I am pretty sure I am soon to set myself free!?

[amduk]

Hi,

I am 23 year old lad. I have always lived in my quietish home area, with an old friend at the mo. I consider myself pretty bold for my age. I don't care to break the mould. I have been a self employed web designer for a year, I think big and have took on some good jobs. But never been fully satisfied still. I was not your school prefect type but usually in the higher groups and since then been into partying and the substances along with it. Had a good time, serioulsy some right laughs and wouldn't go back and change it, but now I have had my day of it! In recent times I have been very anxious, since the start of this year I knew I wanted something different, a big challenge. I can't just waste away around here?

I now have an around the world ticket flying out to Thailand on Christmas Day en route to New Zealand in March. I am selling my car and all these 'things', getting away from negative influences and embarking on something, which I probably don't realise how positive it is going to be for me. I just feel like I can't grow where I am at right now. What is anyone else's experience of travelling, leaving the bubble you grew up in and how it changed you?

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by amduk

What is anyone else's experience of travelling, leaving the bubble you grew up in and how it changed you?

Welcome to the boards, amduk.

To your point: I took a solitary around-the-world trip many years ago after a heart-wrenching separation and divorce. (Divorce: n. Latin for "ripping a man's heart out through his wallet")

I came back months later a changed man.

I left as politically conservative, I returned as liberal.

I left as broken. I returned as whole.

I left as virtually penniless. OK, so I returned penniless too...

I left believing that nobody would ever want me as a man, lover, even husband. I returned to find an abundance of beautiful, desirable women.

I left knowing, or caring, little about what happened beyond borders. I returned with a newfound respect for a wide array of cultures.

I left not knowing what to do with the rest of my life. I returned with the same question, but came back with newfound vigor.

I left fearful. I returned confident.

Got laid, too.

[DarkSociologist]

Hi Amduk,

I am excited for this new stage in your life. I know that at the very least, you will gain a better understanding of yourself. One of the wonderful things about getting out of your comfort zone is that it helps to show the things you have been accustomed to and normally don't notice.

I have a personal philosophy of intentionally "sabotaging" myself because I am reluctant to change. Examples of these sabotages include joining a fraternity, moving to the other side of the US for an internship, and now I'm currently living in Austria. It's definitely challenging, but it has helped me to grow.

Remember that freedom comes from within you and is not defined by your external environment. These changes that you experience only help to show you were you need to be freed from.

[Rhythman]

amduk....Your trip sounds awesome! Have a great time!

I took a 9 week backpacking trip thru Europe when I was 27. While I had a great time, it was not transformative.

For me, it was not a matter of leaving my surroundings, but leaving all of my old ideas. Sitting outside at night rather than watching TV. Meditating...questioning. These are the things that have been trasformative.

Rhythman