Love them or hate them, routines are the backbone of our days. They bring order to chaos, making us feel organized and in control. But with little warning, a comfy routine can start to feel like a stagnant swamp. And when this happens, it's important to have a go-to remedy – a way of breaking free and taking on a new rejuvenating challenge.

Travel can be the perfect means for delivering this healthy dose of challenge, which brings us to the reason why we love travel:
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Traveling Challenges You

In and of itself, the practice of traveling disrupts routine, forces you outside of your comfort zone, and presents you with immediate challenges that, when overcome, will help you learn, become more confident, and grow as a person.

Though the challenges posed by traveling can be unpredictable, there are some struggles that seem inevitable. For example, it’s probably safe to assume that at some point some part of your travel plans will fall awry, and when they do, your patience, independence, and fortitude will all be challenged. Similarly, it’s likely that at some point tasks that are incredibly mundane and easy at home – transportation, food, directions, etc. – will suddenly feel extremely difficult abroad, especially if the language barrier has got you feeling functionally mute, deaf, and illiterate. In short, you will most likely lose some control and comfort in the absence of your routine.

But what's important is that, with the right mindset, all of these disruptions and challenges can serve a greater good: they can force us to confront our comfort addiction; encourage us to reexamine our daily life; teach us to surrender to the moment; get us accustomed to improvising; and make us more open to things that are new and different; and ultimately arm us with a new perspective that inspires us to reengage with life and seek challenge and growth.

One of the great things about using travel as a source of challenge and growth is that for the most part you, the traveler, ultimately decide how much of a challenge you want. This is done before the trip – where you choose to go, how much research and planning you do beforehand, and whether or not you hire a travel consultant who can help minimize unwanted surprises and be there if you need assistance. And once you arrive at your destination, you continue to tailor your level of challenge – do you seek out familiar foods, or eat at the place with no English menu that’s only serving locals? Do you look for familiar things to do and people to talk to? Or do you try to talk to locals and sample local attractions?

Essentially, it’s all up to. And this is a big reason why we love travel so much: it’s like a choose-your-own-adventure that’s sure to challenge and reward you.

Feel free to share in the comments about a trip where you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation while traveling. What did you learn, gain, lose, etc.?

Read Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.

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Interested in making travel a force for the good? Discuss your dream trip with one of the responsible travel advisors.