If you are thinking of travelling, be it around the world or on a two-week holiday, then know that not only will you need to make room in your case for a change of clothes but you’ll also have to accommodate a new set of views.
Travel changes your perspective of the world in the most incredible ways imaginable. So much so, that when you return from your vacation, you will wonder how on earth you went through life with so many worries and misconceptions.
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We decided to travel the world with our kids for a year and have now been travelling for seven months.
So far we have covered 43,000 miles, been to twelve different countries, forty-two separate states, spoken ten different languages and have spent somewhere in the region of $47,000.
One of the main reasons we embarked on such an out of the box venture was so that we could experience the world differently from that of our comfortable, safe and privileged lives in New Zealand. We were desperate, not only to have an adventure but to let the kids (and us) see the world from a different point of view.
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How Travel Changes Your Perspective
So many of our opinions and views are formed on what we hear through the radio, watch on the television or read about on social media.
We listen to scaremongers who hit us hard with doom and gloom stories of travelling. As a result, we decide that maybe we won’t make that trip.
Perhaps we won’t encourage our children to travel; we tell ourselves that the world is a scary place and we are best off staying at home.
Please don’t do that. Do not miss the chance to travel or to take a much needed vacation and let the wonder of travel change things in you for the better.
Travelling brings about lots of changes. Including:
- Travelling makes you more sociable
- It gives you confidence.
- It allows you to see that you don’t need to spend a vast amount of money to enjoy yourself
- Travelling makes you tolerant. Of yourself and of others. It encourages empathy.
- Gives you a good sense of humour
- Brings out the optimistic in you.
- And teaches you to think outside of the box.
The biggest thing that we have all noticed while being on this trip is just how drastically travel has changed our opinions on a whole array of things. And the perspective of my kids has changed beyond belief.
To see the world and whatever it throws at you from a different viewpoint means that you are able to cope with and tolerate a wide range of experiences and asks.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you are too old to travel or you are too set in your ways to change your perspective on something. It’s simply not true.
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10 Ways In Which Your Perspective will Be Changed Through Travel.
# 1: Confidence.
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Old Perspective. Before we left to travel I would quiver and shake at the thought of going to a neighbour and asking to borrow some sugar. Now, I would think nothing of turning up at a strangers house and sleeping on their couch for free.
New Perspective: The world isn’t filled with horrible people waiting to rob and attack you. There are millions of kind, helpful wonderful people who would gladly give you the coat off their back. Go out and find them.
Go On!! You can do it!!
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#2: Different Opinions
Old Perspective. If someone had asked me my thoughts on arranged marriage seven months ago, I would have probably have answered with the same ignorant babble that a large percentage of the world share.
Fast forward to a balmy night in India, sitting underneath the stars and hearing first hand from a father who is about to enter his daughter into an arranged marriage and then speaking with the daughter herself.
New Perspective. What better way than to have an opinion on a subject than to hear the evidence from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Priceless. If there is something you would like an opinion on, seek out the source and talk to them!
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Travelling will increase your knowledge on so many subjects.
#3: Acceptance
Old Perspective: Sitting doing nothing means you are lazy.
New Perspective: You don’t always have to be doing stuff to feel worthy.
Busy doesn’t equal admirable. It doesn’t mean important; it just means choice. Take a while to sit and ponder; slow down. Travel gives you time. The best gift of all.
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#4: Being told how to raise your kids
Old Perspective. That kids need to be reading and writing to learn.
New Perspective: I should have known this was rubbish. I have homeschooled (successfully) for the past nine years.
My daughter is a visual learner. She will confidently enter into a full-blown discussion on Nazi Germany and its effects on Poland because she has watched Schindler’s list three times.
My son only needs to be told something once. He teaches himself whatever it is he wants to learn online. Travel gives children different options to learn in a variety of ways.
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My son spent three weeks in Sri Lanka teaching himself how to edit. Relax. When kids want to learn, they will learn.
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#5: Ageing is Universal!
Old Perspective. You are the only one in your circle of friends who isn’t ageing well. You feel old and frumpy and not as young as you used to be. Along with the rest of the world.
New Perspective. Travel shows you that everyone and I mean everyone in the world is the same as you. They get old, they wrinkle, their hair becomes grey, they get bigger around the tum; it’s just so typical. So universal. And so irrelevant.
We are all the same – we all suffer from the same daft insecurities. Life is too short to worry about cellulite. Get out there and enjoy yourself.
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#6: Health
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Old Perspective: It’s too easy to get caught up in this or that new food fad or the latest diet. It is all very boring and, if you’re not careful, it consumes your life.
New Perspective: Travel lets you experiment with a variety of foods. At the end of the day, it is all very, very straightforward. I’ll use myself as an example; travel has taught me this very simple lesson: Alcohol + Cheeses + Salami = Tighter trousers. Sushi + Rice + Green tea = Looser trousers. Easy, peasy.
Travel lets you escape from the boring diets of everyday life. experiment with different foods and see what word for you!
this post? Pia
#7: Sense of Humour
Old Perspective. It’s hard to laugh at yourself. To join in when the kids are wetting themselves at your expense. Life is serious. Exams are serious. Getting a job is serious.
New Perspective: It is good to laugh and travel will almost certainly give you a sense of humour. Life is too short to worry about being serious all of the time, there is a lot of fun to be had out there! Let travel reveal that to you.
