For some, investing time and money in travel is reckless and immature, or simply a passing phase. Yet, many others have realized it’s the best investment they can make. Here are 10 reasons why travel is the best investment you can make in your life.

1- It makes you happy.

There’s nothing healthier than choosing your own path and focusing on what makes you happy. Isn’t that pretty much the point of life? Investing in stability and security is certainly a pragmatic choice, but is it a choice that makes you happy?

2- It takes you out of your comfort zone, and that’s the best way to grow.

On every trip, you learn a great deal about yourself. No one can push your limits but yourself. Every adventure you embark on pushes your limits a little further each time. Travel allows you to confront your fears and severely test your mental and physical strength, ultimately strengthening them. Even when we plan our trips, there are always unforeseen events. The road is bumpy and sometimes even dangerous ( speed bumps on a road in Spain and a scooter accident in Vietnam ). Each time, we learn to better protect ourselves against the uncertainties of travel… and those of life. This can mean being more cautious, trusting our instincts more, preparing or organizing more meticulously, but also, sometimes, it means learning to be resilient and not fearing the obstacles over which we have no control.

3- It teaches you to trust yourself

Challenging ourselves, day after day, allows us to acquire the most valuable life lessons. When we travel, we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, sometimes speaking an unfamiliar language and sometimes alone. In short, we find ourselves in a vulnerable position, which inevitably forces us to come out of our shells, meet people, reassure ourselves, and gain self-confidence, strength, flexibility, courage, and open-mindedness. Knowing yourself and being authentic is one of the pillars of success. And that’s something you can’t buy; it’s something you acquire, and it’s not something you acquire by reading books in the comfort of your routine. By investing in travel, you’re investing in yourself.

4- It opens your mind to cultural differences

By immersing yourself in and experiencing a culture, you understand and appreciate it more deeply. By absorbing each local culture, you open your mind to different ways of living. This is probably what I find most striking about people who don’t travel. They imagine there’s only one “right” way to live: their own. It’s one thing to read and learn about a culture, but there’s nothing like getting your feet wet and being guided by the locals. You discover that there are many points of view and ways of thinking, each with its own reason for being. You can then incorporate elements of these into your own values ​​and opinions to enrich and deepen them.

5- It restores your faith in humanity

When you travel, it’s inevitable that things will go wrong, but there are also human encounters. All over the world, despite language and cultural barriers, you realize that there are incredibly good people. Thank God, even though you hear a lot of terrible things, there are still (a majority, I’d say) good people who give to you despite their poverty, offer support despite their own weaknesses, and smile at you despite their misfortunes. (Like those good Samaritans in  A Scooter Accident in Vietnam ).

 

6- It allows you to leave in order to come back better

Getting out of the house and seeing the world allows you to see your life from a different perspective. By putting your worries aside, even temporarily, it makes you realize that some of them are simply unfounded. Staying in the same routine makes you stagnate and lose sight of what truly matters. Traveling makes you realize how fortunate you are with what you have. Investing in a fresh start, a new horizon, a new beginning—what more could you want?

7- It’s good for your health and for your little heart

When you travel, you walk, walk, and walk some more. Then, you leave your daily stresses at home. So, travel is good for your figure, your blood pressure, your cholesterol, and your energy! And speaking of energy, there’s nothing like travel to bring a couple closer or spark Cupid. Apparently, more than half of travelers experience a love story abroad… No dating site can guarantee such good results.

8- It shapes the youth

We all know you learn more about life while traveling than in your cubicle at work, right ? Travel is about learning through multiple experiences. Everyone knows that experiences count more than theoretical learning. It’s not just about having a great professional resume; we especially need a great personal one. What will you put on your resume? You can always mention that you learned about life by watching reality TV and going shopping, but that’s not very believable. 😉

9- For unforgettable and irreplaceable memories

There are few moments in life that remain etched in our memories, but travel experiences are among them. No story or photo can truly capture the essence of certain moments while traveling. You had to be there. Sometimes these memories seem unreal, yet they instantly bring a smile to our faces. We wouldn’t want to lose these memories for anything in the world. When you’re old and can no longer travel, these are the memories that will make you smile and inspire your grandchildren. Since you can’t buy these beautiful memories, you’ll have to pack your suitcase.

10- It keeps you young

Youth begins in the heart and mind. We start to grow old the day we refuse to step outside our comfort zone, the day we think we’ve learned and understood everything about the world, the day we stop dreaming, the day we lose the desire to grow, the day we lose faith in humanity…