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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Lovely! Thanks for useful links. 🙂 The idea of quitting a regular job for the life of travel is great, but the decision is tough. Fortunately, it happened to me naturally without much decision making from my side. I was frustrated for a year with my job (2012). I started blogging in August 2012 while I didn’t travel anywhere that year. I wrote about my past travels. But I was determined about 2013 that I can’t let it go just like that. I consciously traveled last year. However, the decision to quit my job wasn’t on my mind (there were various reasons for that). To cut the long story short, I’d say that the universe conspired to get me what I wanted. I’m finally freelancing and feel like a free bird, who can fly anywhere and anytime! 🙂 I wish you all the best for your travels ahead.
Thanks for sharing your story & your kind words. I am working everyday on defining my purpose!
Logic has a horrible way sometimes of blocking what your subconscious gut is telling you really is your heart’s desire – ie your purpose!
Have you tried doing Morning Pages?
As soon as you wake (you’ll have to set your alarm half an hour earlier for this if you have to be at work by a certain time) you have an A4 notebook beside your bed with pen, and before your concious brain has a chance to kick in you start writing – pen on paper – no thought out sentences or punctuation just an outpouring of subconscious thoughts – broken thoughts – snippets – streams of whatever – upsets – just keep writing anything till you’ve filled 3 pages and don’t read them back for at least 6 weeks –
When you do finally scan back through the garble you may be surprised to see certain ideas or thoughts repeat themselves (ie they bother you in some way) more than you would have imagined!
The great thing about Morning Pages is that you write them before your logical brain wakes up enough to kick in and put the kibosh on what your heart’s desire may be hankering after – knocking ideas on the head without giving them a fair chance 🙂
Morning pages are from the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Thanks Linda! I will try those morning pages.
Hi Claire,
Great post, thanks for sharing all the helpful resources. I struggle with this same decision day in, day out as well. On the one hand I would love to quit it all and have an amazing adventure but on the other I do enjoy my job, and if long term travel is what it is after 6 months or so, it would be hard to start again.
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your comment. I am still struggling with that decision but saw a video this morning telling me that to take big decisions I have to visualize my future self in 10 years and what would she regret? hummm, she would certainly regret not trying this adventure…