We often trivialize when a person says, “I am trying to find myself”. Most of the time I believe that person is sensing a misconnection in their life. A dissatisfaction that craves a true experience that gives them purpose; you can almost taste, think of, or feel, but it is just beyond the reach. Like when you know an answer but cannot, for the life of you, articulate what you feel. You are become a seeker.
You are not alone. There was Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, Amerigo Vespucci, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Charles Lindbergh, and Amelia Earhart. The thing that these seekers had in common is the need to search beyond their own backdoor.
It is not the fame or fortune alone but it was the realization of whether or not purpose was discovered, and on the way they would have some awesome stories to tell of their adventures.
Travel is a way of seeking and finding just how diverse you are or becoming, by seeing the diversity in colors, flavors, locations, languages, customs, and people all around the world. Sometimes by expanding your experience on the journey you began to discover your place in the world.
Let me list some of the great things you learn on the journey as a seeker.
- 1. You find out how big this world is. The world has 7 continents, 203 countries, and 6.8 billion + people.
- 2. You find out how small this world is. You can go from the US to India in under 24 hours.
- 3. Your brain begins to exercise ways of thinking you never would experience otherwise. It is a fact that people spend more time planning a trip than planning their life. Let your trip planning extend into life planning. Embrace this change and expand your being.
- 4. You get an opportunity to share in the ultimate language barrier buster. Yes. You guessed it: experiencing the food, and therefore, the most exhilarating of customs that create friends for life.
- 5. When necessary you find a way to communicate even though you don’t know the local dialect.
- 6. In many ways you learn people are different.
- 7. In many ways you learn people are the same.
- 8. The journey is living as opposed to just imagining. Instead of explaining the color blue to a person who is blind from birth, it is opening their eyes.
- 9. This is an experience no one will be able to take away from you.
- 10. There are always places to continue your journey as a seeker.
So become a seeker. Start a journey and find yourself by losing yourself to an adventure through travel. Please chime in and share your reasons for traveling.
Photo by Todd Rhyburn
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
1-10 : check
Aww, love this post. Especially the list. Just so spot on
I couldn’t agree more. World is so big and small at the same time. I met so many great friends in different Countries and we were strangers for over 25 years withdifferent first language. It’s amazing.
Nice post!
I share a lot of these same motivations and seek some same things off the list. My overall favorite thing to seek is experiencing the food and food related culture of the place!
All very good points….sometimes our motivations are conflicting, but they’re all important. I love the point about travel experiences are something nobody can take away from you. You can lose a job, a car, a house, a relationship, and any tangible thing, but those fantastic experiences are yours forever.
I’m in agreement with all – great piece, Vonzel. While I’m not sure I’ve mastered all ten sufficiently (unlike Julie
), I’m well on my way. Thanks for sharing and giving us this fantastic perspective.
I think these are things we all know, but I, anyway, can forget too easily. Thank you for the lovely, gentle reminders – worth hanging up on the bathroom mirror
Julie, Shannon, June, Mark, Emily, and Margo,
Thank you all for your comments on the article. It was a great opportunity as well a lot of fun! Please visit http://maxafication.net.
Andy,
Thanks again for trusting me with your readership! May your travels always bring you home.
Vonzel”Maxafier”