Why Your Journey Is Worth Experiencing

Your journey will never be simple.

Life is muddy, chaotic. Losing yourself in your surroundings is far too easy. And let’s be frank  –  in this world of opportunity, keeping track of your ambitions isn’t always a simple task.

Our minds aren’t capable of handling everything that is thrown our way. You may be a passionate multitasker, but it’s impossible to be always on the run. Moving non-stop without so much as a glance at your surroundings -– this is a task far easier said than done.

And yet, we continue. We keep moving past the good things. We continue running past the moments and experiences that make us who we are. We speed past the moments that helped carve us into the individuals we are today.

Why? Why do we so easily pass the moments that require our attention?

To put it simply: We are hell-bent on reaching the end.

The end of the journey drives us. We ache to finish. We yearn for that sense of completion that greets us at the end of a project. You know, the feeling you get when you finish training for that marathon; the relief you feel at your college graduation.

Instead of acknowledging our surroundings, we pursue the journey towards our goals with passion. But we don’t do this to experience the journey – not necessarily. Instead, we do it to reach a means to an end.

We can’t always strive for the end of the line.

Isn’t the journey just as significant as the goal? Aren’t life’s experiences worth our time? Shouldn’t we place the same emphasis on the how as we do the what?

Something is better than nothing – you’ve likely heard this mantra before. People truly believe it. They feel that ultimately, you must reach the end of that rainbow before the timer runs out; before your life dissipates before your eyes.

But the path to that something is always worth the effort. The more present you are while participating in that journey, the more content you’ll feel; the more satisfied you’ll be.

Your journey will never be easy. The road to what you want will throw you for a loop. You will be tossed from a livable wage to a paycheck received too late to make the bills. You may be forced to walk the less traveled path. And all of this, each disheartening experience you cope with, may take you from strong and confident to weak and humble.

And yet, the experience will be worth it. The lessons learned will be unmatched.

Don’t stop living because you ache for the endgame of life. Don’t stop focusing on your surroundings because you haven’t yet finalized your career.

Learn, Live, and Progress

Nothing is ever as it seems. Speeding past one of those first experiences may get you from Point A to B sooner, but it won’t relieve your curiosity. It won’t quiet your thirst for new experiences.

Remember to stop occasionally.

Breathe, experience, and repeat -– it’s as simple as that.

This article originally appeared on the author’s website, Eloquently Penned . Her pieces aim to uplift the soul. She crafts articles that enforce better living and a healthy ambition.