Diving into the imperfect world of travel that not many people show.
Glamorous photo shoots by the beach. Exotic cocktails on a luxurious rooftop. Extreme sports in faraway locations. Unique landscapes in undiscovered locales.
I’ve just described to you every travel influencer’s page in just a few sentences (including my own). As I follow some of my role models traveling the world, I can’t help but think of all the things these influencers are holding back from their audiences.
Sure, world travel is quite incredible. And it can be filled with all of the above amazing sights quite easily. But what so many people forget to mention is the difficult side of travel. Travel doesn’t simply erase all of the problems in your life – if anything, it tends to highlight them.
Always Smiling
When I first started traveling I thought I had to be happy the whole time. Every photo you see on Instagram would make it seem that everyone traveling is living the quintessential lifestyle. But this toxic perfection simply isn’t healthy to subscribe to. Life isn’t flawless – it’s packed full of imperfections and painful moments. And to share nothing but the good times is a disservice to everyone you impact.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt homesick, melancholy, or lonesome on this trip. At least once a week I get a ping of one of the above. Seeing families reunite at the airport makes me miss mine. Adjusting to a completely foreign culture is exhausting and not always easy. My insecurities still follow me, my struggle with sexuality and coming out hasn’t vanished, and I still question my decisions all the time. Hell, I still have boy problems and my face breaks out more often. There are tough days when I’m tempted to book a flight home and be done with it all.
How I Handle the Tough Times
The truth is, the difficult days make my travels that much more meaningful to me. I wouldn’t trade all of the harsh realities and raw emotions of being out on the road for anything. They’ve made me grow as a person, helped me to understand my emotions better, and given me patience.
I’ve learned that it’s important to take time to myself to refocus and take a deep breath. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of travel – just as it would be if I were living a corporate life at home. All these problems won’t disappear if I don’t handle them properly. Sharing them with friends and family is a helpful way to get them off my chest. Solo travel can be lonely at times, but it’s important to not forget those that care about us back at home. Trying to avoid the difficult things in life is a quick way for them to catch up to you in a worse way.
I’ve also found that taking a break from social media can be such a relief. I unfollowed so many bloggers and influencers who posted such shallow content that didn’t contribute anything positive to my life. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others on social media, and when we follow people that post perfectly photoshopped images living in a dream world, it does nothing helpful for our psyche. I highly recommend this article called “The Comparison Trap” from Psychology Today looking at how harmful it can be to compare ourselves to others, especially on social media. It’s fairly eye-opening and paints an in-depth picture of all the negative effects these influencers can have on us.
Lastly, I know this privilege to travel the world is something I can’t give up easily. Every difficult moment I have reminds me of how lucky I am to be doing what I love. I’m extremely grateful to be where I am today. Just know that I haven’t run away from all of my issues – I’ve just chosen to handle them in a different location.
Love this, and love you!