By Alexandra Martin

“Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” – David McCullough

I recently returned from a 19-month international travel assignment for work and came across this quote. It spoke so honestly to me about our social media society and Instagram vs reality. I often wonder what traveling was like before Instagram? A time when you actually had to discover new places by exploring, getting lost and through word-of-mouth. A time when you stood at the base of a waterfall in Bali just to feel the mist, basked in the majestic shadows of Machu Picchu’s towering peak and pondered its history, or hiked up a mountain just to experience what the birds see when they look down on us.

What was it like before the screen became wedged between us and the world?

How can I change the way I experience the world and what I share with others?

Lately, I’ve tried to trade in the most gram’d spots in the world for the quieter, less-traveled corners in order to learn about and experience these outposts for their inherent uniqueness instead of striving for the best angle for the shot. I talk to locals more than other tourists and try to savor my food instead of photographing it. I try to live in the moment I’m in instead of trying to create a moment for someone else.

The real question to ask yourself is, ‘What is your intention?

Is it to be present in the moment or just to share this moment with your followers? Challenge yourself with the former.  It is not the images, likes, and follows that will stay with you forever, but the life-changing moments, encounters, and experiences you discover when you remove the device between you and the world.