4 Things I Learned While Traveling That Improved My Life
Take life as it comes or go full force with what you believe to be right at the time.
1. Money isn’t happiness. Happiness is happiness.
When you see a different way of life, like simple wooden huts and villagers bathing in a river, and experience the warmth of their smiles, it’s the best argument against money being the key to happiness. “These people are the most joyful I’ve ever seen,” you’ll think, “and they have nothing,” Yes, those who are homeless, lonely and sick make poorness seem miserable; but it’s love and strength that matter most, and all the money in the world can’t buy you either. Appreciate what you have and do what makes you happy, and you’ll be happy.
2. Confidence is beauty is confidence.
A soft glowing tan, natural sun-kissed highlights, make-up free and loving it, travelling solo, a sense of achievement. While travelling, you face fears. Simple ones like approaching people and starting conversations and trying to pronounce the local language. And also bigger ones like scuba diving, night treks, riding a scooter, jumping off waterfalls… It’s a recipe for confidence and emotional well-being and I believe, like Audrey Hepburn says, that the happiest girls are the prettiest girls.
3. You don’t have to make decisions if you don’t feel like it.
Sometimes in life, it feels like I’ve lost the ability to decide on anything. I was mulling over my trip for a while, wondering whether I should spend a big chunk of my savings. It all worked out okay in the end; I just needed that time. Now I don’t stress over making the right decision, because it almost always is. While I was travelling, there were choices to be made every day. I ended up choosing to go with the flow and not rushing into anything that didn’t need to be rushed into.
Take life as it comes or go full force with what you believe to be right at the time.
4. The memories you make in life are invaluable.
I’ve saved what is perhaps the most obvious one until last. All the memories. In many ways the last few months feel like a blur. But I have so many funny, incredible, happy times to call upon when I need them. Having times where you felt truly great, blissful and carefree is a reminder of how sweet life is, and it’s all you need during times when things aren’t going so well. The reminder that, to quote True Romance, “it goes the other way too.” 