I’m not sure if it is a generational trait or an American one in general, but there are many who are afflicted with this aversion to change. And I wonder why.
Why don’t people change up their routines? Or dream big and bigger?
Why do people settle down so young? Or so early? Or at all?
Why don’t people travel and travel..see everything there is to see?
I assume from all of the future plans told from the mouths of many of my young peers, they do plan on traveling and experiencing many different things. But they all speak of their plans as if there is some expiration date. College until about 22 years old, travel til 23, grow up and get a career at 25, family and a house at 30, and so on..
For me, and it’s been a slow process to convince myself, I believe I will never stop traveling, moving, changing myself, searching, learning. It is against the grain, and growing up in a tight, socially conformed household it was not easy to convince myself, as I said before, that my dreams were possible.
I do also agree that this dream is shared by many, many people young and younger, old and older. But few, if any, chase it. [I do not count vacations to the Caribbean in the category on traveling, although most lie to themselves and count it anyway.]
All I’m trying to say is I value experience and experiences very highly, be they uncomfortable, different, delightful, tasty, alarming, or vivid. None of these can be found consistently if you ground yourself emotionally, mentally, or physically in one place.
Over the years I’ve slowly broadened my mind. Broadened the definition of beauty, normal, and youth. I’ve redefined my value systems and embraced the difference for which I seek in myself and all that is outside myself.
If this defines crazy and out-there for you, then that is what this is. But if it defines spiritual, open-minded, and wandering then that is what this is.
this will be my life.
I think that your mindset in life can be as open or as closed as you wish to make it. You have to set goals and priorities, you can’t spend the same money twice on two different things.
Some opt for material things, the large house, a lavish lifestyle, the latest car, fashion, or technology.
Usually (unless they are some of the lucky few), that means that all their money is tied up solely or mostly in these material assets, so short holidays may be possible but an extended world trip is not.
It’s possible to follow a dream of world travel to distant out of the way places whilst still having a career, family and your own home.
However (unless you are one of the lucky few), this necessitates living a simple lifestyle, a smaller house, an older car , technology etc.
It will mean that you are also not completely “in step” with many of your peers and the way they choose. That matters not, as long as each are happy with the dreams that they have and the choices they make.
Our family live a more simple lifestyle, have less material assets, but for us it’s not important to “keep up” on that front, because for us the fact that we travel as much as we do, is also the dream.
And achieving your dream, meeting the people, going the places, tasting new foods, learning new things, many people forget: they are all assets too.
Exactly. Part of realizing that traveling was a big dream of mine was pushing aside the thoughts of material success. And I know that others later on may look down on me because I don’t get the latest cars or clothes, but I’ll deal with that as I go. So many people don’t realize the vastness of earth, maybe the internet’s wrongdoing, because we can google almost everything..but I want to see it all for myself. :]
Work Hard, Save Hard and go for your dreams!