The importance of a traveling mindset (how traveling the world affects life and personality).
Have you ever stopped to wonder about the importance of traveling and how this affects your life and personality? If you want to travel the world, you’re going to need an adventurous personality, a positive attitude, and a traveling mindset.
Naturally, everyone has their traveling preferences although these change over time or due to circumstances. Partying on a sun-soaked island is fun for a while, a fun-packed themed family holiday is great for those with kids, and that dream cruise or luxury all-inclusive break may well top your bucket list.
You might want to see World Heritage Sites, while others yearn for the excitement of a wildlife safari, a Himalayan trek, or a road-tripping adventure across Australia.
Whether you have an adventurous mindset or prefer to vacation in a calm and relaxed way, traveling affects your life in a positive way to make you happier.
- Why happiness is a journey
- What is a traveling mindset, exactly?
- 1. Traveling expands your comfort zone
- 2. You become a stress resistant problem-solver
- 3. Traveling makes you open-minded and knowledgeable
- 4. You become more mindful and start to appreciate your life more
- 5. You discover new things that can make you happy
- 6. Traveling makes you a better friend
How A Traveling Mindset Makes You Happier
Personally, a traveler’s mindset has brought me happiness and changed my life – on that first trip abroad as a solo woman traveler, I met my husband by pure chance shortly after arriving on the Costa Blanca in Spain, and have lived here ever since. Note, the intention was to travel the world independently and a Spanish boyfriend was definitely not part of the plan! But traveling changes your values and this can lead to a new way of life.
Why happiness is a journey
This phrase comes to mind “Why happiness is a journey not a destination” and it’s true. Chat and listen to the folk you meet on your journeys, and be genuinely interested in their way of life. I’ve met so many kind and helpful people on my travels across the world, in every continent and nation.
The magical moments are many, and the best travel memories not only include your first sight of Venice or the Taj Mahal, or somewhere equally amazing. I remember the call of eagles at sunrise over Munroe Island, or sitting on the wall of a posh hotel with dozens of villagers to watch a beautiful Indian wedding, or joining a photo shoot in Luang Prabang with this Lao monk!
Related Posts: Journeys that will change your traveling mindset
* Annapurna Trek to Poon Hill (Himalaya Mountains, Nepal)
* 2 Day Slow Boat down the Mekong River (Laos)
* Adventure from Cuzco to Machu Picchu (Peru)
Want to know how traveling changes your mindset? Juliet is a happiness coach who shares her professional insight with us in this exclusive article.
A Traveling Mindset
Authored by Juliet Dreamhunter
Why did the traveler refuse to fly economy class?
Because he had a first-class mindset!
Traveling is more than just visiting new places, it’s a journey that transforms your mindset and broadens your perspective. By immersing yourself in different cultures and discovering new territories, you can challenge your beliefs, break free from your comfort zone, and see the world through a fresh lens. In this post, we’ll look at six interesting ways a traveling mindset can make you happier.
I first went abroad about 10 years ago, and I feel like I’m a completely different person by now! The mindset shifts I experienced thanks to traveling have had a profound impact on my life. Having been to 18 countries across four continents, I learned lots of valuable life skills: from communication and adaptability to creative problem-solving and independence.
Not only did a traveling mindset made me a happier person, it also gave me a new perspective on the world and my place in it. And it will do the same for you, if you choose to get off the couch and give it a chance!
The first amazing trip is all you need. Once you catch the travel bug, it’s hard to resist the urge to pack your bags and set off on an adventure around the world, as the excitement and anticipation of exploring new destinations and cultures becomes irresistible.
What is a traveling mindset, exactly?
A traveling mindset is a combination of a positive attitude and a discoverer approach to life that prioritizes openness and a willingness to explore new places and experiences. It involves embracing the unknown and being comfortable with uncertainty, as well as becoming open to different cultures, traditions, and perspectives.
The process of adopting a traveling mindset teaches you to see the world as a place of endless possibilities, and to approach life with a sense of curiosity and adventure. You inevitably obtain an assortment of fundamental life skills and experiences that will stay with you long after your travels have ended.
When you pick up the mindset of a traveler, you’ll start naturally seeking out new adventures and opportunities, and take off on a new exciting journey of personal growth and transformation that will leave you feeling inspired and fulfilled!
6 Ways A Traveling Mindset Makes You Happier
1. Traveling expands your comfort zone
The traveling mindset is one that constantly seeks to push past comfort zones and experience new things. When you travel, you are often put into unfamiliar and challenging situations that can be uncomfortable at first. However, this discomfort is exactly what helps you to grow and expand your comfort zone.
Traveling can boost confidence and provide a sense of independence that can be difficult to achieve in your day-to-day life. When you navigate new places on your own, you learn to rely on yourself and make decisions that you might not have thought possible. This, in turn, can give you the courage to tackle challenges in other areas of your life and approach them with a newfound sense of confidence and determination.
For example, my first solo trip abroad opened my eyes to all the ways I used to rely on my husband when traveling. There were literally no familiar faces in the whole country around me, so I suddenly had to rely on my own instincts and judgments to make creative decisions and navigate unfamiliar territory!
This experience not only expanded my comfort zone but also helped me to feel more confident and independent in everyday life.
