14 Things Travelling Will Teach You To Say NO To!

Sometimes saying NO is one of the hardest things to do and while it’s nice to be agreeable, amiable, helpful and so many other traits that come from being the “Yes-Woman/Man”, it’s sometimes really is so good and liberating (not to mention helpful for your health and sanity) to just say no. Travelling, however big or little, does empower you more and more to say no to so many things that you should never say no to and here are some of them:

That you should never be selfish: Yes, selfishness is a terrible trait for the most part however, it’s important to learn to be selfish sometimes and put yourself first. You want that nice car/phone/house/purse/shoes – treat yourself and go get it! This is not about being materialistic or close minded but more about having certain goals (no matter how trivial they seem) and meeting them.
That all people are exactly the same: Nope! Everyone is equal – yes, and everyone deserve equal opportunities, rights and treatments but everyone is unique and has something different about them. Travelling to different parts of the world or even different parts of the country you live in really helps show you how diverse people are and how different approaches to the same issues have their own merits and drawbacks.
That You should stay in your comfort zone: The very nature of travelling outside the remits of what you know and heading out to explore places you’ve never been to shows that you’re probably not someone who just likes to stay within their comfort zone and likes to explore new things. Embrace that side of you and help it grow within you so you get to experience so much more of what the world has to offer.
That you’re not good enough: This sounds pretty obvious but your uniqueness is what makes you special and you have to find a way to constantly take what makes you special, that thing you can do but no one else (or not many other people can) and turn it into your strength and your key selling point. There’s no point in judging a fish on how well it can climb a tree (I say this over and over again) – your success comes from doing what you were naturally born to.
That where you’re from is boring: It’s so easy to feel this way and take things for granted. Londoners preferring New York, New Yorkers preferring London…etc While it’s good to feel passion and desire for places you don’t live in (that passion is what gets us to travel after all), it’s important to realise that where you’re from is pretty darn cool too and people would love to visit it and find out more about you and what your country/city/village has to offer.
That your actions don’t matter : Your actions matter a lot! The things you do, have a ripple effect on your surroundings and this is why it’s important to be as positive and a source of strength and joy to as many people as possible. You have an effect on others (even when they don’t say it) and it’s good to try to be as positive an effect as possible.
That money is everything: Nope! It really isn’t. Some of the happiest people in the world are those that realise that money is a commodity, like everything else and is easily lost and gained and as such an unreliable source of true joy.
That you voice shouldn’t be heard: Oh it should be heard! Say what you want to say. Start a blog. Open up a youtube channel. Speak out more at parties. Let your voice be heard. People out there are interested in what you have to say. Don’t keep them waiting any longer.
That people’s opinions of you matter more than your opinion of yourself: Society and the way we’re brought up generally leaves us constantly judged by system or the other. In school, it was your teachers. In sports, your coach. On holidays, your fellow holidaymakers. While it’s important to get a sense of how we come across as reflected in other people’s eyes, it is also important to truly understand who you are what makes you tick. How you feel about yourself should be less reliant on other people and be more about you. Listen to others and pay attention to your surroundings but ultimately, be your own master.
That travelling costs a lot of money: Not always. This is where you need to be savvy. Even in expensive cities like London, Hong Kong and Singapore, there are so many ways that you can still have an amazing experience at very little cost, without sacrificing your enjoyment of the places you’re visiting.
That you shouldn’t spend enough time sleeping: Sometimes, especially so when you’re travelling, sleep seems so over-rated. You want to either be out and about seeing the stuff you’ve been planning on seeing for ages or be busy planning to see things. Sleep is necessary to enjoy these things. Even if you’re not travelling and you’re doing everyday stuff like going to work or taking care of a family, sleeping might seem like such a luxury but it’s one you can’t afford not to take as it not only helps you enjoy the moments you’re awake for more, it also helps keep you healthy and happy!
That you should never compromise: This is not true. It’s great to be principled but it’s not so great to be so unwieldy, averse to change and so stuck in your ways that you miss out on so many opportunities and experiences just because you refuse to see past what you believe is right. This makes for disastrous relationships and terrible friendships but also, is a mainstay of some of the world’s worst bigots.
That you shouldn’t be impulsive: Being impulsive is sometimes confused with being terribly planned. This is not the case – impulsiveness and good planning are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to decide on a whim, for example, to go to Japan with less than 3 days to go before your flight leaves and still be appropriately planned for the trip. Surprise yourself more and be more impulsive.
That you should never say no: I’m sure by this point now you know how important it is to just say NO to certain things. If not, I’ll re-iterate it, sometimes somethings aren’t good for you, it’s important to now what these things are and when to say no them!