Travel changes you. We’re all aware of that. But how? Why? What makes travelling somewhere change your views of the world around you, and even the way you see yourself? Today, I’m telling you everything about how travelling changes you, for better and for worse.

Latest update: 11 May 2019

Most people who travel often know how different they are now compared to before they started travelling. Many of them can’t put their finger on how exactly they’ve changed, though. If you’re trying to find that out, you’ve come to the right place.

I put solo between brackets in the title, because travelling by yourself triggers even more change than travelling with others. After all, you are forced to make different decisions, and there is nobody with you that can help you make them. Although this is not a bad thing in many cases, it can be scary. Believe me, I was scared as well. After getting the courage to go to Dublin by myself, though, I’m very happy I did it. And here are some reasons why.

You get more confidence

This is the biggest one. This first reason as to why travel changes you applies mostly to solo travel, but people who travel with friends or family might recognize some of this.

When you’re abroad by yourself, there is no-one there to help you. If you make a mistake, you’re the only one who can fix it. You have to rely on yourself. You’re not dependent on anybody else. But that’s the beauty of it. The experience of succeeding at something is so much more meaningful when you know you did it all by yourself. Admittedly, it is nice when you have someone you can fall back on. But it’s even nicer when that someone is you.

Solving problems abroad may seem like a daunting task, but it can feel so good once you actually do it. Even better, you might get some confidence out of it. The more confident you are in a foreign country, the more confident you will be at home. And let’s be honest – what could anyone have against being confident?

You see the world from a different perspective

In order to gain new perspectives, it’s a good idea to visit places where the culture is as different as possible from your home culture. After all, you don’t go see your neighbours if you want to know how the whole world experiences life. That would be like someone trying to taste Italian cuisine who only eats bread with olive oil.

You need to see how a Nepalese Hindu goes about his day. You need to see how a Spaniard takes a siesta and stays up late. How a South-African falls asleep listening to the rain and watching the stars. How a Peruvian still keeps traditions alive.

It is only when you realize that none of the 7.5 billion people on this earth have experienced today like you have, that you will come to find that there is so much out there. So many places to be and so many people to meet. It almost seems like a shame to not spend your whole life travelling.

You get to know people

I met some great people on my trip to Malta. For example, I met Daniel, a German guy living in Malta, hosting a guest house. I met a French couple 45 minutes from any sign of civilization, and we watched the sunset together. I met an American family and visited an entire city with them. If you want friends from all over the world, travel. Travel often and travel by yourself. There is nothing to be afraid of.

When you travel, you get an opportunity to meet people you never would have met otherwise. Again, this especially applies to travellers who prefer being on the road by themselves. After all, solo travellers are far more approachable than those who travel in groups. Think about it. When you’re abroad, who would you talk to first: someone with a backpack standing in line to get the key to their room, or a group of friends talking to each other? Exactly.

Some of these people you get to know on your travels could change your life. They could become some of the most important people you know. You might even start a relationship with one of them. If you don’t travel, you could miss out on a lot of things.

You get a mentality change

When you travel, the way you look at life can change drastically. Seeing how people from vastly different cultures think about every aspect of life has the ability to change you as a person.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: travel changes you in ways that nothing else can.

Honestly, it’s a lot like looking at the stars at night. If you never do that, you won’t realize how small and trivial we are. In the context of a huge galaxy, none of our problems or worries matter. And that is exactly why you should just get the most out of your life. Once you realize these things, your mentality will shift from “I don’t know if I should do this” to “I can’t wait to do this”. And that, dear friends, is exactly the change you need in order to fill your life with happiness.

At the end of the day, we’re all just looking for ways to be happy and to bring meaning to our lives. Well, this is it. Chase your dreams and be wild every once in a while.

Do you have any reasons why travel changes you? Be sure to let me know. Also, don’t forget to check me out on social media (I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)! Thanks for reading!

-S

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