“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts.
― Gautama Buddha
The everyday can be brutal. It’s easy to get lost in the pile of bills, the dull hum of the washing machine, parents’ visits to the doc, late hours at work, cold wave warnings, pangs of separation, moments of self-doubt, and that continuous tick of the clock. The banality of the real world can make you believe: that’s all you are. Your weakness becomes your unavoidable reality. You cave in to fear and let it guide you through a downward spiral. You cease to exist as an individual and become a part of the herd. You want to break free, but the chains that are holding you back — are the ones you’ve tied yourself. Then one day, you get a glimpse of another world at the end of the tunnel. And you take that brave first step from one reality to another. In the journey of self-discovery, you ditch the old you and learn there are multiple versions of you. You forget all about the world that defined who you were and this new world becomes your only reality.
“Every one of a hundred thousand cities around the world had its own special sunset and it was worth going there, just once, if only to see the sun go down.”
― Ryū Murakami
It’s the things we do for travel that makes us who we are and help us survive the world we ultimately need to return to. Here’s to getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things for the love of travel.
Practice the virtue of patience
Incheon Airport, South Korea
Pretend to love heights
Khogno Khan National Park, Mongolia
Deliberately get lost in a forest
Ondor Ulaan Hill, Mongolia
Experiment with new dining etiquettes
Tokyo, Japan
Look forward to early mornings
Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, South Korea
Make new friends
Kharkhorin, Mongolia
Pickup a new skill
Ha long Bay, Vietnam
Be a part of the crowd
Tokyo, Japan
Find ways to escape that crowd
Sokcho, South Korea
Witness rituals handed down over generations
Meiji Shrine, Japan
Submit to quirky tourist attractions
Tokyo, Japan
Walk for miles before settling for the perfect view
Jeju, South Korea
Love, love, love this! Speaks straight to my heart and soul Cheryl. Beautifully written and exquisitely photographed. You described why I love travel so much so eloquently. Big hugs my like minded fellow traveller on a very hot Melbourne night. 🙂 xo
This one’s dedicated to you my dear friend! Do you remember our chat on your blog? It’s inspired by your posts on how to get through life and its challenges. Thanks for inspiring me everyday! Sending you a big warm hug on a cold Seoul day. xoxo
Aww really, that’s so awesome. No wonder it resonated so deeply with me. I’m so touched Cheryl, really I am and I’m so glad we’ve connected like this. Thank you for your warm hug, gratefully accepted and sending one back. I’m feeling particularly inspired today after a magical night of moon gazing last night. Did you see it at all? xo
I did manage to catch the lunar eclipse from our window (after my walk along the frozen Han River). It wasn’t red here. 😦 The moon looks incredible these days. Hard to look away from it! 🙂
It’s the stuff of fuelling dreams Cheryl, don’t you think? 🙂
Couldn’t agree more my friend! 🙂
Nice ideas, with a great choice of accompanying photos. And it’s not just dining etiquettes, is it? Odd foods (odd to us) sometimes make an appearance along the line.
I wish I had the stomach for odd foods. 🙂 Basil fares a littler better.
Again this is a wonderfully written post, Cheryl. Agree that what we learn from travel we can apply to our routine every day lives. With travel, we often put ourselves in the unfamiliar – which really is every day life too since every thing in life is always changing. I really like the point about pretending to love heights. I most certainly don’t love heights – think standing up somewhere high and looking down lol. But metaphorically speaking sometimes I don’t like to do something new or scale new heights in the personal or professional sense for fear of failing. But to get ahead, sometimes you just got to take that plunge 🙂
Thank you so much, Mabel! I enjoy your posts and writing too. 🙂 I’ve tried to like heights and faked not being scared. After a point, the world comes crashing down and I have to hold onto something. So I try to work around it now. I like the way you talk about scaling new heights metaphorically. I don’t like those heights either. I’ve learned that allure is one step close to success. You’d get there eventually! 🙂
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Enjoy your writing everytime. Really professional and high standard. Would you be willing to chat writing sometime? I’d like to drop you an email and ask a little about your process and background, if you’d be willing.
Wow! Thank you so much. 🙂 Yep, you can drop me a mail.
I always joke that the traveling me is so much better than the regular, everyday me! I used to think everyone was like that, but the more I travel, the more I see that some people become very ugly versions of themselves when away from home. Since “home” and “away” can’t really exist with the other, I try to accept and enjoy both versions of my life! Love the Mongolia pics again!
You’re correct. I should have added a disclaimer here. The news is filled with stories of travellers doing silly things and offending locals. It spoils travel for everyone else. 😦
Oops – I meant home and away can’t exist withOUT the other!
Reblogged this on The Anxious Traveler and commented:
Yes, yes, yes! You must get lost in order to find yourself!
I couldn’t agree more! 🙂
So well put! Loved the flow of thoughts and photos
Awww! Thanks, Sania! ❤
This is a great read – thanks for sharing 😊
🙂
Wonderful words of wisdom from someone who has undergone the trials and tribulationd of travel first hand! An enjoyable read.
You made me smile. Thanks, Helen. I’m equally fascinated by your travels. 🙂
Pretend to like heights and Deliberately (struck through) get lost in the forest both had me roaring. Love your visuals but the street shot under ‘Be Part Of The Crowd’ stood out for me. Great message: ‘Live life with a travelers mentality even if one is not a full-time traveler’. A traveler’s sense of wonder definitely eases the burden of the every-day.
Thank you for your wonderful comment, Lisa! Sometimes, I feel it’s harder to get through normal life than a exciting trip. 🙂 Winter hasn’t been great this year and I can’t wait for it to fade away. ‘Be a part of the crowd’ is also my favourite shot. I clicked it at Shibuya last month. 🙂
I just discovered your blog! I am getting ready to head out to South Korea for my first ever sojourn and your blog is helping me feel excited about becoming a world traveler.
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 All the best for your new adventure here!
I like this post! This gave me an idea on what else I could do during my travels. This is more like a checklist for me. 😀
Hi Bree! Glad you got some ideas for your next trip. Happy travels! 🙂
I love the simplicity of your article and the truth it brings to traveling. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Molly! 🙂