Are you going to stop? My boss requested, intuitive as ever.
I hesitated for a second. It wasn’t a lot the group I felt indebted to, as this man sitting in entrance of me who wasn’t simply my supervisor however a mentor, pal and idol.
Sure, I by some means mumbled. I’m sorry.
What are you going to do then?
Transfer again to India, attempt to work with a non-profit, perhaps journey.
We had massive plans for you right here.
I do know… In my head: I hope the universe does too.
Quitting my job to journey: The dream vs actuality
Precisely 11 years later, right here I’m. Typing these phrases on a breezy afternoon, from a minimalistic home in a lush Goan neighborhood. Gazing on the surrounding greenery from my work desk, I spot a furry mongoose scurrying away into the wilderness. After a morning of untamed swimming in an deserted quarry, I’m tempted to tuck in for a day siesta.
As peacock cries echo within the far distance, I ponder if these had been the large plans I had dreamt about after I stop my company job in Singapore all these years in the past.
When Fb jogged my memory of this 11 12 months quit-o-versary, it concurrently confirmed me a glimpse of the life I had left behind. As I scrolled via my feed, I noticed photos of college buddies who’ve risen the ranks of their company careers, bought or rented fancy condos, acquired the coveted Singapore citizenship, and popped a child or two!
11 years later, would I swap my life with the one I left behind?
Additionally learn: The Story of How I Give up My Job to Journey
Life is a good journey or nothing
The earlier afternoon, whereas on an extended bicycle trip alongside a sleepy Goan village, we got here to a very difficult uphill.
As I huffed and hyped up on low gear, I concurrently tried to soak up the altering panorama round me – rolling grasslands, historic mangroves, and paddies flooded by the relentless rain. Lastly rising on the high of the hill, I felt each exhilarated and exhausted, and psyched to proceed the trip.
That bicycle trip type of sums up the previous decade.
Since I stop my job as a social media strategist on the Singapore Tourism Board, life has been fairly an journey. I’ve been on a monetary rollercoaster, whereas concurrently savoring epic experiences all over the world. It’s been a largely exhilarating and generally exhausting journey. Whereas I’m psyched to proceed the trip, I really feel like I’m at a crossroads and this time, I’m eyeing a distinct path.
Additionally learn: 10 Life Classes from 2 Years of Travelling
I worry falling, however what if I fly?
I all the time thought it was the worry of failure that might drive me to make my life decisions work. I dreaded pleasing those ready to say, I advised you so.
However in actuality, it was the style of freedom that pushed me to persevere.
I first tasted it whereas volunteer travelling with Spiti Ecosphere. Right here was a corporation primarily based within the breathtaking Trans-Himalayan area, rooted in environmental and social influence, whereas financially sustaining their work.
It was all the things I wished to do too. Pursue work that gave me a way of function, allowed me to journey far and vast, and meet my bills. I dreamt about turning into my very own boss, so I may spend Mondays mountaineering up mountains and fortunately burn the midnight oil on Fridays.
Turned out, on this quest for freedom, I wanted to turn into a tricky boss! I needed to show to myself that I had the self-discipline to make it – as a freelance author, blogger, social media advisor, Instagrammer, speaker, writer, and most lately, sustainable tourism advisor. I learnt to hustle, settle for rejection, compromise, compete, collaborate and battle again.
Every time I attempted one thing new and feared I used to be falling, I discovered refuge in poetess Erin Hansons’s phrases:
“There may be freedom ready for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And also you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh however my darling,
What if you happen to fly?”
Additionally learn: How I Managed to Pay of 26000$ of Scholar Mortgage: Candid Suggestions for Freelancers and Journey Bloggers
Feeling “not wealthy sufficient”
At first, I used to be naïve sufficient to work without cost for big firms, in trade for the promise of ‘publicity.’ I learnt the arduous method that publicity would by no means pay my payments or assist me construct the sort of future I wished.
So although I dropped out of the company rat race, I tailored my learnings from my previous life. Step by step, as my earnings grew, so did my bills and ambitions. I employed my first worker, then the second, and shortly, I started dreaming of increase a content material empire. That’s after I occurred to listen to a chat by Nomadic Matt – the envy of all journey bloggers – who runs such an empire. In a candid revelation, he confessed that he’s turn into the very factor he walked away from! With tens of staff and targets each month, his empire capabilities very very like a company.
That jolted me again to my drafting board. Am I too turning into what I walked away from? I started asking myself.
Within the years that adopted, I attempted to make simply sufficient cash to journey comfortably, whereas additionally with the ability to help native companies, work on significant tasks, and pay extra for sustainable experiences and merchandise.
I’ve lengthy misplaced the aspiration to be wealthy, however for the primary time in a very long time, the pandemic has made me really feel ‘not wealthy sufficient.’ If I had the sort of cash lots of my friends do, I’d’ve favored to purchase land, plant a local forest, develop my very own meals, and construct an upcycled home powered by renewables!
However who is aware of, perhaps if I did have that sort of cash, I’d be a very completely different me with completely completely different desires.
Additionally learn: How I’m Funding My Adventures Across the World By means of Journey Running a blog
Reimagining the following decade
Over time, I discovered some type of function within the transient excessive of the sensation of freedom and the enjoyment of pursuing work I beloved, whereas sustaining myself financially.
However when the pandemic crushed each, fulfilment started to elude me.
After many months of introspection, I’m slowly starting to reimagine what this decade may appear like for me.
I foresee delegating much more to a small crew of good individuals who can proceed the work I started 11 years in the past (no content material empire although, thanks).
I’ve begun to spend money on increasing my information and expertise, so I can work with tourism companies and locations to realize much-needed sustainability, animal welfare and local weather motion targets.
Whereas the interior pursuit continues at its personal tempo, I hope to chase fulfilment by pursuing impactful work of a distinct form.
Additionally learn: Why Lengthy Time period Journey is Much less Like Instagram and Extra Like Actual Life
Is it value taking a 12 months off work to journey, or altogether quitting your job to journey?
I typically obtain Instagram DMs and emails from people who’ve learn my ebook or observe my weblog. Ought to they stop their job to journey the world? They need to know.
I’ve blended emotions.
On the one hand, I really feel like I owe all the things – from my journey in direction of minimalism to my option to go vegan – to the highway. If there’s a greater trainer, we haven’t but crossed paths.
However on the opposite, journey as we speak is so completely different from 11, or 5, and even 3 years in the past. Revenge journey, overtourism and local weather change are realities we should face. And as my pal over at BreatheDreamGo lately identified, within the age of Instagram, journey feels extra like a efficiency than a deeply private act.
Finally, the query we should ask as a substitute is, can we bend the Instagram development, eke out a dwelling travelling in a method that actually fulfills us, and depart a constructive influence on the locations and folks we meet alongside the way in which?
What’s your present standing of freedom, monetary sustenance and fulfilment like?
Additionally learn:
The right way to Give up Your Job and Journey the World?
How I Handle Visas on My Indian Passport As I Journey Across the Globe
The right way to Earn Cash Whereas Travelling
Welcome to my weblog, The Taking pictures Star. I’ve been referred to as a storyteller, author, photographer, digital nomad, instagrammer, social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism advisor and environmentalist. However in my coronary heart, I’m only a woman who believes within the transformative energy of journey.