for you, there is no failing; there is only winning and learning.
Change Your Environment
A change in environment can often give you a new perspective. Traveling to a new country, going to a local music festival, or getting a new job can help get you out of your comfort zone and give you profound insights into what you might want to do with your life.
Take Action
Your purpose isn’t going to fall in your lap as you’re watching TV. To find your passion you should do at least do one of these suggestions every single day which as a recap include:
Conclusion
When it comes to finding your passion I believe it is simply a numbers game. It takes patience and persistence and I know it might seem like a lot of work but realistically you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. These are the most effective tips I have discovered and if they’ve worked for me I believe they can work for you too. Feel free to share ways that have helped you discover your passion in the comments below.
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My name is Nathan Wiebe and I am the founder and writer of the Eat.Exercise.Live.Differently blog []. I am somewhat of a health and lifestyle scientist who loves experimenting with different ways of living. My mission in life is to introduce people to various ways and means of escaping a mediocre life. Sometimes you have to be your own hero so I do my best to provide the tools and resources that will lead towards a complete lifestyle upgrade.
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Sig Nordal 