Venture Beyond Borders 21 Reasons You Should Travel the World

Last Updated on February 14, 2024 by Lifevif Team and JC Franco

If you already love to travel, I don’t need to give you many reasons to pack your bags and become a globetrotter. But for inexperienced travelers considering a trip (or a few trips) around the world, I’ve pieced together 21 of my favorite reasons (benefits) to do so. May they be as inspirational to you as they are to me!

If you are wondering if traveling the world can really have so many benefits, rest assured that it can. I am living proof. During the many global trips I have done, I have experienced some (sometimes all) of the below-mentioned benefits/reasons. Let’s take a quick look at each of these reasons – and then you can pack and get traveling!

These are 21 reasons (benefits) why you should travel the world:

1. Traveling will quench your thirst for adventure.

Do you have the desire to go on new adventures? If you do, the best solution is to travel somewhere completely new. Traveling the world provides a wealth of adventure opportunities. 

2. Discover new cultures.

One of my favorite things about traveling the world is the cultural differences that I am confronted with. I have learned new traditional prayers and dances; I have watched night rituals, and learned of beautiful and mysterious beliefs. In my opinion, the only way to truly know what you believe is to take a long hard look at what others do. You might learn something new.

3. Nurture meaningful relationships.

Nothing can quite compare to traveling the world with your partner or loved one. There’s something ever so special about sharing those moments of excitement and newness with someone you love. This goes a long way towards giving your relationship meaning and value. 

4. Learn more about yourself.

The more you travel and explore, the more you will discover what you like, don’t like, and absolutely love. With each new experience comes a new opportunity to find out more about you.

5. Develop empathy and understanding.

When you don’t know what other people in the world are going through, it’s hard to be empathetic. I remember seeing the idyllic beauty of Zanzibar in stark contrast to the poverty-stricken backdrop of its people and being struck with a newfound understanding of empathy. Since seeing that and similar things, I have grown to be more understanding and empathetic of other people’s needs and difficulties. 

6. Get perspective.

When you are a million miles away from your problems, you start to realize what is important and what is not. Traveling (and all that comes with it) can give you a whole new perspective. 

7. Challenge yourself.

When traveling the world, you get the opportunity to really challenge yourself. You will be expected to communicate with people who don’t speak your language, you will have to eat food that’s foreign to you, you will sleep in beds that aren’t yours, you won’t have your creature comforts nearby, you will walk long hours, stay up late, miss meals and flights – you name it, it can happen. Global travel is exciting, but challenging too.

8. Gain more appreciation for life.

The more you travel, the more you can appreciate the world around you. Global travel will also make you more appreciative of your own life, by providing you with the opportunity to see just how fortunate you are or how many opportunities you have access to. 

9. Build character.

When you participate in activities, meet new people, deal with stressful situations, talk to people from other cultures, and learn that your way of life is not the only way, you will start to build character. 

10. Learn to truly connect with people.

It’s easy to let daily interactions with people at home just pass you by. You never really stop to talk to the lady in the copy room, or you completely ignore the waiter when you go to a restaurant. Now, while traveling globally, you will spend more time asking questions, getting to know people and forming real friendships. This provides the opportunity to truly connect with people. 

11. Live (or learn to) mindfully.

When you travel around the world, you have to be prepared for accidents or inconveniences to happen. If your flight is delayed, you will learn to deal with it calmly – that’s being mindful. When you live in the current moment fully enjoying the now – that’s mindful. Living mindfully ensures that you can derive true joy and meaning from each and every moment that you encounter in your life.

12. Build confidence and self-esteem.

Meeting new people, learning to communicate and ask questions, and ensuring that you get everything you need while you are traveling really does help to improve self-confidence and self-esteem. I remember when I first started traveling, I was a meek and shy person. Traveling really forced me out of my comfort zone (and hotel room) and got me participating and engaging, which has boosted my self-confidence a great deal.

13. Try new foods/dishes.

One of my favorite reasons for traveling the world is the fact that I get to try a variety of new dishes. Some are great, some aren’t. I always end up coming home with a cookbook or even a hand-scrawled recipe that someone kindly shared with me. 

14. Learn new languages.

This is another one of my favorite reasons to travel the world. I am quite happy learning a few words of a foreign language on my translate app, but something I noticed when I last traveled was that locals are always happy to teach you as you go. I also find that it’s far easier to learn a language when you are fully engaged with it. I learned a lot of Malagasy on my last trip to Madagascar – and it was easy because the locals were more than happy to share it with me. 

15. Network, network, network.

Meeting people while you travel is unavoidable. It’s also a great way to make good contacts that may be of use to you in the future. Tell people what you do and ask people what they do. It’s essential to networking. I have a friend who works as a freelance marketing and manages to drum up business quite easily, merely by connecting with foreign people while traveling. And her business is thriving! That’s the power of networking.

16. Beat depression.

If you are feeling blue and don’t know what to do, travel the world. One of the best ways to get those happy vibes flowing again is to try something new. Go somewhere new. Expose yourself to new things. There are so many reasons to be happy and traveling the world is one of them. 

17. Wake up your creativity.

I have personally found myself feeling extremely creative when returning home from an international trip. That’s because you get to spend time away from your desk (or whatever you do on a daily basis), and you get to experience beauty and fun. When you return, you are eager to get back to work and put your creative juices to good use.

18. Gain your independence.

Traveling the world will earn you your independence. Learning to do things for yourself and possibly by yourself is a great way to kick the habit of leaning on others and get to work on getting your life in order. You’ll need to book your own flights, take responsibility for your own transport, ensure that you budget correctly, and so much more. All of these do a great job at making people more independent. 

19. Get out of your comfort zone. 

If you feel as if you are in a rut, traveling the world can change that. It’s normal to want to approach life in the same way that we always have. Maybe it just feels natural to do the same old things that we have always done, but eventually, you will become stagnant, bored, and tired with life. If you want to achieve more, challenge yourself, and accomplish your goals, you have to get yourself out of your comfort zone.

When you travel, you will experience so many new things and be given so many opportunities to try new things (and activities) that you are naturally forced out of your comfort zone. 

20. Make a difference.

Not all world travel has to be about relaxing and unwinding. If you want to feel good about yourself and make a difference, you can use a world trip to do so. There are many volunteer and outreach programs available in foreign countries. This means that you can travel the globe and make a huge difference at the same time. 

21. Learn something new.

I always find myself hunting in the local newspapers (or online sites) for something new to do. There’s not much opportunity where I live, which has always been quite disappointing. That’s why I always look forward to traveling.

Every time I embark on an international adventure, I take the time to learn something new that is local or endemic to that particular part of the world. I have gone for traditional cooking classes, attended dance classes, participated in art classes, done cultural tours, and so much more. The trick is to really get involved. You will learn something new and develop character.

Ready, Set, Travel!

The rest of the world awaits you! Why waste another moment. With these 21 reasons in mind, book your flights, pack your backs, and enhance your quality of life with a trip around the world.