Travel,  Travel Stories & Inspiration

We are always meant for something better when we travel – How Travel Changed my Life

“All I want is a decent job without having to leave my mom. Like that lady from our town. We take the same jeepney almost every day. She wears a nice simple uniform—neat with that embroidered company logo on the right chest. San Miguel Beer Corporation. I knew little about her. She doesn’t know me.” 

Those were the words I uttered as a reply to a family friend lawyer when we bumped into each other one hot summer day back in college. His disappointment palpable.

You have a constricted imagination and goal. You have to dream big and see the world,” he told me. That time, his words barely registered in my mind. Until one day, I discovered my love of travel.

Travel has shown me how to dream big 

There’s more to life than just working at a big company. Indeed, you have to work according to society’s standards. But dreaming of something beyond that makes life enlivening. Just the thought of traveling is exciting.

Travel let me dream big and appreciate whatever kind of job I got. It has taught me to love it and be happy about it. Getting to work at a dream company is a proud achievement especially if the earning is more than enough to support daily living. To dream big is to brave the world outside my comfort zone and to challenge myself. And regardless of the organization where we are working, as long as we’re happy about it, then we’re on the right track and that infuses insurmountable excitement every time we get up. To dream big and work for it is bliss.

There’s more to life than just weeping

Cliche as it may seem, but travel had healed my broken heart. Two years ago, my long distance relationship ended in the worst possible way. I was upset. I devoted my time to work and isolated myself from friends. Out of nowhere, I booked a solo flight to Kuala Lumpur and Bali.

We are always meant for something better when we travel3 - How Travel Changed my Life
There’s more to life than weeping in my four cornered room. My first solo trip abroad – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Travel showed me that there’s more to life than just weeping. Weeping is completely tolerable but we must give ourselves a chance to see the beauty of things and escape a circumstance where happiness is forbidden. Wounds don’t heal at once. It takes time to mend a broken heart. Travel did more than healing my soul. It opened my eyes to the life that I imagined. 

 

Having someone special on our side is glee. But accomplishing things independently is thrilling. Sense of freedom is priceless, because as I looked back, I thought I was my ex-boyfriend’s prisoner.

We are always meant for something better when we travel - How Travel Changed my Life
Meeting these Aussie kids made me forget that I was healing a broken heart. Grand Inna Kuta Hotel, Bali, Indonesia

 

Moreover, travel has taught me not to chase people and accept reality wholeheartedly. Some things happen for a reason. Travel has made me realize that it’s not the end of the world when a lover dumps you. It is, on the contrary, the start of a beautiful journey. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me and I’m in control of it—something I looked forward to. 

Travel has led me to my passion and has made me a storyteller 

Writing my thoughts down on my diary is a habit I have always been fond of doing. When I reached high school and college, my circle of friends was composed of writers and editors. I thought I couldn’t be like them, because I thought my skills weren’t enough. Nevertheless, I knew that I’ve been destined for writing. 

Right now, I couldn’t be more thankful for discovering my love of travel, because I could genuinely say, it led me to writing and telling stories that anyone can relate to. Stories that can inspire people through those experiences in every journey I venture into. It also engraved in my heart that every single writing is beautiful no matter where you came from. The beauty naturally comes out when you write from the heart and share it with others. Travel has made me a storyteller. 

Travel lets me be me

Being me is one of the greatest learnings travel has ever given me. I come from a typical Filipino family in the country side where wearing bikinis would be an instant talk-of-the-town. Moreso, if you have it, flaunt it, right? If you have the guts and confidence, then, you go girl! 

We are always meant for something better when we travel2 - How Travel Changed my Life
Travel took away my insecurities – A waterfall photoshoot on a waterfall, Batad, Ifugao

 

Travel gave me confidence and took away my insecurities. No matter what you wear, regardless of color, gender, race, or society we came from, travel chooses no one. It simply makes you to be you, unique among the rest. No pretenses. No attempts to please others. Being you is unparalleled.

We are always meant for something better when we travel2 - How Travel Changed my Life
Travel will show you the world-My first ever winter experience in Hanoi, Vietnam

I hope you find travel more amazing and life changing as much as I do. If I could give you one best piece of advice, I would love you to travel and see the world with your own eyes. Feel it, experience it. Explore. Discover. You won’t regret a single thing. Believe me. And if you ever found yourself sad or lost, you probably need not to think twice. Book that flight or take that bus to somewhere. Just do whatever it takes and take the courage with you to see what’s really out there for you. If you have not done yet, I strongly push you to do it as soon as you can. It won’t only change your life. It will also change the way you see the world. We are always meant for something better when we travel. 

So this is how travel changed my life. How about youShare yours here too!

#TravelokaPH, #WhyITravel  #TravelokaStories

Born, raised, and forever loyal to the Philippines. Catherine is a teacher and a BA in Mass Communication graduate who loves anything child-friendly. She loves writing in her diary every day and is in love with beaches, books, Safari, and Tokyo. Her ultimate dream destinations are Madagascar, Mongolia, and Hawaii. Check out her van camping adventures in Europe at vancampingguide.com.

15 Comments

  • Elisa

    Beautiful post! Like you, travel healed my broken heart, made me dream bigger and made me (I think) a better person

  • Fabio

    I am with you, born in a small village where everyone has a “normal life” we think that our life will be like that but thanks to the life we did experience something different and now we change our minds and life 🙂
    P.S – Your picture t the waterfall its just awesome!!

  • Andi

    Very inspiring! Traveling can change someone’s life and I truly believe that you don’t live just to work and pay your bills. P.S. I love the shot in Batad Falls, but, the water seems to be muddy. I guess it rained? We went there with clear water. 🙂

  • Darlene

    Love this! I hope you win. Indeed, every travel is a learning experience and more. That’s why i dont think i’ll ever stop traveling!

  • MICHAEL SORIANO

    I can relate to this: “Travel has led me to my passion and has made me a storyteller”. Every time I get to places, it really retains in my memory and I got to share a lot of things to my family, my friends, and even to strangers. 🙂

  • Indrani

    Good to know that travel has brought so many positive effects in you!
    I too love travel for precisely the same reasons. It enhances your personality to a great level.

  • LaiAriel R. Samangka ( Thelittlelai: Beyond limits)

    Wow, this is truly inspiring. Yes, just like you, traveling has changed my life and It allows me to delve in to my inner existence that has given me chances to discover more about myself. Traveling has given me new perspective in life, wake me up from the reality of the past and has open my eyes. We all have reason why we travel, but one thing that makes traveling amazing is the beautiful memories that we always get whenever we traipse our feet on a different kind of adventure. Thank you so much for sharing this. Keep traveling!

  • Suruchi

    You are right girl. Travel is amazing. There is no biasing on color, gender, and sizes when you travel. It just takes you along with the flow. Each day is a learning and you become much stronger, visual and independent.

  • Emily

    Totally agree with these points. Travel changes you as a person, it makes you a better and stronger human being. Thanks for sharing

  • neha

    So true..all of it that you have called. The most relaxing and carefree moments in my life are the ones when I am traveling. Also, the best one spent with my family and kid. Travel indeed enhances our experiences and makes us learn that there is so much more to life

  • Louiela Ann Analista

    Well said… I feel happy reading posts like this, I’m glad that traveling has positive impact in our lives… We may have different reasons why we travel, what matters most is how traveling made us our better self…

  • Ambuj

    Loved to read your story on how travel helped you heal. It is astonishing yet inspiring! I have been through ups and downs too in my life but travel has healed me to a great extent. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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