Why Travel Is Important to Me

You may have noticed a lot of instagramming happening this weekend while we were in New Orleans.  Friday we headed east from Houston to NOLA to celebrate Sam's birthday (a late 29th birthday gift for him!).  We stayed at an adorable B&B and had a great time seeing the city and learning about the history. 


When I was 15, I went abroad for the first time to see England.  I still remember how giddy I was to get my Passport (although that picture still haunts me... even when I pull it out today).  My parents sacrificed a lot in those early years to be able to take my brother and I along on trips when we were growing up.   They knew that seeing different parts of the world would open our eyes and shape us later in life.

Traveling is by far the biggest inspiration for me in my creativity.  Although I love reading magazines, watching documentaries, and browsing through fashion and design blogs, seeing unfamiliar places that get me out of my comfort zone is really the best creative exercise for me.  As bloggers, I know we are all constantly working to provide fresh content that will be interesting and unique to read- not just recycled from a million other blogs!  I think the best thing I can do is to allow new places and experiences to shape me and spur my creativity.  The thing is, each time I choose to travel to a new place, the adventure stays with me forever.  Here are a few trips I'll never forget...

 Bungy jumping off a bridge in New Zealand...

{2007, Queenstown, New Zealand}

spending a summer studying abroad at Oxford, and taking a memorable weekend trip alone to Stonehenge...

{2008}

Finishing my undergraduate capstone in Spain....

{Alcala de Henares, Spain, summer of 2010}

Bungy jumping and sky diving over the Swiss Alps...

 {Summer 2010}

Building water wells in Africa...

{Summer 2011}

I think my boldness today is a direct result of traveling.  There's something about navigating your way through the European train system alone in the middle of the night that will strengthen your confidence in yourself.  It's also exposed me to lots of different cultures and their way of doing things, which has made me more tolerant and open-minded.  I keep this Steve Jobs quote on my desk for a daily reminder to keep learning and growing each day:

  

So, I'm curious to know- what do you do to keep yourself inspired?  Are you a fan of travel, and if so, is there one particular trip that really changed you?