Why Travel Makes You Awesome

Last Updated: 5/10/22 | May 10th, 2022

People ask how travel has affected me. If I looked back at who I was before I traveled and compared that to who I am now, I would say that travelling has made me a better person. When I first left to explore the world, I was 25 years old. I am more certain of myself.

I went travelling to push myself out of my comfort zone. I was able to find out who I was because I didn't have to worry about what people at home thought.

I am a lot better than I used to be.

I think travel makes people better. When we started, our journeys were not as good as they are today. We learn and grow. A powerful personal development tool.

I genuinely believe that travel is something that makes you a better person and a cooler one at the same time. People gravitate towards the kind of person they want to be around.

Dos Equis guys become like you.

Why does traveling make you better? Let me figure it out.

This is the first thing. Traveling makes you more social. If you don't get better at making friends, you'll end up alone. You have learned how to befriend people you don't know and talk to people you don't know. I was not comfortable talking to people I didn't know when I first traveled. I will talk to strangers like we have been friends for a long time.

After a while, you just want to talk to people, so you turn to the person next to you in the hostel bar and say "hi" You must keep doing it until you are a natural.

There are two Travel makes you better at talking to other people. The same questions get boring after a while. You start to feel like you're not good enough. You don't pay much attention to where people are from, where they are going, or how long they've been there. The questions don't tell you much about the person. You will get better at small talk, but more importantly, you will discover how to ask interesting questions that can kick start conversations.

There are three. You have been all over the world. You've hiked a mountain. Everest, went diving at the Great Barrier Reef, met a beautiful French girl in Paris, and conquered your fear of heights. You did a lot of great things. You are more confident. Can you not be certain about your abilities? You will feel a lot more confident in your abilities after you have accomplished a lot.

There are four. You have dealt with missed flights, slow buses, wrong turns, and much more. You learn how to change your plans as time goes on. You don't get angry, you just change what you are doing and move on. Curve balls are thrown and you hit them out of the park. What's the reason? You are great like that.

There are five. You will do anything when you become confident in your abilities. Despite not liking spicy food, I ate the world's hottest pepper in Austin. What's the reason? It was because I wanted to. If you don't break out of your comfort zone, what's the purpose of life? I would do it again.

There are six. All those mistakes are made easier by travel. They did another thing for you. You were more relaxed and easy going because of them. What's the reason? You have dealt with many errors and have learned to ignore them. If travel taught you anything, it's that it all works out in the end and that you don't need to worry.

There are seven. Stress causes aging, because travel makes you sexy. You will age slower if you take those days on the road. You will look good. George Clooney got better as he got older. I think I'm sexy, so I'm adding this for myself.

There are eight. If you travel, you will learn about the world. You will learn a lot about people, history, culture, and arcane facts about bucket-list destinations. Because of all the walking tours you do, people you meet, and sights you see, you will have a better idea of how the world works. You can read all the books you want, but until you see the world, you won't really understand it.

There are nine. You learn how little stuff you really need on the road. All the stuff they sell at the mall is meaningless in leading a happy life. You will find yourself a minimalist once you return home because you know what you need to live and what you don't. The more you own, the more it holds you.

There are ten. Travel shows us how to be happy. You will see the world as a brighter place. You can't not be happy after enjoying a beautiful sunset in French Polynesia or seeing wildlife in South Africa.

Think about all the successful people. How many of those qualities do they have? A large amount. What's the reason? People who are outgoing, funny, social, happy, confident, and smart are more successful.

People get better versions of themselves when they travel. You become an awesome person when you learn more about the world and the people in it. People I know who have traveled are better because of it.

Whether it is around the world or just a two-week vacation close to home, there is no reason why you shouldn't plan your next adventure now. Even if you don't have any money, you can travel.

It's up to the person to choose. Travel has never been easier or more accessible than it is today.

Do you want to sit at home and wish you were in a foreign land?

Do you want to stop being boring and do something awesome?

The choice is yours — but I think you should go out and travel and become the awesome person you are meant to be.  

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