"Can a decade of global travel truly heal you? Before 2014

I was an entrepreneur in Beijing, where the severe smog pollution took a heavy toll on my health, issuing a dire warning. At the same time, I ended a relationship and closed down my studio. I returned to Hangzhou and then embarked on an intermittent decade-long journey around the globe, visiting over 40 countries.

I've witnessed the sunrise on Easter Island, surfed in Casablanca, got tipsy in the vineyards of Chile, summited Kilimanjaro in Africa, encountered extreme blizzards while self-driving around Iceland, prayed at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, and walked barefoot through the alleys of Varanasi in India. I've chased sunsets across the Serengeti plains alongside the wildlife.

Many say, 'Only the rich and leisurely can afford the freedom to travel,' 'Travel is but a temporary escape from oneself.'

Yes, perhaps travel is an unsustainable beautiful dream.

But when travel becomes an integral part of your life, not just a means to reach a destination, the rewards are immense.

I've met many people during my travels, especially in the remote corners of the world that are hard to reach. These courageous individuals might have encountered significant upheavals in their lives, such as losing a loved one, ending an intimate relationship, or facing a major career setback, leading them to feel lost and isolated. In reality, we often fear changes in our life's trajectory and dread losing our balance.

Perhaps travel itself cannot heal you. But true travel opens your heart to accept the realities of each destination without trying to change them or claim them as your own. By stepping out of your comfort zone, widening your horizons, making new friends, becoming more willing to share, and gaining the courage to re-engage with life upon returning, you're truly traveling.

Venture out and observe the people in every nook and cranny of this world, without fretting about what your life will be in three or five years. Life flows on. Let go of your reservations and discontent; you'll live much more comfortably. Only when you have the courage to face all losses can you reconcile with yourself. Ultimately, only you can heal yourself.

Always explore the world to form a 'worldview.' I don't want to leave one day with everything left to the imagination."