We have a question for you. In your opinion what would be a happier memory: the time that you bought your car or that trip that you took with you parents and best friend when you were 12 years old? Did you say the trip? We’ve been conditioned by society to value things over experiences but in the end the novelty of that new dress or car quickly wears off and yet that trip to the beach with our parents turns into an unforgettable trip that we cherish and hold onto forever.
“It is in the experiences, in the memories, in the great and triumphant joy of living in the fullest plenitude that true meaning is found.”
In this sentence, Christopher McCandless speaks purely and simply of the intangible that a trip provides to a human being. He gave up a stable life to cross the United States and ending up in Alaska, living off of little ood and equipment. The story ultimately inspired the movie “Into the Wild,” written and directed by Sean Penn. This is an extreme example, of course, but the message he left behind is valuable and really makes you think (By the way, if you haven’t seen the movie, it is very cool. Watch it on Netflix).
Objects you consume. Travels make you live
Usually we are under the impression that happiness comes to us when we buy the newest phone or when we are shopping at the mall. Unfortunately, this has become part of our culture and we are constantly bombarded with messages and advertisements about how to follow the latest trends. To be happy, they say, we have to consume what artists consume and we have to buy objects that make us feel like we belong.
It turns out that when this occurs, the feeling of satisfaction that it gives us is only momentarily. Objects and things will always be that, and just that. We consume them until they are finished along with our happiness.
While on a trip, the exact opposite happens. You live, literally. Every bit of the road. Every moment. And that is where happiness lives: in the transformation and exchange of experiences. You get to know new stories, places, people and different cultures. Even with unforeseen events that can happen during a trip, the experience lived will be a memory. Forever.
Each trip is unique and uncomparable.
You can travel 10 times to the same place, but with each trip you will have a different experience and will always discover something new. On the other hand, when you buy something, you get extremely excited in the beginning, however this excitement is only temporary. How many new things did you buy that were left to be forgotten only after a few months or even weeks after it was purchased?
Objects are just expenses. Travelling, a true investment in yourself.
It is impossible to calculate the value of a trip. In the products that we consume the value is in the label. And they don’t add as much to our lives as we think – or more, how they would like us to think.
Many see a trip as just a cost when in fact, it is so much more than that. A trip is a life investment. It means opening our minds and searching for meaning and purpose. It can symbolize a change of thinking, a break in routine, can help you process something sad and it can symbolize a true transformation.
Have you ever felt the transformation that a journey can bring to your life? How about embarking on a different experience? Maybe you’ll discover that the meaning of your life ins on your next trip. Click here and come with us!
