I am currently on a 4 hour flight from Las Vegas to Nashville. I went to attend a conference that would contribute to the wealth of knowledge that would benefit me in my office job but I learned a whole lot more than just that and that’s what I want to touch on now – How traveling makes us better people.
I went to Las Vegas alone, and while it wasn’t the first time I have done so I approached the trip with a completely different mind set and goal. I wanted to network and boy did I meet some of the most amazing people ever.
On a side note, a dear friend called me during my trip saying that she was contemplating stopping at a lounge on her way home from work to have a martini but she has never done that by herself and she was nervous. She called me later saying she’s so glad that she decided to go because she met the coolest woman ever! I honestly couldn’t be more proud of her. Way to go Sarah, I am so happy that you challenged yourself and got outside of your shell!
Anyway, I meet people all over the world who are at different points of their lives and I hope that most of the new friendships that I make are for the long haul. I met Tiffany and Justin from San Diego during lunch at the conference. We networked over cocktails and ended up at dinner at one of Wolfgang Pucks restaurants. From chatting with Tiffany, Justin, and Paul I gained a lot of insight about their industry but also just about them as people! We exchanged numbers and I hope that we will remain in touch in the future!
Additionally, I met a fellow female work-a-holic who is kicking ass at life and taking names in the process. She’s got a fantastic job, husband, and newborn twins and is still super cute and rocking it in a way that every woman admires! One thing she said to me that was a great piece of advice was, “I knew I needed a knew mattress when I looked forward to vacation just so that I could get a good nights sleep and I decided this is no way to live.” If you have ever stayed at Aria you would understand how this convinced me to purchase the bed set specifically designed for their hotel. Hopefully she and I remain in contact as well!
Then, I met a nice gentlemen who there is a good possibility won’t remain in contact (simply because men usually suck at keeping in touch, no offense gents) but he was a good reminder of all the great men who still exist in the world. He was professional and friendly with a gentle demeanor and knew how to respect women.
The world needs a lot more of the super sweet and amazing people that I have met in my travels and people who deserve to have an entire blog post written about them. The people who make a difference in the world and leave it better than they found it. The people who impact the world positively. Be that person. Every single one of us should work harder to do whatever it takes to treat people with respect and dignity. Traveling makes me actually strive to be a better person, so if that’s what it takes for you to find your happiness then do it. Travel the world!
Be the change you want to see in the world.
-Jeannie
