Now, you don’t have to be some sort of vagabond seeing the entire world. You don’t have to go to the hippest places, either. Heck, you don’t even need to go to another country—although it is definitely worth it! I think the best part of traveling is simply taking in the sights, smells, sounds, and culture of where you’re visiting.
For me, it’s always a good reminder that people everywhere live exciting and fulfilled lives, and they do it completely differently than I do. You see, we humans get caught up in our little bubble lives. Yes, that’s right! You live in a bubble, just like everyone else. Your friends, family, work, and where you live all contribute to your lifestyle and what you do on a daily basis. This isn’t a bad thing at all. Generally, it feels good to have a routine and know what’s going to happen next. For example, I love to have a cup of coffee, followed by a cup of bone broth in the morning, and then a workout. It’s my go-to routine.
At the same time, while routine is great, spicing it up every now and then makes a world of difference. When I travel and see other cultures and other ways of living, it opens my mind up to new possibilities and thoughts. For example, how important is investing to someone living their fullest life in Spain? As I sit at a tapas bar overflowing with life, or at a beautiful scenic coffee shop where people are enjoying an afternoon coffee, I wonder: Do the things that have meaning to me have meaning to them? Do they know what stocks or index funds are? Do they understand compounding interest? Is financial independence even a thing there?
It makes me ask myself if the things I value even matter as much. On a daily basis, I might be worrying about an underperforming stock or what asset I should invest in next. This artificial worry over my money can sometimes have negative consequences. What if I were surrounded by a culture that didn’t really think much about money like I do? Would I be more content and fulfilled as a human? Or do I have it all backward, and those people living their best lives at the tapas bar worry just as much, but in an entirely different way?
Perhaps the worry is how they’re going to sustain their lifestyles. Maybe it’s not as glamorous as an observer would think. There could be less opportunity in other countries to save and invest, so people have no choice but to have fun at the moment. Maybe that actually is a giant worry after the epic night is over and all your friends are gone. Perhaps it’s a coping mechanism because it’s harder to get ahead.
I honestly have no clue. I’d have to interview every single person to truly find out. What I can tell you is that getting out of my bubble and experiencing new people and new cultures makes me think about how I’m living my life. It’s a refresher course telling me to not think about my investments so much. Instead, I should be enjoying TODAY with the people I love. When I travel or do something different, I always get a reboot and examine my life and what I prioritize. Remember, routine is amazing, but every now and then, you’ve got to break the routine to get in touch with your mind and perform a systems check. Figure out what’s really important, and what’s just background noise!