just reading the headline I thought of the all the wives (or second wives) at dinner parties who tell everyone about their "transformative experience" climbing halfway up mount everest with buddist monks or going to Africa to give snacks to poor children (worth flying at least business class, Africa is a long flight y'all). Then coming home to get a cute little tattoo to commemorate this transformative experience. barf.
I strongly suggest doing what you need to do, reading books or finding a mentor or a therapist or ? that will help you answer for yourself WHY you seek a transformative experience and what it might look like so you dont have to even ask the internet, as well as what it really means to grow as a person.
if you are lost, dont stray too far from home, it's not there.