The mere thought of going on a road trip instills immediate fear in many people. What could be worse than staring at black pavement and metal as hours crawl by? Not to mention the road rage that steadily grows the longer you're stuck in the car. These horrors are often daunting enough to send travelers to the internet in search of the cheapest flight. I'm writing this article after finally arriving in Corpus Christi, Texas, a whole 13 hours from my Kansas home.

Am I tired? Sure. Were there aggravating moments in my journey? Absolutely. However, who I was leaving Kansas at 5 am in the morning, is not who I am upon arrival at 10 pm. The open road offers so much time for growth and inner reflection.

If you're driving alone, spending hours stuck in your own mind can terrify most people. It forces you to face things that you've pushed down for so long. The processes of addressing these things can wear down on you and leave you lost in the dark parts of your life. But, if you were to go into the onslaught of thought with an optimistic attitude, odds are it won't be so painful. The open road can act like a therapist and help you get over the troubles holding you back.

If you're driving with your crew, the anticipation of every possible annoyance can be deadly. The hours of "are we there yet?", "can we listen to something else?", and "I have to pee!" are the stuff of nightmares. Here's your silver lining; you will learn so much about your friends and their true character. Forget the pillow fights and sleepovers, road trips are when the dirt comes out.

If you are willing to share part of yourself with the rest of the group, you could learn something about yourself as well that you otherwise wouldn't have known. Sure, you will still get annoying questions as the driver, but if you take all the potential growth of your relationships into account, I think you'll find that it's worth being annoyed every now and then.

Last, but not least, is simply the unexpected surprises. This could be stumbling upon a diamond-in-the-rough restaurant or even popping a tire on the side of the road. Either way, the unexpected is going to challenge you. This is where you're going to find out how well you handle tough situations, and the more you have the better you will get at handling them. These unexpected surprises teach you to adapt and make the best of any situation, no matter how bad it may seem.

By the end of a road trip, you may be tired and slightly frustrated. But finally getting to your destination and surviving the trials of the open road leaves you with a boost of confidence. If you go into the trip with an optimistic and excited outlook, you'll find your soul feeling a bit sunnier than before.