The Power of Women Explorers: 5 Reasons Travel Can Transform Our Lives and the World Around Us

Have you ever been afraid of going on a new adventure?

Maybe you second-guessed taking new risks and going somewhere new, unsure of what those experiences may bring into your life?

We’ve all been there! The truth is, the more women are empowered to travel, the more women everywhere are empowered and lifted up with them. As an explorer to 100 countries and growing up on the road, I’ve seen just how powerful new experiences can be to help me grow, and the benefits my wandering can have on other communities too.

If you feel like you aren’t sure whether or not to take the risk, here are 5 ways that travel can transform your own life, the lives of others, and why that trip on your mind is totally worth it!

1. Travel Challenges Us To Break Out Of Our Comfort Zones

Travel is the ultimate enemy of habit and routine – it pushes us to be flexible and step outside of our comfort zone constantly. Whether that’s having to ask people questions in a foreign language, navigate a new city solo, or face unprecedented challenges, new experiences break us out of our usual way of seeing the world.

Though these experiences can sometimes feel scary or uncomfortable, every one of them helps us become resilient, more flexible, and more adaptable. Do not be afraid to take new steps, challenge your limits, and prove to yourself that you can achieve what you set your mind to. With each trial that you overcome, you will see just what you are made of!

2. Travel Empowers Us to Believe In Ourselves

As Lalah Delia wrote, “she remembered who she was and the game changed.” When we explore the world, we can gain a new sense of independence and confidence in our abilities and who we are.

As women explorers and pioneers, especially when traveling on our own, it can feel scary – there will be thoughts of self-doubt, worried families and friends back home, and the ever-looming dilemma of safety concerns. Yet beyond the logistics, taking that step into the unknown can unlock a sense of independence, confidence, and the power to navigate new places with awakened determination, grit, and curiosity.

If your soul calls you to explore, always follow that calling, you never know what personal transform you will experience that can change your life!

3. Travels Helps Us Build A Global Tribe of Women

Creating a global community of women helps us bridge the gap between cultures, as we can learn from one another’s life experiences, bond beyond cultural differences or misunderstandings, and feel connected to a tribe. The power of sisterhood is important in our efforts to create a global community of travelers, because it allows women the space to feel safe, comfortable, and open with one another on an international level. When we connect with other women explorers, we find other people who understand us, are passionate about similar hobbies, and inspire us to follow those dreams we hold inside.

A recent article on National Geographic mentions “When women are together, there are no traditional gender roles anymore. Women just get it, and they get each other. When you bring in another culture to this environment, women really open up.” – Nicole Wineland-Thomson

4. Travel Inspires Us to Be Grateful and Give Back

The more we are exposed to the realities of the world, the more we will feel grateful for everything that we already have. In my travels, I have met women who are forced to beg on the streets due to poverty, families having to flee their homes due to war, or young girls forced into child marriage due to the lack of proper education for women in their country. All of these moments have taught me that even food on the table and a roof over my head are things that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

I have been moved to focus on giving back to the world, and helping people who are less fortunate than me. Whether it was helping Syrian refugees learn English, or simply giving food to hungry children in Egypt, these moments of sharing can transform people’s lives, and give us a sense of purpose too. Traveling can inspire us to be givers more than takers, and lend a helping hand even in the midst of adventures focused on our growth.

How can you give back to the communities that you are visiting right now?

5. Travel Lifts Up Women In Need

Travel can help lift women out of poverty, improve their economic situations, help more women get an education, and create efforts to close the gender gap. As fellow women travelers, we have the power to help our sisters as we explore, and provide them with opportunities that can transform their lives for the better.

Some ways we can help other women is to buy from women-run businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, donate and volunteer at women’s organizations, hire women explorers as guides, drivers, or agencies in the tourism industry, or sponsor young girls to pursue an education.

An article in Forbes states that: “according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, one in ten jobs in the world is supported by travel and tourism. In addition, women’s share of travel & tourism’s employment has grown the most in emerging economies over the last ten years, demonstrating the sector’s potential as a tool for empowerment in these countries.”

How can you help women in the country you are currently visiting?

So are you ready to get exploring and seeing the world?

It’s never too late to begin taking your first step and begin your own personal journey of transformation. You can start today to change your life and the lives of other women explorers around you.

See you out on the road!

About the Author

Hi I’m Kaitlin! I’m a 22-year-old explorer, 4x author, speaker, curriculum designer, and global citizen. I have been traveling my entire life, visiting 100 countries and learning through alternative education based on travel. My mission is to create unity through global citizenship and learn from every culture in the world! I am co-founder of nonprofit Kids Unite 4 Hope and am currently launching an educational platform for youth called Changemaker Odyssey.

Have you ever been afraid of going on a new adventure? Maybe you second-guessed taking new risks and going somewhere new, unsure of what those experiences may bring into your life? We’ve all been there! The truth is, the more women are empowered to travel, the more women everywhere are empowered and lifted up with…