Travel is healing. The idea of travel used to be nothing more than just an idea. Growing up as an only child to a single mom, traveling never crossed my mind. I mean, how could it when we struggled with not having enough money for our daily life. Traveling was so far out of reach for someone like me. I figured those people laying on a tropical beach somewhere in paradise, or sailing on a boat in crystal blue waters that I saw in photos and on TV must be rich. Right? Traveling is too expensive, at least so I thought. But travel is personal, and travel is healing.
The Promise
It was in my third year of university that I made a promise to myself. I would figure out a way to turn my dreams of traveling into a reality. I was envious of everyone’s travel stories. All the places they talked about visiting. I was ready to go from a dreamer to a doer, and I did. Fast forward a decade, and I have traveled to over 80 countries by the age of 30.
I chose to travel, because at 22 I had no concrete idea on who I was as a person. I didn’t know what I wanted out of life, or what my dream career was. What were my spiritual or life paths, or what kind of lifestyle I wanted to have? I made time. My best friend and I used travel to help me fill my life voids and find the answers that I was seeking.
Travel is Healing
Travel taught me so much about myself. It taught me about life, relationships, people, lifestyles, money and the world. It helped me learn who I was as a person. I learned what mattered most to me, what wasn’t important in life, what my passions were. Also I found out what I was good at, what my skills and interests were, what I sucked at, and so much more. Travel made me realize what kind of freedom I wanted in my life and that I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than what I desired. Travel is healing.
Travel is Challenging
Travel challenged me in many ways. It made me face my own demons. It made me feel and it made me deal. Travel also helped me heal. It made me strong. It made me excited for my future. You see, traveling isn’t always pretty, or easy, or fun. For several years I have struggled with an anxiety disorder. Traveling took me out of my physical and mental comfort zone. It transformed me, my mind, my soul, and my life.
The more that I traveled, the more experiences I had. My passions grew and I had more direction in life. I had more clarity on what kind of life and lifestyle I wanted. Although I didn’t have the answers to where I wanted to live forever, when I was going to find a life partner and get married or have children, it was okay. I had time to figure all that out and it would happen when the timing was right.
Meeting New People
I had met thousands of travelers throughout the years who all had unique stories to tell and special travel tips and skills that not every traveler knew. Traveling had a unique power on the mind, body, and soul not only through my own experiences but what I was learning about from other travelers. Culture, people, places, and experiences are powerful tools to build compassion and understanding. It opens our eyes and minds to other ways of life and perspectives. The more that people travel, the more inclusive and accepting we become as humans to other living beings. Travel can be intimidating but when people feel supported and empowered, they can live their own travel dreams and they too can become one more piece to the puzzle that represents the power that travel can hold in this world.
Everyone travels for a deeper reason far greater than to just get away such as strengthening relationship, healing from a traumatic life event, soul-searching, finding one’s purpose in life, fulfilling voids, growing as a person, and much more, people turn to travel for remarkable reasons.
Empowering Others
I always wanted to make an impact in the travel industry unlike any other. I want to empower other women to travel. That’s when I decided to turn my passion and knowledge of traveling into a travel coaching career that disrupts the travel wellness industry and changes how people use and benefit from travel. There are years of studies done that prove the mental and physical benefits that travel has on the mind and body which consequently impacts a person’s personal and work life. Travelers need to tune into their true purpose for traveling and identify their personal obstacles, fears, and desires so they can have the transformative experiences that they crave. Travel is wellness. Wellness is personal.
