Make it Happen with Lauren Cirkot - Always find Adventure

Meet Lauren Cirkot - formerly from America but now living in Valencia, Lauren believes in the power of always finding adventure and in the video shares a lovely challenge she used to build up her courage.   Whilst Lauren suffers from an illness she has still managed to travel to 26 different places and as this year is her 30th, she plans to notch up the final 4! 

What’s your favourite 'experience' and what difference has travel made to your life?

Every trip and experience has contributed to my growth, but my absolute favorite experience was my first solo trip to Australia. I kept getting signs that I should go there, like finding a roundtrip flight for only $750 from Connecticut to Sydney. Just booking the flight was exhilarating because not only was it one of my dreams to travel to Australia, but I would be traveling alone for the first time. Taking that long flight and being in a new and unfamiliar country by myself taught me many lessons and enabled me to really grow and thrive. Traveling solo was a true test of character for me. I realized I could truly rely on myself, and I grew confident in my newfound sense of independence. I learned that facing the world isn’t so scary.  

Travel has helped me become more patient and more open. But most of all, it gives me this magical feeling, one that I hadn’t felt since childhood. You can read about or see pictures of a new place, but you can’t experience the magic of a new destination until you get there. Everyone knows what the Eiffel Tower looks like, but seeing it in person, knowing you are in the middle of Paris, is a whole other thing. Travel has brought me out of some dark times, and it centers me when I’m stressed.

Give us three tips for any women who think they want to travel but are not sure whether to pack their bags.

1. You deserve it. Do not feel guilty for taking vacation time. Do not feel guilty for taking time for yourself. Travel is necessary for your heart, mind, body, and soul. 
2. There’s a well-known quote that goes something like, “You can always make more money, but you won’t always be able to go on the adventure.”
3. If you’re scared to travel, start small. Don’t feel like you have to fly across the country or the world. Perhaps try going 1 hour away from where you live for a day or a weekend. Small increments will desensitize you and make you feel more comfortable to one day take that long flight to your dream destination. 

The best place to get to know Lauren is through her Instagram: https://instagram.com/laurencirkot

The best place to get Lauren's tips on travel is through her travel blog: https://alwaysfindadventure.com 

The best place to get in contact are is through her website:
https://laurencirkot.com
or LinkedIN:  https://linkedin.com/in/laurencirkot