Looking for personal and professional growth in your 20’s? Travel alone!

“If travelling was free, you’d never see me again.” – Anonymous.

Not to sound as ostentatious as that, but it sure has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Being part of an education system, which trains you to sweat it out in the rat race that’s coming your way, doesn’t really guarantee the kind of peace you seek.

You’ve probably picked up a book or two by Jack Kerouac and wondered whether he really lived that story. Well, maybe it’s time to write your own.

Image : Shutterstock

The 20s are an experimental, baffling time for most of us, perfect for delving into a final hurrah before the clouds shift and reality hits you with Thor’s hammer.

Broke, confused and excited, we call out to your traveller hearts and plead you to tuck in a bit of the world in your pocket, no matter where you are from.

Before we lose you in our riddles, here’s why we believe that you should fill up that backpack, put on those sunglasses and take off for the adventure that’s calling out for you!

Do it to write your story

That’s the whole point of being granted a lifetime, right? We all exist to create our own story and to make it a darn good one at that. You can travel to the mountains or to the next city, but wherever you go, you will have a tale to weave and a memory to keep. You’ll be telling this story to your grandchildren someday, so better make it one that’s worth telling.

Greetings to me, from me

Even though the idea of wanderlust and ‘discovering yourself’ has become a tad bit cliché in our times, travelling all by yourself will make you discover a part of yourself you never realised existed. No, we aren’t talking about multiple personalities, but rather an unexplored bit of your soul that’s been kept under covers for too long. And, your 20s is the best time for it to come out.

Meeting kindred souls

Solo travel leads you to cross roads (and possibly share some bottled rum) with fellow travellers who are as confused and starry-eyed as you. You’ll hear their stories, you’ll lend a few of your own and before you know it, you’ll be making plans to meet on the ‘morrow! Meeting new people is like meeting yourself all over again, because you see yourself as they’re seeing you and, God knows, if there is a more enlightening and wonderfully eerie feeling that can match up to that.

Young, wild and free

We can cuss the system as much as we like but we all know that we’re going to fall prey to it at one point or another. So before we delve into a life brimming with the pressure of earning big bucks and starting a family, we suggest you try it all. Find a room with a crack in the wall but with a view that will trap your senses. Eat local meals and drink the cheapest liquor because your body is your ally and the night, just like you, is still young.

Explore, dream, discover

Do the impossible. Trek up that monstrous peak, bungee-jump off a valley, walk into the ocean and do cartwheels on the beach. Explore every nook and crawl through every cranny. Get the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Run fast, walk slow. The world is yours to discover. So, what are you waiting for?

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)