Quick Takes:
- Your mind is your most valuable asset
- Difficult situations will help build and develop your personality and character
- The quality of being able to connect with individuals can set you apart from the rest
College has officially come to an end and the post-grad lifestyle has now begun. I could sit here and deliver some of the most cliché, half-assed “post-grad” jokes, but I will save you the torture of my sense of humor and continue with what I am actually passionate about sharing with you. Let me tell you, the post-grad lifestyle that I have always, for some reason, looked forward to (I miss college already) is going to be a full-throttle grind filled with copious amounts of motivation and dedication. But enough with the complaining and doubt. For now, the post-grad lifestyle will be riveting, ambitious, enthusiastic, interesting, eye-opening; the list could go on forever.
Over the next two months, I will be challenging my character, personality, and capabilities to connect as I will be embarking on a solo backpacking excursion across Europe. Recently, I have had a lot of time on my hands, giving me the chance to think deeply about the opportunity at hand to grow and the aspects that are driving my passion to go into unexplored territory, geographically and mentally. Although, I have come to the realization that there are countless reasons why I believe this is something very important for me, and everyone else itching to explore the world, there are certain aspects that made a lasting impact on my thoughts.
Building Your Personality and Developing Your Character
The personality and character of one is a very important part of life. It is something we all carry with us every day and, ultimately, is a way we define ourselves. In addition, I am a strong believer in the importance of building personality and developing character each day, making steps toward becoming a more well-rounded human being who understands the different aspects of life. This idea of development is something that constantly drives my passion to venture into unexplored territories, and I hope my insight and visions in relation to these topics can ignite a passion within your life to build and develop.
As an outdoorsman and explorer, I have had the opportunity to get a glimpse at the benefits traveling and venturing into unexplored territories has for our personalities and characters. Although I have only seen a glimpse of the benefits while exploring, it ignited a desire within to challenge myself at a higher level and put myself in situations that I have never encountered. While traveling, many unfamiliar and difficult situations are presented to us. I hope that doesn’t stray you away from the idea of traveling due to the challenges it presents because you are capable of more than you think. These challenges and situations are going to cause us to begin to adapt. When I say “adapt,” I mean learning more about ourselves, learning more about our personalities and our characters. As we are put in this state of discovering more about ourselves, it forces, and allows, us to grow, to build, and to develop. We absolutely learn what we are capable of and can take these lessons as a lever to grow as a person.
Ultimately, this is one of the main reasons why I am so passionate about traveling and exploring. Recently, I have been very curious about who we all truly are as people, and most important who I am as a person (not being selfish, just being honest). I hope you are just as curious about yourself as I am about myself because no life is better than your own. I have been learning a lot about myself in the last six months by challenging my mind, the most valuable asset we all possess. The challenges and difficulties that will be at hand, forcing me to adapt while backpacking will give me the opportunity to continue to build my personality and develop a stronger character that can lead me to better myself and the people whom I surround myself with, like you.
Learning to Connect On a Personal Level
Although many of the unfamiliar situations that I will be presented relate to figuring out the daily life of a “vagabond,” if you will, encountering different spectrums of people and cultures will be extremely eye-opening. Not only will this test my ability to adapt, but it will test my ability to connect: connect with people, connect with cultures, and connect with the world. Having the ability to connect with one on a personal level is something we all should have a thriving desire to strive for. It is a quality that stands out to everyone. It is a quality that sets you apart from the rest. It is a quality that makes an everlasting connection. Can you think of the people you have you met throughout your life journey that made that everlasting impression on you? I’m sure you can, and the reason why those individuals come to mind is because they were able to find a way to connect with your life, connect with you on a personal level. Fortunately, for some, this is an innate quality. Unfortunately, for me, this is not an innate quality.
Although I don’t have an issue with striking up a conversation with any given person, sometimes I do find trouble in connecting with any given person and making a personal connection. Travelling through Europe and interacting with many different people and cultures will force me to find ways to connect with individuals. I want the people I meet on my trip to remember me. I want them to be friends I can reach out to in the future. I want to make an everlasting connection. With this in the back of my head, and while I am adapting to an unfamiliar and interesting lifestyle, I have no other choice than to connect. At this point, I am already going to Europe alone, so there is no reason to limit myself when it comes to meeting people, because awesomely enough, I am going to meet some of the most interesting people, with the most interesting stories.
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So, there is a look into my mind, a look at the ideas that have been bombarding me as a creative thinker for the last month. More specifically, the two sole reasons I believe my excursion is going to allow me to grow as an individual, as a creative thinker. Whether these visions are some that complement your own, or if they are an opposition to your own, my main goal is to get you to think. My main goal is to get you to think about the aspects and qualities of life you are capable of now and those for which you will find a passion.
