STOP AND JUST BE: Transition from Career to Travel

By: PJ

[This is second in a series on self-care and life perspective]

First, some context: I loved my job, but it was time for a break. I am the type of person who makes sacrifices in order to give 100% to my career, but was taking its toll. The passion was gone, and I was exhausted. Burnout at its finest.

Adulting is hard… especially as a working parent. Major kudos to my parents! They made it look super easy! 

Having a health scare, and being faced with my own mortality changed my outlook on life. It made me wonder why I was working so hard and neglecting self-care. It is easy to get trapped in an unhealthy routine. This is when MJ and I decided to make a change and re-evaluate our life plans. We have always wanted to travel, but we were waiting for early retirement to do so. Fortunately, an opportunity arose that allowed me to take a much needed break. This break provided a time for self-care, family bonding, and travel adventure. Before I knew it, we were on our way. 

So what have I learned so far on this journey around the world? A lot…

HERE ARE THE TOP 5 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED:

1. I am a lot braver than I thought. Taking a risk like this is scary and intimidating. Being prepared helps decrease the anxiety, however there were many times it was overwhelming (i.e. selling all of our things, selling our house, moving away from familiarity, language barriers). Thank goodness for great friends, supportive family, and an understanding spouse.

2. You don’t always have to have something to do. My life was full of lists and to-do items. I rarely had time to focus on just being in the moment and appreciating life for what it is. It is a series of opportunities to better yourself and help others. I went into the medical field so I could help people, and I love that aspect of healthcare. I know I want to continue with that mantra, and I look forward to that opportunity.

3. There are a lot of people who are also traveling for extended periods of time and they feel it is normal. Most of them travel for more than one week, which is a stark contrast to the US. From what I have observed in the US, people feel guilty when they take time off work. I was one of those people, and I know a lot of my friends and coworkers felt the same way. There were times I was on vacation, but I was still checking email and performing work duties. Why? It will still be there when I get back. Or better yet, it will sort itself out before I even return. On this trip, I have learned how to let go. In other countries, people are given opportunities to travel and “reset” by taking multiple weeks off (we have met people from the UK, Germany, Switzerland, etc. who are doing just that). This helps with not only mental stability, but also productivity. If you feel rested and rejuvenated, you will be motivated to get back to work to do the best job you can.

4. I have learned to be more patient. Traveling is not all roses and rainbows. There are challenges, but how you respond to those challenges can make or break the situation. Remain calm, look for the humor in the situation, and laugh about the challenges. I am still not the most patient person in the world, but I am improving.

5. There are still a lot of people who do not think long-term travel is possible or acceptable. We have had many examples of these types of conversations, however this one stands out and makes me laugh. In Aguas Calientes, we heard a conversation from a group of three Americans that went something like this:

Boy 1: “So, a workmate of mine just quit her job and sold everything to travel the world. She has no plan at all… just her pack. Isn’t that crazy? She just up and left.” (He was looking for judgement/criticism from his friends, however to the contrary…)

Boy 2: “I think that is awesome! Good for her, what an opportunity! Most people aren’t that brave. I wish I was brave like that.” 

Girl: “Awesome! I bet she is having a blast.”

Boy 1: (Conceding) “Yeah, I guess it is pretty awesome. She posts all of these photos of her at different, exotic locations. She looks like she is having a great time.”

There was a lot more to this conversation, but the whole time I was biting my tongue. We are doing the exact same thing. 

For me, long-term travel has changed my mentality and has forced me to slow down and enjoy life. It was hard at first, because I kept thinking there was something else I should be doing. Once I got into the groove, I was able to enjoy being in the present moment. 

Even though this trip was scary to initiate and is still open ended, it is necessary for us at this point in our lives. We are healthy, and we have the means to travel, so why not now? The world is big and there are a lot of places out there we want to see. So far, I am learning a lot about different cultures, which is one part of my MISSION STATEMENT. But more importantly, I am learning how to take better care of myself as well as my family.