Social media has made the world more connected than ever before.

Now, more than ever, travelers have the ability to get real-time information about the surrounding areas from friends, acquaintances and family. Additionally, social media now allows travelers to see a social perspective into different parts of the world from local people who are passionate about that particular destination. It’s even possible for travelers to pinpoint certain experiences to avoid when traveling to specific regions. For instance, the best online casino Australia has to offer might plant a seed in the mind of someone to visit that part of the world, whereas they never even considered it as a destination.

This past weekend, a friend posted a thread on Facebook that included an image of the different levels of ‘hygiene’ he encountered in various parts of India. My first thought was to immediately unfollow and block the person, but I wasn’t so sure. After seeing the unique conditions that occur in certain regions, I thought to myself, maybe it’s not that bad after all. So here are five reasons why social media shouldn’t be turned off when venturing outside of your comfort zone.

• It’s the personal choice to make.

Every traveler will find certain things undesirable when it comes to travel. Food, terrain, climate, language and culture are just a few examples of the things that you’ll have to endure if you decide to visit a new place. Just because you’re not thrilled with a location, it doesn’t mean that everyone else in your network is. Some people are delighted by a destination, and others are not. Simply keep in mind that you’re doing this for yourself and, if you like where you are, let others experience it too.

• Yes, you have control of your surroundings.

Yes, your own personal desires may be the reason you’re at a certain place, but no, you do not have to be in a certain situation if you don’t want to. Every day, I hear people complain about a certain destination, yet they did not ask to be there. They could easily avoid the country altogether if they wanted to. Like I said, it’s your decision. In America casino patrons report different preferences, for instance, with some preferring to bet online while others want to experience the thrill of going to a physical venue and everything that comes with that trip.

• With social media, you have access to a plethora of places.

While your pool of travel options is the people you know, there are many more destinations out there. This is where Instagram comes in. For every one person you follow, you have five to ten who you don’t. These people are actively showcasing and chronicling their travels and, because it’s such a visual platform, it makes them easier to engage with. It’s easier to scroll through an impressive image than a boring blog post when scrolling through your social media feed.

• You can reach out to those you’ve met in person.

As you would imagine, there’s someone you’ve met in person who loves to travel and share their experiences. The conversations have been had, the love is there and now it’s time to see that thing you both love together. You could do it through social media or you could go to a place together and do it there. It’s up to you.

So where am I going with this?

I’m hoping you enjoyed reading about this simple lifestyle change to social media usage. I’m hoping that if you chose to do so, you’d reach out to your friends and start sharing travel stories. I’m hoping you’ll post photos of your adventure or keep a travel diary of your experiences. As you can see, it’s not a difficult lifestyle to adopt, it just requires a bit of awareness and forethought. I hope to hear from you and that you continue to create a space where you can share your thoughts, memories, and inspirations with other travelers.