Here is the question:
Should I quit my job & travel full time?
In the last few years, I started several times flirting with the idea of quitting my job and starting traveling full time & longer term. Such a moment has come again as I am at a crossroad at work.
I have been using my holidays & weekends to travel, as well as my business trips. I have been very fortunate 🙂
Travel makes me feel alive & makes me grow. So why not get more of this & leave everything behind to explore our amazing world? Considering the comments on other blog I know that I’m not the only one asking that question. So I have decided to be a bit more personal and share with you some of my thoughts & resources on the subject.
1. Gathering Information
The analytical mind that I am always starts by reading a lot of information, analyze and organize. During those travel wish moments I turn to the many travel blogs I follow and my feeling fluctuates.
Some write very inspiring post about how themselves got to quit their job, or escape the ‘rat race’ and travel for one year or more, and some give you a reality check on the things you should know before leaving it all behind.
I thought I would gather here some of the posts that inspire me most or give me food for thought
The Inspiration to quit:
- Young Adventuress, currently leaving in New Zealand, shares the process she went through to quit her job and start traveling and some great inspiration
- Travelettes lists 30 questions to help you decide
- Check the video by Jodi from Legal Nomad on taking risk, long-term travel and finding your passion in Life as well as her post about how she quit her job
Or simply looking back at some of my travel photos . Check out my best shots from Namibia or those from Morocco, and also Jordan… Feeling the inspiration?
Advice on how to do it and plan for it:
- The impressive Shooting Star shares some advice she wished she knew before quitting her job to travel
- Sabrina, who is behind Just One Way Ticket, has some good insight with her 8 steps to freedom
- The unavoidable post by Just One Way Ticket who interviewed 15 travel bloggers about their lifestyle
The reality of full time travel:
Some bloggers also have the courage to give us a reality check about travelling permanently & things we should know before – and I thank them for that. Here are some examples:
- Ben from Milk the pigeon makes us look really hard at the reasons behind our wanderlust
- Legal Nomad on the limits of long term travel, to be aware that it won’t fix everything
- Nomadic Matt shares the downside to long term travel
2. Analysis of my situation
Clues that I am ready for it
The Huffington post listed signs it’s time to quit your job and travel, let’s see how I am doing…
Another clue is that my mother on the phone the other day, was the one to bring back the subject that she could feel I would love to travel all the time
Why it would be easy for me to quit and start traveling
- no husband or kid,
- no mortgage,
- Sufficient savings to budget it,
- Nothing material is holding me,
- Although fat and not fit, I am healthy enough,
- I am sure I would have the support of my family even if that would scare them,
- My flexibility for where to live and my background would make it easy for me to find a job upon return
I have the luxury to design my own life
The reality behind the itch & Taking a decision…
Until recently, I thought that I would be happier starting full time travel. That is would finally fulfill me.
However I have recently done a lot of work analysis myself and my past. What I miss in my life is purpose and I am searching for it. Might tell you more about that at another time but on top of seeing a coach, I found 2 great resources here (the eBooks from Kylie Dunn and her year of TED talk, and Alexander from Milkthepigeon about What The Hell Should I Do With My Life?)
Starting traveling will not give me a purpose and will not bring me fulfillment. It might give me temporary excitement and pleasure, which is not bad but I would have to manage my expectations.
I think travel & reaching the beauty of Nature is part of that purpose but I am not so clear how that fit in. However if this is not the case I will get bored with travel as I eventually get bored with everything. And my gut is telling me that long-term travel is not for me although just vacations are not sufficient to fill in my needs…
2 ways forward:
- I managed my expectations. This is not going to change my life. But I am talking a break and enjoying the present for a little while and discover more of the world
- I continue my search for purpose and see how travel fits into it & take conscious decision with my purpose in mind
My reflection is far from over, I normally  still have 7 weeks until I have to make that work decision… I am continuing to search for my purpose and will let you know about my decision!
 Any thoughts or inputs?
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