The daily grind of life often leaves us incapable of noticing and appreciating everyday things that happen around us; we fall into a rut that makes it increasingly difficult for us to challenge ourselves to greater heights or to venture into experiencing something new.
We become so comfortable in these routine doings that the very thought of breaking out of them and having a fresh experience becomes daunting. But life is defined by experiences and it is only through more experiences that one is able to better define and appreciate life.
Traveling is seen as one of the best providers of experience and is the perfect antidote to routine regimens. It gives you time to observe, to think and learn new things, or to do old things in new ways. It revives, exhilarates and inspires you; it makes you feel more alive and receptive to everything around you, allowing you to introspect and form new benchmarks on life. In short, traveling changes you; it forces you to see things from a new perspective.
Confined by daily routines to people and places in our immediate surroundings, we generally do not get the opportunity to meet and interact with those who hold different views and values, and go about life in a different manner. This limited exposure to our little corner of the world tends to manifest itself in the form of insular views that lack empathy and are culturally insensitive.
In a world ridden with prejudice, ignorance and bigotry, travel provides an opportunity to make us more appreciative of different cultures. It expands our awareness of others and by introducing us to people of diverse cultures and customs it helps generate understanding and compassion, while removing the biases and prejudices that accumulate in our daily lives.
Traveling allows us to meet different people and it exposes us to the history, culture, religions of others, which in turn permits us to examine the underlying values that often explain certain behaviors. Ultimately, travel gives you a better knowledge and appreciation for the world around you. As the American author Mark Twain observed, Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.
Perhaps the greatest reward of travel is being able to experience everyday things in a new light. Waking up to sunlight streaming in through half-drawn blinds in a hotel bed in a strange town; sipping on a cup of coffee while watching the world go by; walking the streets taking in the colors, tastes, smells and noises of a new place, can all be quite exhilarating and a real awakening for your senses though you may have done these things mundanely all your life.
Traveling is a great way to find yourself; it allows you to confront and overcome your fears and realize your hidden potential. It helps us reevaluate our priorities in life and teaches us to appreciate each moment and to live in the present. We are always told that to seek happiness, you need to try and live in the moment.
But it feels almost impossible to do this in the process of your nine-to-five job and in the midst of routine.
However, when you travel, your mind is there, you experience so much for the first time that without any effort, you are living in the moment. It is no wonder that so many people become addicted to traveling, as it is the easiest way to reinvigorate yourself and deliver a shake-up to your life. Life, they say, is like a book, and those who do not travel get to see only the cover page. So, pack your bags and go riffle through the pages of life.
