How did I know I wanted to travel? Well, the short answer is, I didn’t. Like so many others, my college years were coming to an end. I quickly began to realize that I had no clue what direction I wanted my life to take. After graduation day, I moved home to Atlanta with a degree in Biology and minors in English and History. I was still unclear on what I actually wanted to do, even with a degree. Though, I was certain I had no desire to continue formal education.
I spent the summer months lounging around beaches and lakes with my friends. Each day I found myself no closer to making any life decisions. After an interview set up through a family friend, I accepted a role in outside sales. It felt good to have some direction finally! I worked long days and nights, and my sales and income were on a consistent upward trajectory. I was finally building a solid foundation in my career and for the rest of my life.
6 years later, I had no passion or interest in the products I was selling. Financial gain was my most powerful motivator. I had purchased a brand new car and an awesome condo in my favorite part of the city. I had money to spend, and my savings account was doing well. While this was initially all very exciting, the shine quickly wore off. I found myself feeling unfulfilled and wondering what the point of it all was? I worked hard to live in a place I loved and could afford many of life’s little pleasures. So why wasn’t I happy?
The reality was that I was dedicating such a large percentage of my life to work that I couldn’t enjoy the things that I was working so hard to obtain. Working late nights and heading into the office on the weekends whittled away my free time to almost nothing. When I did have some extra time on my hands, all I wanted to do was sit somewhere still and quiet. I needed to regroup and relax so I could prepare to start the whole cycle all over again on Monday. At my core, I knew, for me, this lifestyle was not going to be sustainable.
A particularly stressful stretch at work brought me close to my breaking point. I even tried quitting at one point. My employer talked me out of it. They told me, instead, to take a few weeks to recharge and be ready to get back to work when I returned. I knew that whatever it was I chose to do with this time needed to be big. I needed a bold adventure to jolt some life back into myself. That night I spent hours doing online research and exchanging text messages with friends who had done their backpacking right after college. I packed a bag, booked a ticket, and within days, I was on a plane bound for Thailand. I had absolutely no plans and not a care in the world!
My First Solo Travel Experience
For the sake of brevity, I’ll just say that the next two and half weeks were absolutely life-changing. During the course of my first ever solo journey, I ate mystery sushi in Tokyo and climbed ancient temples in the jungles of Cambodia. I even became a certified scuba diver in the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand. I planned as I went and forced myself to do things that I never previously dreamed of doing. Finally, I was living my life to the absolute fullest. I was able to see the world through new eyes, and it made me radiate pure joy from my core. Taking that trip was the best decision I have ever made.
I’ve found that the most rewarding experiences in life are often a result of overcoming obstacles and difficulties. When I travel, I am always pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. This means I constantly find myself staring down the barrel of a new obstacle or challenge. It can be something as daunting as a 12-day trek through the freezing Himalayas, eating a stuffed pigeon so as not to offend a local, or simply trying to communicate basic information with someone who does not speak English.
No matter what, I’ve learned to absorb and reflect on every experience searching for lessons to be learned. Pushing my limits and making a conscious effort to learn from each of them has and continues to make me a better, well-rounded, and more humble person. Traveling almost feels like I have found a cheating strategy to learn and grow as an individual continually. It has the added bonus of allowing me to experience new places, cultures, people, and outlooks on life.
