(2 Minute Read)
“Traveling keeps the mind agile.”
When you travel, you constantly adapt to new environments because every new place brings a new set of rules. Every single day, you deal with new situations that you've never dealt with before. And as you adapt, you keep your mind agile.
This happens over and over all day long! And the fun part is, you never know what's next.
All of a sudden, you find yourself sounding out a foreign language as your bladder is about to explode in t-minus 30 seconds. An hour later, you're getting advice from a stranger about where to get the best gelato on the planet. It gets dark and you rush back to your hotel but your friend wants to stop at a local bar. What do you do?
All of life is process of traveling. In 2012, I left home and "traveled" to Riverside to pursue a degree from an American College. I'm "stationed' here for another 6 months as I finish the degree. Last summer, I "traveled" to Pasadena and was "stationed" there on a "work project" for three months. I have no idea where I'll go next, but I'm sure I won't be there forever.
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them”
That quote is a reminder for me to stay present and enjoy the process wherever I am. Even though I'm eager to graduate and start working, I should savor the time I have left in this stage of life.
Last week I turned 23, I couldn't help but think, "One year closer to death." Which leaves me with the only sensible thing to do, carpe diem! As Jim Rohn says, "A day is a piece of the mosaic of your life!"
“Mystery is not traveling to new places but looking with new eyes.”
Obviously, traveling isn't always sunshine and rainbows, but it always brings new opportunities to learn if you listen.
You don't have to go far to travel. You can be a tourist in your own town.
Just an hour from where you live are countless options that can lead to great memories. Find a friend who's always down and invest a day out there. Who knows if it'll be worth it, but as the cliché goes, "There's always one way to find out".
So as the weekend gets closer, rather than staying home, go somewhere new and keep your mind agile.
“Adventure is out there!”