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\u201cShe is free in her wildness, she is a <\/em>wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. ‚Time‘ for her isn\u2019t something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water.\u201d<\/em> It strikes. For some of us it happens when are very young, maybe upon seeing our first mountain, or after a whiff of salty ocean air. For others the feeling comes\u00a0later in life, perhaps when gazing out\u00a0the office window\u00a0while sipping a cup of coffee. Regardless of when it happens, many of our readers recognize this feeling. <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m talking, of course, about wanderlust.<\/span><\/p>\n The definition for wanderlust is a simple one: A strong desire to travel. But the word encompasses so much more; when we travel we are victims of the unknown, we are students of a foreign world. We think about traveling before we fall asleep, as we make our daily commute, or when scanning a morning magazine. We crave the feeling of tasting the unexplored, knowing <\/span>that a new story, face, or flavor dances every corner. <\/span><\/p>\n My wanderlust recently carried me on a road trip to the Pacific Northwest. A friend and I spent two weeks living off granola bars, apples, olives, and gas station coffee, sleeping on the ground and on couches. The idea for the adventure\u00a0came from a place on spontaneity; an average afternoon lunch turned into the planning of a hypothetical road trip. Somehow the idea came to fruition, and we soon found ourselves gazing out over the coast as we climbed coastal rocks in our bare feet.<\/p>\n Despite the beauty and excitement of the journey, there was a creeping feeling that occasionally snuck into my brain. A little voice whispered, \u201cYou should be in an office,\u201d and \u201cHow is this going to look on your resume?\u201d I wondered about my family, and if my time would be better spent with them. It was travel guilt, alive and well. Despite all of our saving, our financial and mental planning, and our commitment to the adventure, my mind was critical, asking me why I had chosen to use my time for such an indulgent choice.<\/span><\/p>\n There are others afflicted with this \u201ctravel guilt.\u201d When interviewing fellow backpackers and adventurers, several friends have revealed their struggle with balancing a life expected of them, and the life they want to live. \u201cWhy am I wanderlusted?\u201d we asked. \u201cAm I doing something wrong? Am I running from something important?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Even after we\u2019ve dedicated ourselves to the journey, travel guilt can wiggle its way into our mental framework. It can occur in Irish hostels, on the train to Berlin, or while chatting with the locals in Peru. I\u2019ve found this often occurs when we compare ourselves to others, people who have the stability that doesn’t come along with traveling. Not everyone is wanderlusted, and that\u2019s neither a bad or good thing. Sometimes our wanderlust depends on where we’re at in life.\u00a0We all have different sets of values, whether they be building a home or chasing a horizon. <\/span><\/p>\n I had only a few friends in the latter, and this made me feel like there was something wrong with me. When I was fortunate to meet a fellow traveler, I felt like I was making a spiritual connection. I collected their stories and motivations, packing them away for future inspiration. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy do<\/span> you<\/span><\/i> travel?\u201d I recently asked via an email to some of my fellow nomads. They responded with enthusiasm. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI travel to practice living in and for moments, to feel connected to a global community , and to be humbled by my smallness in the face of it,\u201d one explorer divulged. <\/span><\/p>\n From another, \u201cWe do not owe anyone a certain lifestyle, just an honest one to ourselves.\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n But, if you\u2019re one of the wanderlusted, know that you are not alone. Your wild soul is dancing out there among a stream of others, even if you can\u2019t always find them. Your family can be a priority even if you aren’t physically with them. If you ever find yourself experiencing travel guilt, here are a few tactics to help you overcome your fears:<\/span><\/p>\n Do not feel guilty for listening to your intuition<\/a>. Our journeys teach us how to overcome obstacles, because traveling isn\u2019t always about having fun. Car batteries die in the middle of the woods. Tents need to be set up in the pouring rain. Foreign roads need to be navigated, and you might find yourself standing in Japanese subway station wondering if you\u2019re ever going to get home.<\/p>\n Your wanderlust is as much a part of you as your blood and bones. It brings forth strength, adaptability, and compassion. Because contrary to what some people might think,\u00a0it\u2019s not that we\u2019re running away from something, we are running <\/span>with<\/span><\/i> something.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Happy trails, little wanderer.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n
\n\u2015 Roman Payne<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Amanda Kohr is the editor at Wanderlust. You can find her exploring new highways, drinking diner coffee, and on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
How can we accept the wanderlust inside\u2014and leave the traveler\u2019s guilt behind?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1494,"featured_media":45838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1058],"tags":[185,570,68,59],"class_list":["post-45833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wander","tag-wanderlust-adventure","tag-identity","tag-inspiration-2","tag-wanderlust"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n