Why Travel is Important: Say “NO” To Fear and “Yes” To Adventure

 Fear is one of the strongest emotions that the mind produces. Our basic fear instinct is actually helpful and necessary.  It is designed to tell us that we are in danger. You know, the kind of danger one would be in if a lion was chasing you. Unfortunately, our minds misuse our fear emotion to create fears within us that do not exist. This type of fear has no purpose and only exists in our mind.  These fear stories hold us back from our greatest adventures, our best selves and our best lives.

I am sharing my Thailand adventure with you for two reasons:   I would like to show why travel is important in enriching our lives and how it can help us conquer our fears.

Thailand is a "must" see country,  a perfect place to adventure for an affordable price. When the opportunity presented itself I was both excited and a little scared.  Backpacking through this amazing country was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.   I had to jump, but that did not mean I was one hundred percent sure I was not biting off more than I could chew.

I have traveled to Germany, France, Hawaii and many other far away places, but this September was my first time traveling ALONE.  My fear stories started to form: What if I can’t understand anyone? What if my lodging is unsafe? What if I get lost? What if…..?  What if…? And my “what if” list grew. But I also had other “What ifs?” What if I miss the best adventures of my life because I listened to my fear stories?  What if I never live my best life because of fear?

“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry - all forms of fear - are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” ― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

With each travel experience, a little fear disappears and in its place are people, places, and memories.  These memories I will carry with me for a lifetime.  As I commit to the choice to trust myself  I also make the choice to focus on my NOW.  I  have come to realize that it is the only true life I have and creating “fear” stories in my head keep me from living a full life.  Traveling not only enriches our lives through new experiences it also makes us more confident and sure in ourselves.  We come back changed from travel, a better version of our selves.

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I want to live my best life…  in order for all of us to do this we need to decide to dissolve our fears and create stronger connections to the world we live in through connecting to others and to new places.   We need to grab hold of our "NOWs" and live amazingly. With each experience I added in Thailand my fear seemed to disappear and in its place was a more confident happy person.

When I returned home I knew that I wanted to share my trip and experiences with as many people as I could. 

A favorite motto of the HIKEhoppers team is, "Why not make someday today?" Countless times we've told ourselves, "Oh, one day I'll hike this trail," or "Someday I'll visit this place." Well, no longer!  Make a promise to your self and start to making SOMEDAY TODAY. What better way to kick off this motto in your life than coming with me on our HIKEhoppers’ 10 Day Thailand Adventure. If I have not convinced you to join me, here are my top 10 reasons for why  
YOU should come along on this adventure with me!  

​Matt’s top 10  reasons to travel to Thailand with HIKEhoppers:

1.The Price is Right: We at HIKEhoppers understand that budgets can be tight, but we don’t think that should keep you from traveling and seeing the world.  

2. New Friends and Community: The Thai people are some of the friendliest people I have ever met and through my Thailand adventure I have gained friends from all over the world.  You share an instant connection with people because you are all sharing an adventure!

3. New Cultures and Ideas: One of the best things you can experience when visiting a new country is all the amazing "NEWs"!  Thailand is no exception. The Street food is some of the best in the world and the sites leave you with a sense of awe.

4.Become A Better Person: Okay, I’m about to throw some research down. Because how can you turn down something that can actually make you a better person?  A study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that traveling abroad can help make a person more humble. I personally think it's hard not to feel humble when you're looking out at a ruins of an ancient civilization! The same study found that traveling makes you more open-minded and open to embracing new experiences. There are also many studies pointing to travel reducing anxiety and depression (Here is one!)

5. Learn More About YOU: Fall in love with YOU and embrace your uniqueness through discovering new things about yourself.  Every time I embark on a new adventure I discover something that I did not know about myself. Traveling is a way for us to get away from our routines and really dig into what makes us uniquely individual.

6. No Regrets - Someday Is Today: Traveling is on many people's bucket lists, but unfortunately for one reason or another we put it off. Someday I want to go here, or Someday we will do this.. Grab life by the horns and get going! Travel...... life is to short!

7. Become More Confident: Going to a different country can definitely get you out of your comfort zone.  But as you navigate through the unknown you become more confident in yourself.

8. Life long learning: Travel is educational. You can learn so much from geography, culture, and languages. The lessons you learn on this trip are lessons that you will carry for a lifetime.

9. Experience The NEW:  It is an incredible feeling when you first see new places for the first time. Palaces, temples, and natural environments are waiting for you on this tour. They will quite literally take your breath away. 

10. Fun!  Thailand is packed full of fun! YOU will go bamboo rafting, feed and bath elephants, spend a night in a hill tribe village, go to ruins, and much, much more! 

​I want to give YOU a trip that is  affordable and action packed! Say YES  and join me for an experience of a life time!  

For more information please access this link: https://www.hikehoppers.org/thailand-adventure.html 

Or email me at matt@hikehoppers.org to arrange a personal chat.

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