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Travel Changes Your Outlook toward Life, Says Kagan Dunlap

Published

13 years ago

October 19, 2011

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People who have the opportunity to travel are able to experience so many different facets of life that would otherwise be difficult to replicate.

There are so many great takeaways from traveling. However, for Kagan Dunlap, the most valuable part of traveling is the more well-rounded perspective it gives him about life. There is so much to learn and experience in the world, believes Kagan.

He says that travel has enabled him to view the world through different lenses than he was traditionally used to which helped him form new views and perspectives on life and his knowledge of the world.

Kagan Dunlap is a bodybuilding and fitness enthusiast who first got into fitness and well-being back in 2008 when he moved in with an Ex-Army Ranger in Asheville North Carolina. Kagan began his journey into the fitness world when he was pursuing his associate’s degree in the local community college in Asheville.

His experience living with that Ex-Army Ranger had a profound impact on the course of his life and greatly influenced his decision to join the military. That was where his travels began.

Kagan is a recent graduate from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and he majored in Exercise and Sports Science while he attended the university.

He is currently working toward obtaining his NASM Certified Personal Trainer certificate as well as a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach. At the same time, he is working on growing his online presence in order to reach more people because he understands the more people he can reach, the more people he can help!

One of the greater joys of traveling that Kagan explores is the ability to experience various cultures. He says that having the opportunity to be exposed to different cultures provides you with fresh new perspectives on life that would otherwise be invisible to you.

Kagan states that “If you stay in the same small town your entire life, your view on the world will be through a narrow lens.” Travel indeed changes you for the better, and you don’t realize it until you start traveling worldwide. It enables you to experience life in different cultures with different traditions and perspectives.

“As a United States Marine, we are expected to be ambassadors of our nation and it’s vital that we not only understand how locals live in different nations, but it’s also pivotal that we be capable of seeing life from their perspectives.” Kagan states that the opportunity to have these experiences have been some of the most rewarding parts of his career.

According to Kagan, one of the ways travel changes your perception in life is by exposing you to different views you may not be used to.

The personal growth that can occur when being exposed to new views and cultures is astounding. We should always strive to keep an open mind, especially when abroad, so we can continue to develop solid and meaningful relationships with the citizens of other nations.

It’s important that we be the best version of what it means to be an American, especially when overseas because oftentimes we are the first example of Americans that some of the local citizens of that nation may meet in the flesh.

This is a huge responsibility for us, and one we should not take lightly.

Kagan adds that traveling gives you a confidence boost that spills over every aspect of your life. Travel oftentimes puts us in situations we might not normally find ourselves in.

Sometimes we may take more risks or do something outside our comfort zone like skydiving or ziplining or going scuba diving. Getting out of our comfort zone is a good thing. It boosts our self-esteem, helps us build self-confidence and does a lot to remind us that life is short and we should enjoy it as much as we can.

According to Kagan, once you step outside of that comfort zone and climb a mountain or try foods you wouldn’t normally eat, you really start to feel ready for anything life throws at you. Another perspective that changes because of travel is the understanding you have of yourself. Whether you travel in a group or solo, you learn a lot about yourself that you may not have known beforehand.

All the new experiences and activities you do that are outside of your normal every-day life, really give you a chance to take a look at yourself and form new opinions or perspectives. You get time to think over important questions such as what are you doing, what do you want to do or how are you going to get there.

Lastly, Kagan says that traveling reminds you to live in the present. People oftentimes get caught up in the daily grind of life and they get so bogged down with trying to become successful that they lose sight of where they are and what they’re doing at that moment.

Planning for our futures is important but it’s also vital that we enjoy the time that has been given to us, because that’s the most finite resource we have. Kagan believes that the level of impact that traveling has on a person is vast and needs to be valued. It isn’t everyday that we get to see new people and places far away from home, especially because of how expensive it can be.

This is why it’s important that we do it as frequently as we’re capable of.

According to Kagan Dunlap, traveling has a profound impact on our health and perspective. It is a wonderful opportunity to improve our world perspective and to take a closer look at ourselves.

He recommends it for anyone who may be feeling burnt out from the daily grind, for people who feel like they need a change of scenery and for anyone who wants to broaden their views of the world.