Solo traveling can be a natural confidence booster. To be able to get yourself onto a plane, and land in an unfamiliar place takes a great amount of courage. But sometimes that confidence can be situational and not long-lasting. Like that time you got up in front of strangers to sing karaoke. At that moment and the few moments after you sang your heart out on stage it felt great. However, that self-confidence probably didn’t stay with you. Traveling fills you up naturally with courage, joy and so much more, but it can leave your cup half full. Living abroad is the next step to having your cup run over with confidence.
We are now in the age of digital nomads, laptop entrepreneurs and people are no longer needing to clock in at their office. Instead, they are jumping on a plane, landing in some tropical place with wifi and working as they listen to the waves from the ocean just a few feet away. Creating a new life overseas is one of the best ways to feel good about yourself and know that you are capable of anything. For anyone who is feeling like they are stuck or feeling less of themselves, restarting your life in a foreign country is a surefire way to create unbeatable self-confidence.
1. Living abroad gives you the opportunity to connect and network with people from different cultures.
In most non- English speaking countries obtaining at least the basics of a new language is almost a requirement. By living abroad you don’t just have the opportunity to learn a second language but you are able to understand and use that language to not only communicate with other people but to connect. When you live abroad you create a new group of friends and sometimes co-workers with different cultures, backgrounds, languages, and experiences. You learn to connect with someone who may be the complete opposite of you. And with these connections, you start to build an international network of friends, partners, and even potential business associations.
2. Be able to adapt to almost any situation
While there are many people who are afraid of change you’ll be able to embrace it with open arms. Whether you are taking on corporate America after teaching in Guatemala, you’ll be able to learn to adapt and thrive in any situation. With new experiences such as taking the local bus, or trying new street food, the constant exposure to new environments will help you to adapt your expectations and respond to unexpected situations with ease.
3. You will no longer live in your comfort zone.
They always say that the best things in life are just outside of your comfort zone. Living abroad allows you to take up permanent residence in the town of uncomfortableness. Fear still exists but you learn to use it as your ally taking precautions when needed but not letting it stop you from climbing on top of a camel or jumping off of a cliff into a rushing river.
4. You learn to trust your instincts and become resourceful
When you spend a long time abroad you learn to be very aware of your environment. Living abroad brings waves of new people into your community at any given time. You become more vigilant, noticing subtitle details in the environment so that at any given time you know to react if things aren’t the way they should be. In addition, you learn to find what you need or you create it. Sometimes you can’t just go to any store to pick up your favorite shampoo or face wash, so maybe instead you rely on natural herbs and products.
5. You can reinvent yourself
Perhaps one of the most liberating things about living abroad is being able to be who you want to be. When you grow up in the same place around the same group of people, your community and society often put labels on you. Now it can be nice to have a tight-knit and supportive community that knows you, but at the same time, your personality can sometimes be put into a box of who people expect you to be. Living in a new community allows you to authentically be yourself. You have the power to introduce yourself and show people the side of you that you want to be seen.
Confidence comes from experience, knowing that you met that goal, did what you are afraid to do and succeeded when you thought the failure was in your future. Living abroad is one of the best experiences you can have to improve how you feel about yourself and be able to overcome many obstacles. As trending as traveling has become there are still thousands of people who are staying at home saying they can’t. The question is, will you settle for I can’t or will you gain the confidence you need to live your best life?
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