Has traveling changed you?

It’s been five years. Five years since I made the decision to stop talking about traveling and actually travel. Half a decade may seem like a long time, but looking back, it seems like the years passed with lighting speed.

With travel being a huge part of my life for the past 5 years, it really is no wonder that it has somehow molded me into the person that I am today. For one thing, traveling has made me realize that whatever I set my into is within reach. I just need to set my mind to the goal I want to achieve, and I will find ways to make it happen.

This also resulted to me have the confidence I never had. While I still have my insecure moments, I’ve learned to assert myself and I’m no longer as shy to ask questions or to express my opinion. This confidence helped me be a better person, and enabled me to rise up to the challenge and do things I never thought I’d ever do.

Traveling has also given me a clearer picture of what I want to do with my life. Though I have to admit that I am still uncertain about some things, I now have a vision of what I want to happen in the future. The path to my dreams might have me holding off traveling for the moment, but I know will and always be a part of who I am.

Fellow Blog Sherpas has shared how traveling has changed them.

Claire Algarme of First Time Travels shares that “traveling has changed my perspective of places and things, made me more patient and enduring, given me a glimpse of the characters of people I thought I have already known. Traveling is empowering.”

Jennifer Hattam of The Turkish Life said she has learned to assert herself, gained a broader perspective on world events, increased her empathy and became more stern and assertive.

Kiran Keswani of Indian Bazaars found that in this crazy and chaotic world we live in, there are still pockets of serenity where you can find the peace and quiet you’re looking for.

How about you? How has travel changed you?

This post is a part of the Lonely Planet Blogsherpa Program where members host blog carnival based on travel-related themes. The carnival prior to this was “Going Back“ hosted by Natalia of No Beaten Path. The next one will be about markets around the world, hosted by Kiran of Indian Bazaars.