As I am on my first flight of a very long trek, my anxiety is through the roof but my excitement is even higher.
I recently wrote an article about the fear of overcoming our fears. Like that article, I am writing this article as I am 30,000 feet in the air - 30,000 feet higher than I ever wish to be. But how else am I supposed to get to London, Morocco and Hungary? You can bet I won’t be boarding a boat anytime soon so I am simply left with no other choices. So here I am, trying my best, but mostly failing, to actively overcome my fears.
The main point of this article is to talk about the benefits of traveling, despite the anxieties that sometimes accompany the act of it. If you are someone who can travel easily, I envy you. For those of us who aren’t so fortunate, it’s sometimes hard to decipher between the anxieties and the excitements. Regardless, traveling opens up opportunities that would never be possible if you constantly stay where you are.
There is no better way to learn about a culture than to physically immerse yourself in it. When I studied abroad in Ireland, I had the chance to learn about Irish history, literature and film while physically living in Ireland. But, you don’t have to venture across the pond to better your knowledge because even learning the differences between two neighboring states can have an influential impact.
Sometimes it’s easy for us to view the world as something much smaller than it is to avoid intimidation. We often choose to compartmentalize things that scare us to make our complicated lives simpler. But the beauty lies in the unknown and we shouldn’t be intimidated by that. We should welcome the abundance of unknown territory as to not suffocate ourselves. It’s too easy and less fulfilling to stay in your comfort zone. The fun happens outside of it; the beauty blooms beyond it.
Follow what excites you and do your best to leave your anxieties at home. Trust me, as I am in the middle of the actual sky and could easily surrender to a panic attack at any given moment, this is harder said than done. Nevertheless, give it your best shot and experience the unknown.
