How will traveling alone change you?

 

 

From removing filters to revealing your true self. Traveling alone, especially in less developed countries, removes most of the external influences that made us make decisions in our lives at home, work, relationships, rent costs, image, ads, TV, etc.

 

When you're in places where no one wears anything designer, a $4 dorm room is perfectly normal, and street food is a staple - things suddenly take on a different perspective.

People say that the trip makes them a new person, but I believe that it only allows them to be who they have always been. 

 

You realize that you really can do whatever you want -

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So many people say to me, "I wish I could do what you do," or "you're so brave," but what they don't understand is that they can do what I do and I'm not that brave. Anyone who travels alone also know it's true

 

What seems so simple to me now, but I didn't put enough emphasis on before, is the fact that we only get one shot at life and chasing big dreams is not only important, it's necessary. However, so many people end up not trying the thing they most wish they could in life for fear of failure. The whole point is to understand that it is never a failure, but a series of steps forward and necessarily some steps back.

 

Whenever someone praises you for following your dreams, tell her or him that they can do the same.

 

Friends and family become much more precious. I also saw friends I met traveling again and again, in different countries and continents. We make an effort to see each other because we have formed lasting friendships.

 

You will meet people from all over the world, and while you will say goodbye a lot, you will also have the opportunity to spend time with a friend in almost every city you visit. This is an amazing gift.

 

People will trust you less - by juxtaposition, the fact that you're always leaving, always moving, and never letting yourself stay in one place for long.

 

It's hard to take someone seriously who will always leave, which causes a lot of heartbreak and breakups.

 

There is no cure for everything, no perfect lifestyle and no answer to all your problems.

People think wealth is the answer until they get rich, think fame is the answer until they're famous, and think travel will be the perfect lifestyle change until they realize that no lifestyle is without its pitfalls. It can be a bitter pill to swallow.

 

Home will be harder to find, with so many options constantly presenting themselves, and by returning to the place where you grew up with a new perspective, it will be harder to feel at home anywhere else.

 

This inevitable byproduct of traveling is a double-edged sword, because you'll end up falling in love with many places while simultaneously wondering if you can really settle down in one place.

 

Unless you can embrace the differences in each group of friends, culture and general lifestyle you live in, it won't be an easy road. When I travel, I understand that things won't be as clean, schedules probably won't exist, and the people I'm around will likely be from different cultures with very little in common with how I grew up.

 

A successful trip means that in order to fit in and appreciate each place, you need to change a little each time. Some would say it means not being true to yourself, but in reality it's just letting different parts of your personality show.

 

You will never be the same again.

 

In conclusion, the trip opens a lot of doors, promotes the opportunity to have amazing and enlightening experiences in beautiful places, and exposes you to all kinds of amazing people. It also means a lot of changes in your lifestyle and sense of self. Like anything it can be both good and bad.