My life motto? Live a little. We all make excuses to not do something we love whether it's time, money, or responsibility. But in my experience now is always the best option. To take the chance and live your best life. If you have dreams of traveling the world, you may feel as if that dream is out of reach due to having a busy lifestyle, family commitments, and time and money concerns. Many people dream of traveling but never make it happen, because they get caught up in these excuses. Traveling can truly change your life for the better. NOW is the time to make your travel plans a reality. Here are six reasons to stop making excuses and travel now:
6 Reasons to Stop Making Excuses and Make Time for Travel Now
It’s a Great Learning Experience
Traveling is the perfect way to be exposed to new things and new ideas. If you want to try new foods, be introduced to new cultures and learn about the history of places, you’ll get the best education. Traveling in itself also offers a great way to learn, when you navigate the ins and outs of traveling to new towns and cities and learn the best ways to pack and the best style of travel that works for you.
We read in history books about the past, but being able to walk the streets, see the sights, and go to the museums makes all those events more real. Hearing about the Thirty Years' War felt all the more real when I walked the halls of Prague Castle and saw where the Defenestration took place. It felt like I had a better understanding of these events.
You’ll Meet New People
I truly don't know a place until I meet the people. When we traveled through Romania I got to meet and talk with dozens of locals and here their stories about overthrowing communism, living off the land, and what it's like to be a Romanian. I'm not saying I completely understand their lives, but it helps give more insight into the places you visit. It gives you a bigger appreciation of why and how a country is formed.
If you’ve only been surrounding yourself with the same people, it may be time to switch things up. When you travel, you’ll meet other travelers as well as locals along the way. This makes for exciting and interesting conversation and you may even make some new friends for life!
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Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone
What’s the fun in doing the same old routine every day? If you always take part in the same activities and don’t step outside of your comfort zone, you’ll never really know what else is out there. It can also make things boring and stale. Magic happens when you get out of your comfort zone. This is where you are challenged and end up finding out so much about your dreams and goals. Things you didn't even know you wanted to achieve.
When you travel, it gives you the chance to step outside of your comfort zone in so many ways. This may include traveling completely alone, trying a brand new meal or taking part in a more adventurous outdoor activity. This is a great way to build more self-confidence and can help you learn to be braver about trying new things.
You’ll Learn About Yourself, Too
When you travel, you’ll also learn about yourself. As you make your way through your journey, you can learn more about your own interests and preferences. You will also learn what traits and skills you may need to work to improve, such as patience or navigation skills. When we spend time with ourselves in new places, we learn and grow as people.
Traveling to Morocco was not something I thought I'd ever do. But when I went it helped me to realize that I love going on adventures. I used to think of myself as a person who enjoyed relaxing and strolling. But I adored going to the desert, riding camels, and seeing the stars at 3 am.
It Can Be Cheaper Than You Think
Money is a common concern when it comes to travel. You may feel as if you don’t have enough savings yet or you may think that your current budget doesn’t allow for travel. While travel can be costly and does add up, there are so many ways to save big on travel. There are many deal sites that advertise flight and hotel deals. You may also consider travel credit card perks. With careful planning, you can use travel hacking and travel savings tips to trim costs.
If money is keeping you from traveling, the best thing to do is set a goal and start saving even a small bit of money at a time, then as you see the money start to pile up in your savings, your dream will appear to be a possible reality!
Better yet, become a travel blogger and get paid to write about what you see and do. It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
Life Is Unexpected
Finally, life is unexpected. You may make plans for well into the future, only to find out that life’s twists and turns don’t allow for you to make certain plans or dreams a reality. If travel is an interest of yours, it’s up to you to make it happen now. If you make time for travel now, even if it’s short weekend trips to a nearby city, you can make sure that you’re following your dreams today.
Right before we left to move abroad my husband lost his mother. This could have completely foiled our plans. We could have stopped everything and chosen to stay, despite the many hurdles we had along the way. But we realized that life is too short. We have to take chances and take the leap. Moving abroad was by far one of the best decisions we've made and I will never regret it. Life is short so you might as well make the most of it right now.
As you can see, there are so many reasons why you should travel sooner rather than later. If you’ve been dreaming of traveling the world, but seem to find every reason not to make it happen — now is the perfect time to plan your first trip! Dreaming of a trip to Europe? Check out these Europe travel tips and detailed destination guides, like what to do in Germany.
