Why travelling makes you a better person

More than new bikinis or Instagram likes, travel is about growing as an individual, getting in touch with yourself, and broadening your perspective. Travelling makes you a better person because it teaches you many new lessons. Above all it teaches you to…

Live in the moment

Break away from it all—iPhones, SnapChat, Twitter and Facebook. Travel allows you to forget the outside world and focus on the now. When you travel, pay more attention to where you are than to where you’ve been. By staying present in each moment you will form memories about a location’s intangible wonders. Remember the way the sun felt, the way the waves washed over your feet, the way the air smelled. You cannot replicate these feelings online.

Step out of your comfort zone

Leave your fears behind and experience all that a new location can offer. Don’t just embrace your fears abroad, but overcome them. In the process you may pick up new languages, accomplish a physical feat, and make new friends. You never know what you are capable of until you try. The experiences you have when outside your comfort zone are often the most memorable.

Appreciate what you have

Whether you have a lot or a little, being away reminds you that it is enough. Learn to appreciate the loved ones you have and the comfort they give you. Learn to appreciate the stability of your morning routine. Learn to appreciate the smell of your pillow at night. There are always others in a worse situation than you, and travelling helps you see that.

Adapt to changes

With travel comes travel problems. From missed flights to broken-down busses to bad street food to sub-par accommodations, you will quickly learn that accepting these mishaps is a part of life that should not ruin your trip. Travelling teaches you problem-solving skills and adaptability; it gives you the ability to take curve balls and hit them out of the park by adapting and learning with each new issue.

Accept yourself

This may be a ‘trust us’ lesson about travel, but it may be the most important. Talk to anyone who has travelled even a little and they’ll tell you the same. In the midst of all your museum visits, map-reading, flight-catching, and people-watching, you will have an epiphany. Regardless of what this newfound knowledge is, it will be a truth about yourself that you may never have known unless you stepped out of the house.

Expand your horizons and experience a number of ‘right’ ways to live your life. Contemplate your place in the world and our shared human existence when you travel, whether it be near or far. If you have the chance to travel, don’t hesitate. Do it because it will make you a better person. It is a big world with a lot of things to do, so see new sights, taste new flavours and talk to new people at every opportunity.

Cover-More strongly encourages travel for everyone. Stay covered no matter how far you roam or how often you go. We have a policy that will fit your holiday style at Cover-More.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Moyan Brenn; cropped from original