So many times when I tell people where I’m going or where I’ve been I’m always greeted with a “Why?”
I quickly respond, “Why not?”
People live so much of their life being fearful of what could happen if they traveled somewhere that they never actually go anywhere, or do anything. They always say they want to travel, but never do.
One of my favorite quotes by Oscar Wilde states “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist, that is all.”
So many times we get caught up in the everyday routine of the 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, that we forget what really calls to us; what really makes us happy.
I travel to see new places, eat new cuisines, and meet new people along the way because that’s what makes me happy.
You never know what a small place you occupy in this world until you’ve seen the world. Every experience you have when traveling, good or bad, is a memory that you will have forever. How many memories do you have when you’re just sitting at a desk all week?
When I travel it makes me feel like my world has been expanded. I feel grateful. Not just that I can travel, but that I can appreciate the life I’m so fortunate to live. When I see families in pure poverty with absolutely nothing and they’re still as happy as the richest person I’ve met, if not more, it makes me feel like my eyes and heart have been opened.
So many times we get wrapped up in dwelling on what we don’t have as opposed to what we do have, that we lose touch with what really matters. Seeing the world makes me grateful for what I do have.
Many people around the world never have the opportunity to see how beautiful the world is. Not on TV either, but with our own eyes. Touching, smelling, seeing and tasting something completely foreign is a growing experience.
There’s nothing better for one’s sanity than completely unplugging and wandering around a new place you’ve never been to before. Seeing something you’ve never seen before. Doing something you’ve never done before.
Too many times we are glued to our phones and computers all day long. We’re all guilty of living our life through social media, following travel accounts, wishing we could see it in person.
Well, guess what? We can, and I don’t know about you but I plan to.
**This article was originally posted in the NY Daily News**
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