Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

To me, traveling is one of the most significant things you can do for yourself. Even traveling in your own city and going to places you've never been to is really important. But, for the purposes of this post I'm talking specifically about traveling to various parts of our own country as well as abroad.

Regrettably, I haven't traveled abroad nearly as much as I'd like to, but my goal is to do so at least twice a year or more going forward, especially as I get older. One thing I am proud of is that I've introduced at least three people in my life to traveling abroad. They have even told me that they may not have ever traveled out of the country had it not been for me. They weren't even thinking about getting a passport.

After one of my first trips to Cancun, Mexico, I told one of my best friends that she absolutely had to go with me the following year. She was sold after I told her about my experience and she saw the pictures. She joined me and some other friends from Chicago and now she's traveled to way more places than I have. Perhaps she would've eventually gotten the travel bug without my assistance, but then again, perhaps not. No matter, she credits me for introducing her to traveling.

I returned to Mexico - specifically, Cabo San Lucas - recently after having not been there in about eleven years, and it was a fun-filled time as usual. We stayed at a lovely all-inclusive resort that I oddly grew attached to, as I rarely left it. That's unusual for me, as I love to spend some time sight-seeing, embedded in the culture, fully embracing the country. But this time, I just wanted to relax, enjoy the beach, and quite frankly, be pampered. I nearly cried when I left.

As far as traveling on the homeland, a friend of mine who also likes to travel introduced me to this lovely gem of a city that I had no idea existed. It was about six or so years ago, and I was living in Chicago at the time and needed a quick weekend getaway to some place that was no more than three hours away. That place was the amazing Saugatuck, Michigan ... only two hours and twenty minutes away. If you're the artsy type, Saugatuck is for you. It has lots of quaint little stores, awesome coffee shops, a boating community, B&Bs, beautiful beaches, and more. I have since introduced other friends to this gem and they love it as well ... a traveling pay it forward, if you will.

Another place I've been to in the States that I was quite enamored with is Martha's Vineyard, which I'm certain has some of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. The whole experience of getting to the island on the ferry, enjoying whole lobster on the beach, staying in a great home in the woods, admiring the bike-friendly communities, definitely made this trip one of my favorites as well. In fact, I find Saugatuck and Martha's Vineyard similar in some ways, yet different and lovely in their own right.

In my experience, traveling is life-changing. Your perspective changes, your mood changes, you discover new cultures, you learn to truly relax. There is also self-discovery, which in itself makes traveling worth it. I truly think changing your environment periodically can help you to evolve as a human being.

Here's to doing, living, striving, evolving, and yes, traveling...