Monday, January 09, 2017

A Whole New World: Three Ways Travel Makes You A Better Person

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There are a lot of things that make traveling a genuinely amazing experience. It's the sort of thing that everyone should get the chance to do. Especially the kind of traveling where you find yourself completely and totally outside of your comfort zone in somewhere new and unfamiliar. Sadly, a lot of people are a little bit scared of that kind of traveling. 

The idea of giving up all of the familiar things that they're used to, even for a while, can be a pretty daunting idea. But travel can be one of the most remarkable things that you'll ever do. One of the most important reasons that travel is so amazing is that it actually makes you a better person. Not only does it offer you something amazing, but it helps form you into someone with more to offer the world. Don't believe me? Well here are some ways in which travel really can make you a better person.

It makes you braver
  
Getting on a plane, train or boat to somewhere totally new, especially if you don't speak the language, is a seriously brave thing to do. This goes double for anyone who travels on their own. If you can dive into a completely new environment, climate and culture and come out the other side, then you can do just about anything. While you travel, you should keep trying to push yourself as well. Try new things, eat food you've never tried, meet new people. It might all seem a bit intimidating, but it really is the best way to make the most of your experience. And the best thing about it all is that you'll bring that newfound bravery home with you and it will become a part of your normal life. 

You'll find that, suddenly, things that used to be so terrifying that you couldn't even imagine dealing with them don't seem all that bad anymore. You'll wonder how you ever thought they were a big deal in the first place.

It teaches you to plan

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Are you a little bit disorganized? Maybe you're always late, or you constantly forget important things? Don't worry; that applies to the vast majority of people, so you're definitely not alone! Traveling is a fantastic trial by fire when it comes to learning to plan and be prepared. Most obviously, you have to pack everything you need. Making sure that you have all the clothes and supplies that you need is going to be a pretty big task and the best way to do that is to write down a very specific plan for what you need. 

You also need to make sure you take any medication before you go. You can get malaria tablets online as well as plenty of others. The other important thing that travel teaches you is to plan your time. Chances are, you'll catch your fair share of planes, trains and more. That means you can't afford to be late. 

The last thing you want is to plan everything perfectly only to discover that you've missed your flight and the whole trip is ruined. These are skills that not only make traveling easier but will make your whole life easier and more organized as well.

It shows you who you are

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This might sound a bit over the top, but it genuinely is true. We all go through most of our lives surrounded by friends, family, school, work and whatever else. This is, of course, a very good thing. After all, it helps you to create a sense of community and identity. But the wonderful thing about travel is that it takes you out of all of that and forces you to exist independently. When you're separated from everything that you know and are pushed into a totally unfamiliar situation, then you have no choice but to figure out who you really are. 

You get the chance to find out who you are when you strip away responsibilities and expectations. It's one of the most freeing things in the world. And when you get home, all of those responsibilities are much easier to handle because you have a far greater sense of who you are. 

You don't ever have to worry about your own sense of identity because once you have a hold of it, there's nothing anyone could do to take it away from you.