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Laughing is good for you! Let travel show you that there is more to laugh about in the world than to cry about.
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#8: Money
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Old Perspective: You have to have stacks of money to be able to travel. You will be miserable if you can’t buy hundreds of souvenirs, stay in fancy places and eat at the best restaurants.
New Perspective: This has been the biggest game-changer of the trip for us. Travel shows you that money doesn’t make for fabulous travel, experience does.
I know it sounds a little cliched but it is true. We have made such brilliant memories by doing the things that cost us very little or nothing. Every time. Travel will change your outlook on money, I promise you.
Travel will show you that you can survive on a lot less than you think you can.
#9. Health
Having emergency dental work done in Thailand. All of my insurance paid for it. Don’t let the thought of getting sick put you off travelling.
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Old Perspective: We couldn’t possibly travel. We will get sick or break our legs and end up in the hospital. It’s too scary. Not at our age.
New Perspective: My daughter needed stitches in Las Vegas; she got them. My husband needed antibiotics in India; he got them. I needed a root canal filling in Thailand; I got one. No big deal.
Exactly the same as back home. Get good insurance. The only insurance company for overseas travel we would ever recommend is this one. In the past year, I have made three claims and each time they were handled quickly and professionally. This brilliant travel insurance company is the best you will find (and I know because my husband is a research freak)
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#10: Age
Old Perspective: Travel is for the younger folk. There is no way I can spend two weeks with a backpack on going around India. I’ve missed the boat, I will live out my travel fantasies through my kids.
New Perspective: You are NEVER too old to travel. We have met people while travelling around the world who were in their late eighties, and still soaking up the sun on a beach in Vietnam or trekking in Nepal. And you will too. You will no longer see age as a barrier once you step out of the door and onto that plane, I promise you.
Travel makes you believe in yourself! No matter what age you are!
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So that’s it! The 10 ways in which travel will change your perspective – for the better!
Now, stop putting off that next holiday or the dream that you have always had of seeing Asia or Italy or Ireland.
Plan to do it, NOW.
Travel invites you to be a different person, somebody with a wide range of wonderful ideas and opinions. It makes you happy, strong and confident. It makes you an interesting person to invite around for dinner. Now go. And make sure you send me an invitation to your going away party.
Where’s my passport?!!!
Another great post!xx
In the drawer next to the bureau x
Totally agree with all that. Most people sit at home glued to the little square box in the corner of their room listening to the clap trap from the news and politicians brain washing the masses. I have friends of all races and religions and gender spectrums all over the place and I would much rather listen to their stories than be force fed lies. The turning point for me was in Thailand when we were invited by some lovely locals to join in their Loi Katrong festival of light. I was asking if this was a main Buddhist festival and our friends explained that they love the time of year with all their friends. This week Loi Katrong next week Hanukkah with their Jewish friend then Diwali with their Indian friends Eid with their Muslim friends and Christmas with us. I may have those in the wrong order as I had imbibed in some local moonshine. But I thought what a wonderful place the world would be if we all had that attitude and just accepted everyone for who they were instead of being told how evil anyone is who doesn’t share your way of life, religion etc. My best times have been sitting down and sharing whatever we have with those that have nothing but would give you anything they could..
My philosophy is you learn very little from talking to people you learn a hundred times more by listening.
Keep the reports coming you’re doing a great job xx
Thanks so much for such a detailed comment. That is just what I am talking about Pam. When would you EVER have had that experience? And yes, as I was reading the other day, talk less, listen more. That’s why you have two ears and only one mouth! Here’s to travel my friend! x
OMG Liz, this is ALL so true.
How easy it is to get swept into a micro web of social-politics by contently living for that ‘dream 1/4 acre block of land’. Travel to me, creates objectivity, inner-balance and becoming wiser through life’s experiences.
The prospect of my next and every travel-venture, helps keep me motivated and focused on the ‘bigger picture’.
So glad it struck a chord. I can’t imagine life without having somewhere to go next…And yes, you are right, it is the key to motivation. x
I will happily argue till I’m blue in the face that travel has not changed me one bit. I fully believe that and I’ve thought about it a lot. What it has done, is allowed me to figure myself out a bit more. Yes, I ” found myself” just a bit.
I’m dropping this link here not for the backlink, but because I want you to read it.
I delete comments when people drop backlinks, it’s spammy and rude, but you’re my mate so I hope you won’t.
https://worldtravelfamily.com/travel-doesnt-change-you-you-find-yourself/
And I can’t believe he edited video on Sri Lankan internet!!
While I agree that no, travel doesn’t change your life, it certainly puts things into perspective. Without travel, you are not exposed to such an array of experiences that show you what is important and what isn’t. I haven’t changed and neither have my kids, we were always kind, compassionate and adventurous. But we all worried about pointless things; and thought that to be happy we needed this and that, and it just isn’t true. Travel exposes you to situations that make you think; make you reassess. Put things into perspective.
I read your post and as always, loved it. I like the way you now know that you need a small house! That is such a valid point to what we are talking about. I have a big house too back in New Zealand and right now, all I want is to sell it and buy a smaller place. Travel has changed the way I feel about our living conditions.Put the big mortgage thing into perspective.
It has shown me that we like sleeping four in a bed in our sleeping bags like caterpillars. Just kidding.
Oh, Alysun. We are more similar than you know…