Your Very Own Eat, Pray, Love
20:02
Your twenties are a
tricky decade. You’re no longer a child, yet you don’t feel like an adult. This
is when you realise that adulthood isn’t something you arrive at just by
getting older. You still feel the same as always, but now people expect you to
have it together. You’re suddenly meant to make huge decisions about your
future. Talk about pressure. When you consider all that, it’s no wonder many
twenty-somethings do the sensible thing and travel.
Travel can be a
fantastic way to transition into being twenty-something. That’s because the
experiences you have abroad force you to face yourself. That, in turn, can see
you finding out who you are. Though she wasn't in her twenties, Elizabeth
Gilbert’s ‘Eat Pray, Love’ is a fantastic example of how travel can help you here. Through the
book, Gilbert goes from zero to hero. And, she does it by going on an epic
trip.
Of course, sunning it
up in Spain isn’t exactly the stuff of transformation. But, we’ve got a look at
some travelling experiences which could lead you towards an Eat, Pray, Love of
your very own.
Travel solo
Gilbert went
travelling solo, and you should too. Going away with friends is, of course,
fantastic. Nothing beats good company in stunning locations. But, having
friends around makes it easy enough to hide from yourself. By stripping back
that safety barrier and going it alone, a confrontation with you is
inevitable. And, that’s what you want. Even if you're scared of the
responsibilities you face in life, solo travel can beat those worries down.
That’s because you’ll have to face a lot of scary situations head-on. And,
guess what? You’ll probably have a bloody fantastic time doing it. When we
travel solo, we achieve things we never thought that we could. And, that’s precisely what you need.
Take on a new
challenge
Gilbert took on all
manner of challenges during her trip. From teaching English to taking a vow of
silence. While you don’t need to go that far, challenges help. They can take
you out of the comfort zone which is often so stifling in your early twenties.
So, say yes to learning the language next time you go away. Cycle from one end
of the country to the other by asking yourself how to make it happen, and also how far
is it from Land's End to John O'Groats? Simply challenge yourself to going for
walks everyday, or hiking a mountain. It all works towards that sense of
achievement which you need to take you far.
Let people in
It’s also worth
noting that many of the realisations Gilbert comes to during her time away come
from people she meets. You can
learn so much just from opening up when you’re abroad. Instead of guarding yourself,
open up and look around you. Strike up conversations with people who look like
they'd be happy to chat. They could well end up changing your life if you let
them.
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