2. You become a stress resistant problem-solver
When you adopt a traveling mindset, you learn to be more stress-resistant. Frequent travellers know that things don’t always go as planned: flights get delayed, information from the Internet appears outdated, and expectations don’t necessarily match reality.
Through dealing with these situations, you learn to be adaptable and flexible, and to find new solutions when something goes wrong. And these skills don’t just apply to travel – they can be valuable in your everyday life, too!
When you encounter a stressful situation, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and anxious. But when you have a traveling mindset, you learn to stay in control and keep a clear head, no matter what happens. This can help you maintain a sense of calm and balance, both on the road and in your daily life.
Traveling also allows you to gain a different perspective on the world and the challenges you may face. You learn to approach situations with a problem-solving mindset and adapt to unexpected changes, which might come out helpful later in life and at work. Knowing how to release stress is crucial for maintaining a healthy mindset, which is the first step to living a happy life.
3. Traveling makes you open-minded and knowledgeable
I think one of the most significant benefits of traveling is that it broadens your horizons and helps you become more open-minded and knowledgeable. By exposing yourself to different cultures, you learn about their history, traditions, and beliefs, which can lead to a shift in your own beliefs and perceptions. Traveling helps you become more tolerant and inclusive, and challenges any preconceived notions you may have had.
Think about it: you literally get out of your usual bubble where everyone has the same ideas and views of the world, and immerse yourself into a totally different environment. People talk in a different way, dress in a different way, and might not see the world the same way as you do. No wonder it’s often described as a culture shock!
And let’s talk about all the things you learn for a moment.
During my trip to Sri Lanka alone, I learned more about Buddhist traditions and ayurvedic medicine than in more than two decades of my life before that. It was fascinating to immerse myself in a culture that was so different from my own, and to learn about their practices and beliefs! I’m especially grateful for trips like that because they helped me develop a greater appreciation for cultural diversity.
By the way, if you are bad at Trivia, traveling more is a pro tip that will naturally make you so much better at it!
4. You become more mindful and start to appreciate your life more
Traveling has a way of making you more mindful and present, reminding you to appreciate the joys of life that you often overlook in your daily routine. By being in new and unfamiliar surroundings, you become more focused on the present moment and the experiences that are unfolding in front of you.
As you have an unspoken goal of making memories that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life, you usually pay attention to what’s really happening rather than spend your time glued to your phone and watching others.
Furthermore, travelling can open your eyes to how fortunate you are and help you cultivate a sense of gratitude. When you see the poverty and hardship that many people in developing countries face on a daily basis, it can be a humbling experience that makes you appreciate what you have.
On my own travels, I’ve witnessed firsthand the resilience and kindness of people who live with very little and find happiness nevertheless, and it has inspired me to be more grateful and present in my own life.
5. You discover new things that can make you happy
As a traveler, you find that happiness can come in the simplest of things! You might be surprised at how much joy a beautiful view, a good conversation with a stranger, or a delicious local meal can bring, especially after a long exhausting day of exploring a new city.
Plus, traveling often requires leaving behind people or things that make you unhappy or stress you out. So you can focus on the things that matter most to you.
As you spend more time on the road, you’ll also develop a keen sense of what’s important in life and what’s not. You’ll find yourself living with less and enjoying it more!
And let’s not forget the thrill of learning a new language. As you explore new places and interact with locals, you’ll naturally pick up some new words and phrases, and a desire to know more.
For me, learning Spanish while living in Málaga, German while volunteering at a conference in Berlin, and now a bit of French while exploring Canada has been a fun and sometimes incredibly useful experience. It’s not just about being able to communicate, it’s also about gaining a deeper understanding of the culture and people around you.
6. Traveling makes you a better friend
Since traveling teaches you to be more accepting of different ways of life, you become more compassionate, empathetic and supportive to others. This, in turn, helps you build more meaningful connections in the future, and generally be a better friend.
Exploring the world in a unique way makes you more interesting since you are able to tell stories that your friends haven’t heard before, and bring fresh perspective to the conversations. It also helps you attract new like-minded friends who share your sense of adventure!
By the way, never hesitate to jump at the opportunity to travel with friends: it strengthens your bond by creating shared experiences and precious memories that last a lifetime.
Personally, traveling has made me more easygoing and flexible, as I was not always open to the idea of spontaneous adventures. As someone who likes planning trips thoroughly, I learned to allow for the unexpected and worry less about the things I can’t control.
Conclusion: Why traveling is important
I hope I made you excited about traveling, at least a little bit!
As you continue to travel, you become more comfortable with the unknown, more confident in your abilities, and more open-minded in general. You also develop a sense of wanderlust that drives you to explore the world and seek out new adventures.
Take your personal growth to new heights by embracing a traveling mindset, where every adventure is an opportunity for life-changing experiences and incredible self-discovery!
About the Author
Juliet is a certified happiness coach and a positive mindset blogger. She writes about finding happiness within and sourcing joy from the little things in life.
Visit her blog Utterly Positive for daily encouragement and tips on living a fulfilling mindful life.
“Remember that happiness is a way of travel – not a destination.”
How has a traveling mindset affected your life and brought you happiness?
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