Three Excuses that Almost Kept me from Seeing the World

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” — St. Augustine

For years, I convinced myself I would travel “one day.” One day, when I had more money. One day, when I had more time. One day, when life slowed down. But I’ve learned something over the last few years:

Travel doesn’t happen because life becomes less busy.

It happens because we decide it’s important enough to make room for.

If you’re anything like I used to be, you’ve probably told yourself one (or all) of these three excuses. I know I did.

Excuse #1: “I Don’t Have Enough Time”

We’ve been taught to think of travel as something we’ll enjoy later—when we have more money, more vacation time, older kids, or fewer responsibilities. Before we know it, “later” has quietly become years.

The truth is, the timing will never be perfect. It’s not about waiting until life makes room for travel—it’s about deciding travel deserves a place in your life.

Time is our greatest currency, yet we spend so much of it trying to earn more money that we forget to invest it in experiences that actually make us feel alive. It’s only when our time suddenly feels limited that we realize how precious it has always been.

Travel used to be an escape for me. A weekend where I could shut my brain off and forget about work, relationships, and everyday responsibilities.

But becoming a sailing yoga instructor and retreat leader completely changed my perspective.

I realized the best kind of travel isn’t about escaping your life.

It’s about expanding it.

Somewhere along the way, travel stopped being something I ran to and became something I intentionally built into the life I wanted.

That shift changed everything.

Excuse #2: “I Can’t Afford It”

I used to assume international travel was only for people with bigger budgets than mine.

Then I actually started traveling.

Yes, flights to Europe can be expensive. But once I arrived, I was shocked by how affordable daily life could be.

Instead of spending money on Ubers, I walked everywhere.

Meals that would easily cost $30 back home were $8.

Cocktails that would’ve been $20 were $5.

One evening in Greece, eight of us shared a pitcher of local wine that cost less than my morning coffee back home.

It completely changed the way I thought about travel.

Of course, every destination is different, and not every trip will cost less than staying home. But I realized that once I arrived, I wasn’t constantly spending the way I do during everyday life.

The biggest hurdle wasn’t paying for the trip. It was simply deciding to go.

If travel feels financially out of reach right now, start small. Take a weekend road trip, work remotely from a nearby cabin, explore a town an hour away you’ve never visited before.

Travel doesn’t have to mean flying across the world.

To me, travel is simply choosing new experiences over familiar routines.

The rest has a way of unfolding from there.

Excuse #3: “I’m a Homebody”

If you knew me a few years ago, this would’ve been my biggest excuse.

I loved home. My routines. My comfort zone.

I genuinely believed I just wasn’t “the traveling type.”

Then something unexpected happened. Traveling didn’t just change where I went.

It changed who I became.

I’ve become less controlling, more open-minded, more adventurous, and far more willing to say yes to experiences I never would’ve considered before.

Following my curiosity has made me more confident, more adaptable, and more comfortable stepping into the unknown.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe how much one decision—to travel more—has shaped the person I am today.

After leading international retreats, I realized something else.

I’m the best version of myself when I travel—and the best part is that I get to bring that version of myself home.

Every trip teaches me something. Sometimes it’s about another culture. Sometimes it’s about another person.

But more often than not, it’s about myself.

I come home with new perspectives, new friendships, new ideas, and a fuller heart.

My cup is full. And when my cup is full, I have more patience.

More creativity. More gratitude. More energy to give to the people I love.

Travel doesn’t take me away from my life anymore.

It makes me better at living it.

The Biggest Lesson Travel Has Taught Me

I no longer come home feeling sad that vacation is over.

Instead, I come home inspired.

I’m usually planning my next adventure before the plane has even landed—not because I’m trying to escape my life, but because travel has become part of the life I’m intentionally building.

That’s the biggest lesson travel has taught me.

You don’t have to wait until retirement. Or until you have more money. Or until life finally slows down.

Start with a weekend road trip.

A nearby cabin.

A flight you’ve been talking yourself out of.

Because the perfect time rarely arrives on its own.

We create it.

And if there’s one thing travel has taught me, it’s that the life you’ve been waiting for often begins the moment you stop waiting.