(This is the start of a safety series of various thoughts I will be hashing out the next few weeks…)

Something could happen to you anywhere, even at home, and tons of people travel all the time to other countries and have nothing but wonderful experiences.

What it really comes down to is this: is the risk meaningful enough that even if something goes wrong, you are still glad that you made the choice?

That’s where for me, traveling is worth it. Even if something did go wrong, for me travel is a noble and meaningful cause.

For me, alcohol isn’t worth it. If I am traveling alone, I do not drink – maybeeee one drink occasionally – but any “pro” of drinking just isn’t worth the diminishing safety factor and for me it tips the scales to the side of “I don’t do it” while I travel. No questions asked. It’s just not a choice that is meaningful to me that merits the risk. It doesn’t give me anything good enough to be worth the risk.

But for each person, this value system is different. Everyone values different things to different degrees, and that can be pretty cool.

Which is also why you really have to take other people’s safety briefings with that in light. That everyone has different values. If someone tries to convince you to do something you don’t feel is safe or a good choice for you, don’t do it. They might value something that you don’t; and if something goes wrong you will end up regretting it because you made a choice out of line with your values. Also, however, evaluate the role that fear plays in your life and work on growing your comfort zones.

And if someone tries to convince you to not do something because it is not “safe,” also consider whether or not you are being reckless or are being driven by something unhealthy. But it might be a matter of values. It might be something really meaningful to you, that to them isn’t important. Don’t let others talk you out of the meaningful risks in your life.

Because all of life is a risk.

It’s just a matter of which ones are worth it.