In this series, we’re featuring tales of transformation through travel – specifically how it helped Maria deal with an uncertain period in her life and find herself again through travel. Rebecca Solnit’s Field Guide to Getting Lost provides more insights on this power.

Getting Lost

As is often said, to find yourself you must first get lost. Travelers find this approach particularly exciting as it allows them to explore a city at their own pace, bypass the typical tourist stops, and uncover hidden gems they wouldn’t otherwise encounter.

While it’s essential to remain safe while traveling abroad, getting lost can also be an enriching experience that broadens your perspective of the world around you. While unfamiliarity with local languages or navigation systems may make things harder than expected, staying calm and looking out for landmarks that you recognize should usually help get back on the right path – particularly helpful if your phone battery dies or WiFi signal becomes spotty; carrying a pocket map could also come in handy!

Take a chance on yourself the next time you visit a new city and ditch your guidebook, embarking on an unguided exploration that may surprise and delight! Remember that getting lost can actually be enjoyable and fulfilling!

Finding Yourself

Travel can be the catalyst to change and personal development, as many stories have demonstrated this theme through movies like Eat Pray Love or Walter Mitty.

Travel is often touted as having the power to transform its participants, giving experiences that transform how we think and form opinions. Travel offers us an invaluable opportunity to learn about ourselves, others, our world and its inhabitants – it also helps break free of limiting beliefs you picked up while growing up.

While traveling, taking risks and challenging yourself is one of the surest ways to discover who you really are. Jumping off a cliff in Peru or swimming with sharks will give your heart a thrill while reminding you how precious each moment of life truly is; and this sense of life’s magic will allow you to rediscover yourself through travel.

Through these experiences, you will come to better know yourself and can therefore be an improved individual for those around you. Overcoming any limiting beliefs and scripts from society or your parents will allow you to become the evolving you that was always intended to exist.

Embracing Change

Engaging with change is essential for personal development, particularly while traveling. You will encounter situations that are far different from the ones you experience at home, which may prove challenging at first; but once you begin viewing change as something positive rather than something to shy away from, you will discover new avenues of growth and development that you never imagined possible.

Travel is a wonderful opportunity to see the world from a fresh perspective, but also provides you with an invaluable chance to adapt, think outside of the box and accept yourself more fully – all essential aspects for personal growth and evolution. Take some time out during each travel experience to reflect upon and acknowledge how far you’ve come; do so nightly, weekly or after facing difficult challenges.