2014 Flashback – Lessons That I Learnt

So another year whizzed by, isn’t it? I can’t believe 2014 is going to be over in just a week or so! It’s crazy! I mean I feel as if time is just slipping away… I’m sure most of us feel that way. Anyway, what matters is that we make the most of the time that we are given. Days, months and years don’t matter.

I LOVE looking back at the year gone by! It kind of gives me a better perspective of my life. I believe it’s good to count one’s blessings and acknowledge all the lessons learnt through the year. Of course, since travel is a major part of my life, most of the lessons that I learnt have stemmed from the experiences that I had on the road.

Okay now, let’s get started –

Keeping track of my finances

The most precious lesson that I learned and practiced in 2014 has been keeping track of my money. I had never been good with money until my big trip to Sikkim and Darjeeling that literally taught me the tricks to manage my finances. It may sound funny, but now I write down each little expense on my travels. Such a practice keeps me aware of my expenses and helps me plan my trips better.

Separate travel fund is a must for a traveller

This year I opened a savings account exclusively for my travel funds. Now each time I get my pay cheque, I transfer a certain amount to my ‘travel funds’ savings account and never use it for any purpose. In case I need money for something, I make alternate arrangements (take help from parents/siblings), but never touch my travel fund.

More organised with my travel planning

Hope you haven’t missed out on my post – How Do I Plan My Travels, which I could write only after learning to be more organised when it comes to planning a trip. My recent trip to Hampi turned out to be absolutely smooth because of the mistakes that I made on my past trips and learnt through them.

You can NEVER control travel

Yes, travel is more unpredictable than you think. You can make plans, be determined and still won’t be able to materialise certain things. I have learnt to accept the fact that travel is not a race. There is no need to tick off destinations. I have learnt to just savour experiences and grow as a traveller and as an individual.

My failed travel plans taught me a lot – I couldn’t make it to North Sikkim, Bhutan and Kashmir, which were on my radar in the middle of the year. There were many issues – finances, weather, busy season, etc. I was sorely disappointed. But, when I looked back at my experiences in Sikkim and Darjeeling, I was in awe of what I could experience.

Statistics don’t necessarily define success

One important lesson that I learnt along the way is that it’s foolishness to fret about numbers and rankings. Success is beyond any statistics. I believe I am successful as long as I am doing my best – as long as I’m honest, original and focus on quality. Whether I rank high or low, travel blogging is fun anyway!

Let go and move on

Well, I’m still working on this one, but I am a lot better today than I ever was. Be it travel or my life in general, I want to be more relaxed and at peace with myself. I don’t want to be anxious about anything. I’m proud of being able to let certain things go and move on. There is nothing in life that you can control except for your own willingness to lead your life the way you like it. So, I just want to be the best I can be in any given circumstance.

So what have YOU learnt in 2014? Share your experiences in the comments below!

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