Why We Travel
BY KELLY MCFARLING
Travel is the source! It’s our raison d’etre, our favorite cookie in the jar, and it’s a tenant truth of our life philosophy. The questions of where and when to travel make us realize how precious it is, and has been. As we prepare to face the future, it’s important to take stock of why we love it so much.
When we travel, we diversify our lens. We let in new colors, sights, smells and realities. Traveling is a window and a mirror. Seeing new things and places shows you a different version of yourself. Whether you are going across the globe, or across your home state, being in motion will move you, shake you, and change you. The reasons for traveling are as limitless as the rewards. Here are some of our favorite ones.
We get comfortable in our routines, and we forget to step outside of what is easy and familiar. Traveling teaches us that that comfort is a portable concept. Wherever you go, there you are, and who you are comes into focus. Stepping outside of your routine and into a new place gives you the opportunity to see the spectrum of life’s great lessons, joys and experiences.
We believe that the company you keep makes all the difference. That’s why when we travel, we do it in small groups so we can connect with new friends. A shared experience is the greatest way to know someone, and to be known. New people in a new place brings out the freshest version of yourself, and that’s refreshing. You’ll be amazed how close you can get to people when you meet them on an adventure.
New places reveal new ways of living. Paying attention to the people, their stories and their history is the most valuable lens for understanding a new place. Taste different food, play different games, observe unfamiliar customs. Listen and share with people in a completely different culture. By experiencing our differences we are able to see more clearly our similarities and feel more connected to humanity as a whole. Learning about other people, makes you a better person.
Experience the vibrancy and detail of a new place. Fill your brain with new sounds, sights, colors and landscapes. Expand your memory palette. Your imagination will thank you later.
Travel not only transforms us; it teaches us to reach for more. Once you have been out in the world and seen who you are out there, you gather the confidence and competence to take yourself anywhere. Travel leads to more travel, and more travel leads to a more fully lived life.
Life is a rich and complex adventure. Like any great one, yours will encounter bumps, twists and turns. Travel teaches us to roll with the punches, and laugh through the traffic. Putting yourself in the arms of the unexpected will give you the skills to confidently handle the unknowns that life can throw at you. What better way to face a challenge than with a group of friends in an incredible place. You’ll learn that it’s not the challenge you remember, but how you got through it that counts.
Traveling places us in the present moment, and lets us be fully engaged. Life is made of moments, and traveling is so full of good ones, it reminds you to pay attention and appreciate them. There is so much sparkling reality to absorb in a new place; you don’t have the need to check your feed.
Your life is your story, and you are the author. Give yourself the ingredients to make it interesting. Travel gives you chapters, action, adventure and the richness of experience. Fill your chapters with times worth remembering. How you craft your story and spend your time in this life is what ultimately makes you who you are.
