Much like most things in life, people travel for many reasons. In the same light, many people don’t travel for various reasons. For some, it’s about finances. For others, it’s a matter of fear or simply a lack of interest—all of which are valid reasons for not traveling. But what about the rest of us that live for travel? And the ones trying to. What are our reasons for traveling? Is wanderlust a made-up concept? Are we only doing this for attention?
Perhaps.
As I said, we all travel for many reasons.
Some people want to keep their adventures discreet and intimate, while others want to share from a mountaintop and inspire others to do the same.
I’m find that I’m more the latter and I have my reasons…
Why do some people have wanderlust?
Wanderlust is a strong desire to travel.
Evidently, some people have more of it than others do, and genetics have something to do with this.
According to some scientists, there is a wanderlust gene, aka DRD4-7R (a genetic variation), which occurs in 20% of the human population. This allele affects sensitivity to dopamine, which people experience when they travel.
(I’ve tried looking for this exact study, but I’ve only come as close as this article.)
The article says they mostly tested this out on animals, and birds and horses showed the most conclusive links. Human results varied, but they believe there is a link between DRD4-7R and thrill-seeking.
It went on to say wanderlust plays a role in our desire to experience new things, but it’s not the only factor.
Psychological factors also play a role.
Bla, bla, bla.
So, if you were seeking an answer, wanderlust is real, and your reasons to travel are valid!
What are my reasons for traveling?
I’ve always wanted to travel for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I watched a lot of TV, and my time spent away from the screen was used for daydreaming. I wondered what life would be like if I lived somewhere else, met different people, and experienced different things. I journaled about it, wrote stories, and played pretend with friends to fuel this curiosity and slowly growing passion.
External factors also played a role.
My father traveled often and always came back with the craziest stories. I, too, wanted to experience that, and I made up my mind. I was going to travel and live abroad.
My first reason for traveling was fueled by curiosity but then evolved in practicality as I moved to study abroad.
Fast forward to this year; it’s been nearly 7 years since I got on a plane for the first time and moved to a country I knew nothing about. I lived there for nearly 6 years and only traveled locally, but now, I‘ve been to 15 new countries in the last 12 months.
Reasons why traveling is good for you
1. It pushes you out of your comfort zone
Our comfort zone is called that for a reason. It’s nice and cozy, and we don’t want to leave. But imagine if you were never challenged.
You probably wouldn’t do half, if not all, the things you can do now. You’d have never learned how to walk, talk, or grow.
Traveling intentionally puts you in an unfamiliar, probably uncomfortable situation where you can flourish. You get to learn something new (which is great for your brain), and you learn more and experience more, which causes an evolution in your being.
PS There’s a difference between traveling and vacationing. The latter doesn’t take you way out of your comfort zone but can be a good way to build up to traveling.
2. It can be therapeutic
If you need to go to therapy. Please go. No amount of trips will release what’s hurting your internal peace. ( Maybe that was a little intense).
But we all need therapy.
Some, more than others.
Okay, that wasn’t the point.
What, then, is the point you ask?
Traveling can be therapeutic in the sense that after the nerves end, it starts to feel good. And those good feelings are addictive! That’s why some people don’t stop.
It can be a great distraction for some people (whether that’s good or bad is subjective. Most of us are addicted to some type of distraction…social media, work, relationships, etc.).
Aside from that, traveling, especially solo, can really build your confidence. And this is what I equate to therapeutic.
Seeing yourself in different scenarios, meeting people, telling your story, and hearing theirs is an incredible experience.
3. It expands your mind
An open mind is a sexy mind.
One of the main reasons for traveling is how greatly it expands your mind. It’s almost impossible to travel somewhere (and immerse yourself into the experience, not just do cute touristy stuff) and come back unchanged.
Unheard of.
In my opinion.
You’ll either learn something about yourself, the place you’ve traveled to, or the people you meet. And how delightful it is when you meet people you wouldn’t have met otherwise.
My favorite thing is when people tell me they haven’t met a Zambian. Or they say they haven’t heard about the country before. But now, thanks to me, they have.
And I GET A CHANCE to meet them.
I’ve met so many different people in unique situations that I know for a fact I wouldn’t have met them had I stayed home.
If you could follow one reason to travel, I suggest this be it. Go see the world and experience it. Expand your horizon. Even if the “world” is just kilometers from where you grew up.
It makes a difference.
4. It makes you more interesting and more interested
The more interested we are, the more empathetic we are.
FYI, the world could use more empathy.
If you never go beyond what you’re used to, you can’t really experience things beyond what you’re used to.
There’s a saying that goes, ‘To be more interesting, be more interested.’ There’s nothing more fascinating than to witness a passionate person. Somebody who loves and cares for something so deeply.
Passion goes hand in hand with interest. If we can become a little more interested in other people, we can unlock passion and compassion for others.
Very few people can make a change that impacts the whole world, but we can do it in small doses. It can be breaking misconceptions we have of others and prejudices we’ve adopted. We can learn that humans from all walks of life are more similar than different.
Also, think of the best storytellers you know. They’re people that did stuff. They experienced things. They went beyond the norm. The whole world doesn’t need to hear your story, but there are some people whose lives would be more enriched by it.
You’d also have really cool things to see for games like 2 Truths, 1 Lie, or Never Have I Ever....just saying.
5. It’s value for your money
A major reason why most people won’t travel is financial. I get it. Not everyone wants to travel on a budget or limit themselves when they’re somewhere new and fantastic. But think about it this way. How often do you get the time and endless resources to travel like royalty?
Probably not often.
Additionally, traveling on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice basic comfort and a good time.
A lot of travelers that I know are budget-conscious, and they’re still able to enjoy themselves! Myself included.
But if you do end up paying the full price of everything, it will almost always be worth it.
The experiences you’re going to have if you really open yourself up are memories you will always keep.
So often, we don’t travel because we want to save, which we don’t end up doing because we still spend on a lot of other things.
So why not put your hard-earned cash into something you’ll carry with you for an eternity?
Reasons to travel | How to travel on a budget and have fun
Over the years, I’ve learned how to be creative when it comes to traveling and saving. I find both very valuable, but at this point in my life, traveling is more important, and I have more reasons for doing it.
But I’m still conscious when I hit the road and only spend a certain amount on trips.
If you’d love to know how I’m able to travel and work and also do this on a budget, stick around. I share many helpful articles for travel tips, solo traveling in Europe, and travel itineraries so you don’t have to do the planning.
Some of my recent travel itineraries include:
Also, feel free to follow me on Instagram, where I’m active and share a lot on travel, architecture, and everything else design-related.
Hope you enjoyed this post and it gave you a few more reasons to travel! 😃
So come on now, book that trip.
