The Bolter: Does Running Away and Starting Fresh Make A Difference
Every time a minor inconvenience happens in my life, my first thought is to move to a different part of the world and start my life over. Knowing that life is not going the way you want it to is upsetting. Why would anybody want to deal with something so disappointing? The quick and simple solution is to leave. Channeling that inner ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ mindset.
We all dream of a clean slate. Something that allows us to create a new image of ourselves and a new way others can perceive us. As appealing as that sounds, it is not as realistic as it seems. Coming from a person who tends to travel when they feel dissatisfied with life, I can attest to that. Although, there are many pro’s to change of scenery, you do not need to go to as extreme measures as you believe.
For starters, I never reinvented myself. After all the times of claiming I will change myself, I am still the same person. There is no need to change your identity in a time of distress, if anything embrace it. If you constantly push away the problems in your life, you will never learn and grow from them. No matter where you physically end up, these problems will still remain in your mind. Meaning that you can never truly reinvent yourself as your subconscious will never forget. Being in a new area can be overwhelming too. Every city has many different unspoken rules that you only seem to understand if you have been there for a long time. For example, the sidewalk rules in New York City or the escalator rules in Europe. Surrounding yourself with complete unfamiliarity can add to the distress that you may already be in. With not knowing the people, the culture or even the area it can be hard to adjust too. It is so easy to feel alone in a place where you are surrounded by people.
On the other hand, so many great things come from a change of scenery. Nothing heals us more than warm weather and relaxation. A new environment is what stems from new thoughts and opinions. A new outlook on things that are currently happening in the world. Personally, during my own trips my mentality had done a 180. All these things that seemed like the end of the world, suddenly were not as serious as I once considered them. I lived more in the moment, my phone did not exist in my mind. Moreover, although you may be alone, there are many opportunities to meet new people. Numerous people travel solo, already making it easier to find a similar interest. There are also many chances to meet people at cafes and parks.
Despite all these positive experiences I had, there were still so many times where I would fall back into that mindset that my life was over. As I previously said, those thoughts will always be in your mind. No matter how much or little you choose to distract yourself. Sometimes facing those issues is what helps us recover from these issues the easiest. Although, taking a trip when you are feeling down can definitely make a good impact.
