Paris Photo Diary & What I’ve Learned From Traveling

Ah, Paris. Absolutely, without a doubt, one of the most elegant cities I’ve ever visited. From the palaces on every corner to the sparkling Eiffel Tower and delicious pastries, the entire experience took my breath away.

We actually stumbled upon Palais Royal on our way to the Louvre. I immediately felt like I had stepped onto the set of Cinderella…the courtyard was absolutely magical, and directly across was a beautiful walkway surrounded by trees and flowers. And yes, I got the funniest looks was I was running back and forth in a full ballgown to get this shot!

While I was sitting in the Paris airport at 3am trying to pass the time before our morning flight, I started doing a bit of journaling on my laptop. One thing led to another, and I found myself thinking about what I’ve learned from my trips over the years. Deep, I know — some people get more delirious the later it gets, but I’ve found that I just get more contemplative haha! I grew up loving adventures, and my parents were always planning some new experience for our family (which is something I’ve enjoyed continuing, now that I’m on my own). These experiences have changed me in so many positive ways. I thought I would turn my late-night thoughts into a bit more of a cohesive post, as well as share a few of my favorite moments in Paris.

You honestly can’t come to Paris without seeing Champs-Élysées and the Arc De Triomphe. This was probably one of the most challenging pictures to get, simply because this spot is in the middle of a very busy roundabout — and it’s especially funny when you’re casually holding a baguette and wearing very uncomfortable shoes haha! We had so much fun in this area and shopped, visited Ladurée and took an afternoon break for a Nutella crepe.

1. Traveling has made me more flexible

Probably one of the most obvious things that travel has taught me is flexibility. Plans change, weather goes wrong and hotels aren’t always what they seem online. Sometimes you have to spend the night in the airport while construction workers drill for a solid six hours. I’ve realized that you can’t get caught up in those things because a negative attitude only taints a trip and makes it completely miserable for everyone else. Being able to roll with the punches is soo important (honestly for LIFE in general), and coming into an experience with the expectation that things will most likely change will allow you to mentally prepare and set yourself up to have a positive outlook.

We went to the Eiffel Tower pretty much every day. It is so magical at night, especially when the tower sparkles during the light show. It was about 20 degrees this specific night, so wearing a sleeveless dress was an interesting — but totally worth it — choice!

2. Traveling has helped me to see things in a more creative way & inspires me to keep learning

There’s just something about mixing up your view that inspires so much creativity! I love change, so sometimes I can get a bit bored seeing the same four walls every day. Being in a new place always challenges me to be super creative with my photos, inspires new content ideas I can bring home and always makes me want to learn more. I came back from this specific trip and downloaded a language-learning app, ordered some books from the library set in Paris/London (summer reading list coming soon!) and have even found myself researching the history behind some of the places we visited. You should never stop learning, and I love that travel constantly reminds me of that fact.

We got so lucky with our time at the Louvre, and the outside courtyard was pretty empty. The whole area was so beautiful, and I could have spent hours out by the fountains taking in the amazing architecture of the museum. I think it would be such a fun spot to have a little afternoon picnic in the spring/summer…yet another reason to come back!

3. Traveling has taught me to be more patient and look at life from a different point of view

I think it’s so easy for us to get caught up in our own lives and become frustrated when other people get in the way or ask for help — especially when we are busy. The entire nature of travel is to get you out of your element, and I think it’s really healthy to be challenged every once in a while. Especially when traveling internationally, I’ve found that it is a bit daunting to be in an unfamiliar place where no one speaks my language…and in the same token, so helpful when people are willing to share advice or provide directions. Traveling has encouraged me to think twice and be more kind to those around me who might need assistance. Kindness truly does have a lasting effect, and I know firsthand that some of my all-time favorite travel destinations are those where the people I met were friendly and helpful.

This was the prettiest view of the Seine River, not too far from Notre Dame. On the top of the bridge, there were a few crepe carts and a gorgeous view of the waterfront — definitely one of the most peaceful spots in the city!

4. Traveling has helped strengthen my relationships & highlight similarities

I think everyone can agree that travel just has a way of bringing people together. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been on a trip where I didn’t become closer to the people I traveled with, even if I didn’t know them ahead of time! Travel also has a way of showing your true colors (haha uh oh), and over the years has definitely made it very apparent who I work well with — both in travel and in life. My older sister, Emily, is my all-time favorite travel buddy. We troubleshoot the same way, have similar food preferences and are both always a-okay with opting out of museums in order to fit in a few more stops on our itinerary. Because we travel together so often, I think it’s also helped with some of our day-to-day decisions — simply because we have a good rhythm down and know how the other person works and thinks in certain situations.

When I said that there are palaces on every corner, I meant it! The Petit Palais looked just like the entrance of a Disney castle, and was the perfect photo backdrop.

5. Traveling has taught me the importance of rest, provides perspective & encourages me to keep working hard

Growing up, my parents made sure my siblings and I knew the importance of hard work…and I am so grateful for that! However, they always put aside time and money for experiences. In my opinion, life is too short to work endlessly without taking time to rest — because, what’s the point? Spending time with those you love and making memories are priceless, and something I know I’ll never regret! That thought always encourages me to keep working hard in order to have more of those opportunities. Although I’m not usually quite ready to go back to responsibility afterwards (haha), taking some time off allows me to reset, re-evaluate my goals and gain perspective on things that may have seemed so monumental before.

Going up the Eiffel Tower is a must! We went to the very top level — which gave the best panoramic view of the city and every major landmark.

What is something you’ve learned from traveling?