As someone who is a self-described homebody, I always found it rather odd how much I enjoy travel. How could someone who thrives in a safe, controlled environment enjoy the unpredictability of adventure? But I do. I love exploring new cities, new cultures, and new landscapes.
Travel, for me, is a way to completely immerse myself in a new environment. It knocks me out of my old habits and transports me somewhere entirely different – literally. It creates an opportunity for exploration both mentally and physically. And once I return home, I am renewed creatively.
One could argue that that’s the case with any type of time off from work. But it’s not just the break or the relaxation that revitalizes – it’s the experiences along the way. Whether it’s the architecture, the food, the art, or the music, exposing yourself to a new vibe can have transformative results.
You don’t have to wait to get home to see these results. I’ve found that I’m constantly flexing my creative muscles while abroad. I could be snapping a photo or drawing inspiration from menus, signage, and packaging, the wheels are always turning.
Travel has even inspired one of my passion projects – Postcards for Pessimists. I was able to take my love of photography and couple it with my experiences and pessimistic nature to create a project about the realities of travel. This project allowed me to revisit old trips, look at them through a new lens, and portray them with a new skill. To this day, I still find new benefits to traveling and am greatly looking forward to the next adventure.