When I’m feeling stuck in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I turn to these quotes to put my head on straight and inspire my next great adventure. In the very least, I hope by posting them here they might spark something in you, too. After all, the world is waiting… all we need to do is get up and go. Here are my top 25 quotes to fuel your own wandering soul!

1. “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir

2. “ Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful.” - Anthony Bourdain

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Sometimes those marks are beautiful, and sometime’s they’re not. I’ve returned from trips with more questions than answers at times. But that’s ok. It’s all part of it. It makes me a better person in the long run and for that, I am eternally grateful.

3. “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.” - Anna Quindlen

How often do we feel stuck in the perceived direction of our lives? Probably too many times than we’d like to admit. I know that’s the case for me, at least. But it’s during those times that we forget to look around us. There are no guardrails on this path. There’s nothing to keep us moving in a linear and forward direction other than what society engrains in us. It’s ok to veer elsewhere for a bit and eventually, you’ll find your way back.

4. “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” - Lin Yutang

5. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” - Helen Keller

6. “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” - Martin Buber

7. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

8. “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel - as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them - wherever you go.” - Anthony Bourdain

9. “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

Throughout life, we’re taught that anticipation breeds success. If you want to get to the top then you must know what people want before they know it themselves. Traveling is different. The more you anticipate, the more you open yourself to frustration and letdowns. What happens when your picture-perfect itinerary is derailed by a broken-down bus? What happens when a canceled flight pushes your departure by a day? React and adapt is the name of the game. Sure, it’s always good to have an idea of things you’d like to see and do but be flexible. You never know where the journey may take you!

10. “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” - Jawaharial Nehru

11. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Anthony Twain

12. “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” - Dalai Lama

Seriously, though. Have you tried holding yourself to this? Even if it’s a new restaurant in town or a weekend getaway to a place you’ve never been. You don’t have to go far to experience something new, but it’s important to gain perspective and open yourself up to your surroundings.

13. “Live your life by a compass, not a clock.” - Stephen Covey

14. “Happiness is letting go of what you think your life should look like and celebrating it for everything that it is.” - Mandy Hale

15. “Tourists don’t know where they’ve been. Travelers don’t know where they’re going.” - Paul Theroux

16. “Adventure is a path. Real adventure - self-determined, self-motivated, often risky - forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind - and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing again will ever be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins

17. “At its best, travel should challenge our preconceptions and most cherished views, cause us to rethink our assumptions, shake us a bit, make us broader minded and more understanding.” - Arthur Frommer

I can vividly remember stepping off of a broken-down train in Morocco and seeing the vast landscape, but I can’t remember to buy bananas from the grocery store. Why? It’s because these experiences from the road are the ones that expanded my horizon and transformed my views. The people I remember from along the way are the ones who shattered my preconceptions about a culture or a place. They have morphed me into who I am. How could I possibly forget something so impactful?

18. “I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

19. “We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.” - Hilaire Belloc

20. “Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it?” - Caroline Myss

21. “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. It’s lethal.” - Paul Coelho

22. “Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul.” Jamie Lyn Beatty Thi

23. “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” - Terry Pratchett

24. “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” - Rachel Wolchin

When you think about, she’s not wrong. We were given the ability to roam, so what are we waiting for?

25. “If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” - Anthony Bourdain

BONUS:

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float. To gain all while you give; to roam the roads of lands remote, to travel is to live.” - Hans Christen Anderson

Which quote was your favorite? Have one that’s not on the list? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time, stay safe & happy travels!

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