“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.”  -Martin Buber

We travel for a variety of reasons – to see far off places, to meet new people, to feel sand between our toes, or simply to have something interesting on social media (come on, we’ve all done it).

But the greatest benefit of seeing the world?  The way travel changes you like little else in life can.

Beyond the pretty pictures and the sun-kissed tan, you gain a perspective that stays with you long after your bags are unpacked.  Here are just a few ways travel changes you for the better.

Travel Teaches You Value

One of my favorite commercial campaigns of all time was for Mastercard (and the spoofs were, well, “priceless”).  But the premise was profoundly obvious – there are some things in life money can’t buy.

Savoring a sunset from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.  Enjoying a glass of delicious ginger moscato with a dear friend.  Seeing brilliant works of art so beautiful they’ll bring a tear to your eye.  And pinch-me bucket list moments.

In addition to these priceless experiences, you also gain an appreciation for things that are seemingly average in your everyday life.  Simple pleasures like air conditioning, clean drinking water, easy communication, and elevators (which are sorely missed when lugging 35 pounds of luggage up 9 flights of stairs).

Travel Helps You Handle Adversity

It’s just a universal truth – despite all your careful planning and meticulous preparation, things are bound to go wrong on your trip.  Your credit card is blocked.  You flight is delayed.  You get on the wrong train.  The hotel lost your reservation.  You lock your keys in the trunk of your rental car (with there’s no cell service… on a Sunday afternoon when no locksmiths are available… true story).

The more you travel, the more you realize life isn’t always going to go as planned.  You’re no longer derailed by unexpected bumps in the road, and even learn to enjoy them.

Credit card not working?  Instead of shopping, walk around and actually enjoy the scenery.  Boarded the wrong train?  Use it as an opportunity to see more of the countryside.  Have to wait over an hour for a locksmith?  Just enough time to grab a bite to eat and take some photos.

Issues become opportunities and you discover you can rely on yourself to solve almost any problem.  It’s an empowering life lesson.

Travel Makes You More Outgoing

It’s hard to be an introvert when traveling.  You often have to rely on strangers, and that reliance means you need to break out of your shell.  Building a comfort level for talking with strangers leaves you with a confidence that carries over into every aspect of your life.  It’s one of the best ways travel changes you.

I can’t tell you how many incredible, fascinating, and inspiring people I’ve met in my own travels.  It’s given me new friends, re-connected me with old ones, and introduced me to mentors and personal heroes that have helped me grow in ways I could never have imagined.

The people who come into my life are by far the best part of my adventures.

Travel Takes You Behind The Scenes

One of the things I love most about travel is getting to step behind the scenes of all the stunning imagery on Instagram and similar wanderlust-worthy publications.  To see a photograph and be able to say “I’ve been there, and there’s the most fantastic little bakery around the corner!” makes the world seem smaller.  Familiar.  And altogether more inviting.

It also gives you a deeper appreciation for what goes into those photos, and what destinations are actually like in real life.

Camera angles.  Lighting.  Posing.  Editing.  There are so many facets to the jaw-dropping images that captivate us!  And being able to experience these places firsthand offers a more realistic view of the world around us.

Travel Turns You Into A “Yes Man”

It starts by simply saying “yes” to a trip.  Then before you know it, you’re saying “yes” to new foods, cultures, and even adventures you’ve only ever dreamed of!  Travel forces you outside your comfort zone and opens you up to opportunities you would normally shy away from.

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge?  Why not! Cage dive with great white sharks?  They seem harmless enough.

You realize how good it feels to be open to new experiences.  And, that openness translates to looking for new opportunities in your everyday life.

Travel Makes You More Patient

You will certainly learn to go with the flow more as you travel.  With every unexpected twist, minor catastrophe, and major delay you begin to let things roll off your back.  You become an expert at handling frustrating situations, so you don’t Hulk-out every time you’re stuck in traffic or there’s a line around the corner at your favorite dessert shop.

You’ve been here before.  There are worse things in life than having to wait.  Nothing can rattle you.

Travel Bursts Your Bubble

We’re all guilty of the 10-mile bubble.  That familiar area around our home that seems like the entire universe.

But the world is so much bigger than our comfort zones.

Travel teaches you that our way of life isn’t the only way of life.  There are other cultures, societies, religions, and traditions which make up someone else’s comfort zone, and that’s ok.  Just because something seems foreign doesn’t mean it’s scary.

And, most importantly, you realize not everyone is as fortunate as you.  To some, simple things like electricity, adequate food, and clean drinking water are luxuries they’ll never experience.

You see the world from a different point of view, and that opens you up to accepting diversity and being grateful for things you once took for granted.

Travel changes you with experiences (often unplanned) that make you grow in ways not possible through traditional education.  It pushes you, stretches you, and opens you up to so much more than you can imagine.  And, it creates a lasting change that will stay with you forever.

What are some of the ways travel has changed you?

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