I always enjoy traveling. I was a traveller practically from birth. When I was 4 month old, my parents took me on my first flight off to the USA, and my life is full of journeys & wonderful experiences since. I always kept track on the countries & Malaysian states I visited. I studied abroad, work overseas & I’m always excited about outstations, better yet international postings ; which make me feel like a global citizen. Til this day, I still travel a lot, often along with my family. My journeys are what define me & make me grateful of my life.

While it is common to say that people travel to gain new experience, meet new people, & try new things, here I jot down some 7 essences & lessons in traveling that you can realize in every journey you make:

1) Make a journey for the pure reason to develop & enrich your self. Don’t do things for showcase or a publicity stunt. Don’t do things because it is popular among your circle, everyone does it, and you just wanted to say you’ve done it too. Before you know it, no one really cares about what you do & where you’ve been. So you might as well do the very best to really gain the maximum for your life. Do it because you know deep in your heart that this is where you’re supposed to go, this is what you’re supposed to do.

2) Do thorough research. Take ample time to decide the best & feel your journey upfront. Keep your mind & heart open. Once you really have fun & enjoy the learning, research & planning process, you can visualize your self in such a wonderful adventure, and you’ll find the true meaning & courage to pursue that journey with enthusiasm & without regrets of missing anything.

3) Indulge in the alien atmosphere; don’t complain & stop constantly comparing to your place back home. The place you go, is as unique as it is. Appreciate all it has to offer & try to see beauty in every setback.

4) Discover that there are different ways to do things. Visiting other places & people gives you a chance to witness new kinds of creativity & different perspectives of some things that you normally do & wish to achieve. These can be in various forms such as culture, buildings, tools, crafts or even food. Allow yourself to be inspired; blow your mind. Broaden your horizon beyond the limits of what is practised in your community.

5) Remind yourself that the world does not revolve around you. Other people have their struggles. There are many issues & problems in this world other than yours. Get out of the box you created & try to make yourself helpful within your capacity to make change. Spread awareness & share your concerns.

6) Astound yourself with the wonders of God’s creation. Go explore & admire the beautiful & majestic sceneries that are presented before you. Remember, there are no better cameras in this world than your own eyes. Let these profound views remind you of the wonders & mastery of The Creator who constructed it all from nothing. Give a moment to contemplate yourself & get closer to God. Praise Him for His omnipotence & remind yourself of all His gifts bestowed upon you & that you are merely His humble servant. Let your explorations produce yourself to be a better slave of God, not an arrogant souvenir collector.

7) Your experiences define who you are. No one can take them away from you. And you always have yourself to refer back to if you feel lost. Recollect your experience and motivate yourself that you are different & should continue to be different. When the common advise is to never look back, you in turn enjoy looking back at your enriching experiences and gain strength by thinking about the past & the amazing people you’ve met.

In conclusion, travelling the world enriches your life & expands your views. Astound yourself with the wonders unseen & unheard of by the common folk back home. Be grateful, cherish & be responsible with every opportunity given to you. Use your experience from your endeavours to make a difference.