Legendary mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote, "We must let go of the life we've planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." Similarly, Kabbalah teaches that in every moment, we are, in a sense, reborn. With every breath, we meet the world as a different person--one who can decide to change simply by changing what we think or how we act. And when we step outside of our familiar surroundings, we double our opportunity for transformation. That's because going somewhere new (whether near or far) adds that element of external novelty to the mix.
Campbell’s archetypal "Hero's Journey" (outlined in all its glory in The Hero With a Thousand Faces) inspired me to think about all the ways we grow through travel.