Why is traveling only viewed as a “temporary state” of things? Why can’t we bend the rules a little bit and bring the mentalities, the attitudes, and the beauty of travel back to our roots? There are valuable lessons in traveling (whether it be to the next town or to another continent) that should be included in our day-to-day experiences.
Being able to go with the flow.
Traveling means being able to live without a schedule and not freaking out about it. Why can’t we have that relaxed feeling every single day? Too many of us have a panic attack if our schedules aren’t 100% followed. It’s okay to be little messy because the messy parts of life are what help us grow into the people we become. So, dare to stay an extra hour on the lawn tanning or explore a new part of Cville with friends (even though you wrote down that you were going to study from 2-4:30)… Being responsible with your time is important, but don’t forget to live a little!
Being in the moment.
A friend the other day shared a quote from A Field Guide to Getting Lost:
“Not to find one’s way in the city may be uninteresting and banal. It requires ignorance- nothing more, but to lose oneself in a city- as one loses oneself in a forest- that calls for quite a different schooling. To lose yourself: a voluptuous surrender, lost in your arms, lost to the world, utterly immersed in what is present so that its surroundings fade away…To be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present is to be capable of being in uncertainty and mystery…” (Solnit)
This quote is absolutely magical. It brings out the best of what travel is about: losing yourself in the moment (as scary as that can sound). There are too many moments (and believe me, I do this too- I’m trying to fix it!) when you’re texting or lost in headphones that distract from placing yourself in the moment. The difference is that when you travel, you force yourself to be in the moment in order to discover the place around you. Bring this into your daily life by talking to the person next to you on the bus ride home, running without music, or just immersing yourself in your surroundings in general. Be here, not there.
Being open.
Traveling requires you to have more patience: patience to a new culture, a new style of living, and a new mindset. Bringing this patience into your daily life will open you up to so many new experiences- don’t be afraid to discover and to push boundaries. Closing off won’t help you or those around you because it stops a flow of ideas from happening.
Being communicative.
I know that when I travel, I make sure to share my day with friends, family, significant other, etc. It’s an important aspect to discovering a new city, a new culture, etc.: sharing and spreading your experiences. Why wouldn’t you bring this into your daily life too? Pick up the phone and call your friends to tell them about your day (sure it might not be as exciting as that time you went surfing in Bali, buuuuuuut the #1 rule from preschool is: sharing is caring aka share so that they know that you care about them!) Being able to communicate your ideas, thoughts, etc. will make the people around you feel like you’re investing in them and they’ll invest in you in return.
BEING HAPPY.
Appreciate. Appreciate. Appreciate. The grass is always greener on the other side, but why don’t you start appreciating your side for a change. Take advantage of where you live! The great thing about travel is that it makes you realize how beautiful the world is- but don’t forget that your town, city, county, etc. is a gem too. Realize that the little hole in the wall burger joint or the cute little coffee shop is not something you can get anywhere but where you are.