Embrace Discomfort with GIVE
How stepping out of your comfort zone inspires a growth mindset
Written by: Taylor Edwardson
Think of something that scares you (a conventional fear, not one that involves horror movie antics 😜). Now, think of what it may feel like to overcome that fear and embrace the discomfort. It would be liberating, right?
If you’re reading this, you may be ready to take that leap of faith but are weary of where the path may lead. As responsible travelers, it’s common to fear embarking on new experiences in unfamiliar landscapes and cultures. It’s also common to feel scared of what people close to you may think during this journey. With the common misconceptions about communities worldwide, parents, family, and friends may be experiencing fear for you, too. Although they may have the best intentions, their fear or judgments could make taking that leap more difficult. Fear is normal, but what we do with our fear decides how we grow.
In this blog, we’ll share first-hand experiences from past GIVE travelers that will normalize the fear that comes with stepping outside of your comfort zone, but more importantly, will highlight the life-changing impacts that are made once you do.
“This was my first trip out of the United States. Many of my family and friends were worried that I chose such a remote and far away place to be my first international trip, but I cannot stress enough how perfect this was for my first time out of the country!! I was constantly given reminders from GIVE to keep up with paperwork (passport, visa, vaccinations, etc.) which helped me a lot to understand what I needed to do in a timely manner. They even have a travel agent as an option to help with flights which I loved, to lessen my stress. Even when I did have a flight cancellation due to weather I was able to easily figure it out and had a GIVE staff leader, Hannah, also helping me if I were to need any extra assistance!”
~ Nina (Tanzania)
Although cancellations and flight issues are out of our control, GIVE works around the clock to ensure travelers make it safely to their destination. As Nina mentions, the situation was handled promptly and with ease. Stepping out of our comfort zone can come with challenges, but it ultimately encourages us that we are capable of handling whatever life throws our way! By traveling with GIVE, those challenges will be minimized as much as possible through our dedicated and compassionate staff and partnering travel agency. 🙂
“The first day of teaching I had no idea what to expect and was so nervous. I was thinking how in the world am I going to teach people who don’t speak any English and I don’t speak any Swahili? It ended up being my favorite part of the trip. It came so naturally and the students are so eager to learn. It is so exciting when they get it right and you are so proud of them and they are so proud of themselves.”
~ Sydney (Tanzania)
“Entering the classroom for the first time, I felt timid and underqualified to be teaching a group of adults. Instead, I was greeted with the most authentic and joyful people I’ve ever met. Their pure enthusiasm to learn lifted me up and I was eager to come to class each morning! We were there to teach them, but in the end, I learned more from the people of Kairo than I could ever learn in a classroom.”
~ Margaux (Tanzania)
On many of GIVE’s volunteer projects, travelers work alongside local staff members to teach English lessons to children and adults in host communities. This immersive volunteer experience provides community members with a safe and free education while promoting economic opportunities that come with learning English as a second language. It’s extremely common to feel nervous about being in a leadership position, such as a teacher, especially interacting with a community that doesn’t speak the same language as you. Yet, as these inspiring global citizens point out, their initial anxieties were replaced with self-confidence and pure admiration for their students. Being able to try something you’ve never done before takes courage, and with GIVE, we aim for that courage to inspire the leaders around you. On every GIVE trip, you will travel with purpose and find that overcoming discomfort helps push you to be the best version of yourself!
“My advice would be to come into this experience with openness. You are going to meet a lot of new and different people, and you are going to be doing many things that could possibly be out of your comfort zone but that is a good thing! As long as you allow yourself to be open to any new experience you will grow and gain so much from this trip.”
~ Raya
Being open to new experiences, cultures, and ways of life on your GIVE trip will make all the difference. Growing your global citizenship means entering new opportunities with an open mind and allowing yourself to gain fresh perspectives in each place you travel.
Let your guard down, experience everything in the moment. Not everything is going to be comfortable. But everything will be worth it.”
~ Brandon (Tanzania)
If there’s any takeaway from this blog, it’s that not everything will be comfortable, especially when traveling. However, as Brandon beautifully expresses, “Everything will be worth it.” Soaking up each moment on your GIVE trip and in day-to-day life will spark gratitude for your life and inspire a growth mindset in yourself and others. Embracing discomfort is not an easy task, but it is a necessary one to become the person you aspire to be. Traveling with GIVE will push you outside of your comfort zone. It will ignite a fire within yourself to travel sustainably, connect with like-minded individuals, and say “yes” to future uncomfortable situations because, as you know, discomfort inspires immense growth. So what are you waiting for? Take that leap of faith and say “yes” to GIVE!
