my growth catalyzed by travel

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, a 19 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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btw, feel free to reply with topic ideas you want me to write about for future posts.

onto today’s topic: my growth catalyzed by travel 🛩️ 

before boarding my first flight this year, i was trying to convince myself that travel won’t just be for fun — that it will also be an opportunity for immense growth. however, at that point i was just selling it to myself. it was only after summiting kilimanjaro that i realized that travel truly does come with its own set of growth.

you’ll only really realize it once you experience it yourself.

i truly do feel like a changed person and have an increased confidence in how great life can be now. after reflecting, i’ve identified 5 buckets/lessons in which i’ve grown significantly:

1) expanded perspective 🧠 

i pull from different life experiences so much more when observing the world around me, and it’s a wild shift. the vast range of said experiences enables this — there’s a limit to what you can experience at home, thus also a limited perspective. venturing out in the world weaves a lot of different mental connections between cultures, politics, and more.

2) leaping out of my comfort zone 🦘 

i knew right from the beginning that i wanted to include solo-travel in a fair chunk of my travels, and i ended up backpacking a few countries in asia all by myself. i’ve done cold outreach and emailing, but cold approaching people in person? this was a first, and it forced me to leap outside my comfort zone: exploring new cities, food and culture with strangers whom soon became close friends. alongside solo travel, i challenged myself out of my comfort zone constantly, whether it was when faced with setbacks or when the budget travel truly became budget travel.

3) embracing problem solving 🧮 

taking the time to actually immerse myself in other cultures was eye-opening in a number of ways. i was shown the real difference between vacationing and truly traveling. as a result, i’ve grown to love the process of problem solving and exploration beyond just math equations and product case studies. i’m lost in some random city? no problem, an adventure awaits! rejected from vietnam? it’s okay, i have more time in thailand! getting through setbacks and figuring things out brought me so much satisfaction that i’ve stopped fearing doom.

4) loving solitude 🫂 

my 2nd blog post on this publication back in august was about how much i hated being alone growing up. now, i can say with absolutely confidence that i love it. being able to set the pace of my day and indulge in my desires wherever my whims take me is so freeing. it’s calm and peaceful, yet empowering and exciting all the same. solo traveling was one of the best decisions i’ve made this year, and i’ve learned so much more about myself as a result.

5) genuinely, i am so much happier 😁 

someone told me “you look so much happier” this weekend. that’s because i am. i feel more at peace and i’ve become more patient. most importantly, i’m more confident in my capabilities as well as the potential for what my life can be. i know first-hand now that there is so much the world has to offer, and i can take my time uncovering each adventure. travel mellows you out, because in order to enjoy it you need ambition, spontaneity, patience, organization and positivity. these temporary traits then translate to your permanent character.

it feels like my average daily happiness has increased. there’s something to smile about every day.

go travel, anywhere! there’s so much to see, learn, and love.

daily opportunity + resource drops 🔍️