“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” — T.S. Eliot
One step. One breath. One life.
Life is a great adventure! Sometimes it doesn’t feel so great, though. Sometimes it’s just a routine, anxiety, and feeling stuck. There are four pillars to a person’s well-being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. If one pillar is neglected or out of sync, you risk not being your best self. You risk not showing up fully to appreciate your life. Are you challenging yourself? Do you lean into your relationships? How are you changing?
We’re not supposed to stay the same. We’re meant to grow, to change every day. I’m talking about challenging yourself. To do better. To be better. Sometimes you have to get out of the space you’re stuck in to make changes. That’s the beauty of travel!
Body
It moves you.
Stepping out of your routine might be difficult, but doing so can decrease your stress levels and increase your wellness! As you’re exposed to new environments, the foreign dirt and bacteria creates stronger antibodies and boosts your immune system. Check out some fun activities to stay fit! Go skydiving for a rush of adrenaline. Take a walk around town. Hit the beach. Clean up your diet by selecting fresh ingredients from the market. Have a good laugh with fellow travelers. Learn a native dance.
Try to pickup a new, healthy habit wherever you go. Thanks to all the spunky Brits I’ve met, I’ve developed a habit of tea-drinking. So I drink chai a lot, a lot. Yum, antioxidants! The Framingham Heart Study found that people who travel often are less likely to suffer a heart attack or develop heart disease. Test your physical abilities! There is no “healthiest age.” You can be your personal healthiest at any age!
Mind
It gives you perspective.
There are 7,488,527,646 people, 6,500 spoken languages, 138,000 hippos, and 356 types of noodles on this planet. There’s one you. Travel expands your mind. When you meet new people and adapt to new situations, you develop awareness. This improves your brain health. Studies prove a connection between travel and an increase in creativity, as well as cognitive flexibility. New places will inspire you. New people will encourage the flow of ideas. Test your mental capacity!
There are so many connections and cultural insights to gain with an open mind. Did you know that 70% of people living in poverty are women? Maybe this knowledge will inspire you to start or fund a micro-business. Maybe an Italian dish will inspire you to create the 357th noodle. As my Swiss friend, Gion, says, “You’ll never know until you try...and since we’re all gonna die, it’s best to try it now.”
Heart
It leads to your treasure.
We’re all searching for treasure — for that one special thing — for happiness. Think Santiago, à la The Alchemist.
What are you longing for? Where do you belong? These are the great, cosmic questions of your life journey. Santiago, a humble shepherd boy, set off on a journey through a harsh, mysterious desert in order to find his treasure. The desert landscape reflected his heart. What’s your heart look like? Mine’s definitely a rain forest. Lots of trees to climb to distract me, along with the occasional poisonous frog, or breath-taking waterfall. Even though it’s rough-going at times, I know the reward will be great! Are you looking for a deeper sense of purpose? Take the journey. Test your heart! It’s totally worth it.
Soul
It sets you free.
While travelling you’ll become wiser, braver, stronger, more vulnerable, more confident, etc. etc. How are the standards of society helping you? Or holding you back? Test the limits! The world is a great big ball of chaos, but we can find peace in a moment. A moment in the sea. A moment of stillness. A moment of gratitude. A moment of hardship. A moment of love.
Can I tell you a secret?
You don’t have to go anywhere to fulfill your potential. No place will save you. No destination on earth will make you a better, stronger person. All the power for change is within you. The top of the mountain isn’t a place to reach, but a place to find (within). Every time I reach the top of a mountain after a long hike, I feel like a different person in some ways, but none of those ways are because of the mountain. The mountain did nothing to me. It just stood there, same as it has for billions of years – a silent challenge. I climbed. I changed.
As we challenge ourselves to be better, we challenge the world to be better too.
Take the adventure of a lifetime.
Trust. Travel. Transform.