Are you going to give up? 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, buddy and idol.
Yes, I one way or the other mumbled. I’m sorry.
What are you going to do then?
Move again to India, attempt to work with a non-profit, possibly 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
Exactly 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 have been the large plans I had dreamt about once I give up my company job in Singapore all these years in the past.
When Facebook 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 by way of my feed, I noticed footage 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?
Also learn: The Story of How I Quit My Job to Travel
Life is a superb journey or nothing
The earlier afternoon, whereas on an extended bicycle experience alongside a sleepy Goan village, we got here to a very difficult uphill.
As I huffed and overrated on low gear, I concurrently tried to absorb the altering panorama round me – rolling grasslands, historical mangroves, and paddies flooded by the relentless rain. Finally rising on the prime of the hill, I felt each exhilarated and exhausted, and psyched to proceed the experience.
That bicycle experience kind of sums up the previous decade.
Since I give up 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 around the globe. It’s been a largely exhilarating and typically exhausting journey. While I’m psyched to proceed the experience, I really feel like I’m at a crossroads and this time, I’m eyeing a unique path.
Also learn: 10 Life Lessons 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 will drive me to make my life selections work. I dreaded pleasing those ready to say, I advised you so.
But in actuality, it was the style of freedom that pushed me to persevere.
I first tasted it whereas volunteer travelling with Spiti Ecosphere. Here was a corporation primarily based within the breathtaking Trans-Himalayan area, rooted in environmental and social affect, whereas financially sustaining their work.
It was every little thing 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 mountain climbing 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 marketing consultant, Instagrammer, speaker, creator, and most lately, sustainable tourism marketing consultant. I learnt to hustle, settle for rejection, compromise, compete, collaborate and battle again.
Each time I attempted one thing new and feared I used to be falling, I discovered refuge in poetess Erin Hansons’s phrases:
“There is freedom ready for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh however my darling,
What should you fly?”
Also learn: How I Managed to Pay of 26000$ of Student Loan: Candid Tips for Freelancers and Travel Bloggers
Feeling “not rich enough”
At first, I used to be naïve sufficient to work totally free for giant corporations, in change for the promise of ‘exposure.’ I learnt the exhausting approach that publicity would by no means pay my payments or assist me construct the form of future I wished.
So despite the fact that I dropped out of the company rat race, I tailored my learnings from my previous life. Gradually, as my revenue grew, so did my bills and ambitions. I employed my first worker, then the second, and shortly, I started dreaming of build up a content material empire. That’s once 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 workers 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.
In the years that adopted, I attempted to make simply sufficient cash to journey comfortably, whereas additionally with the ability to assist native companies, work on significant initiatives, 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 rich enough.’ If I had the form of cash a lot of my friends do, I might’ve preferred to purchase land, plant a local forest, develop my very own meals, and construct an upcycled home powered by renewables!
But who is aware of, possibly if I did have that form of cash, I’d be a completely totally different me with completely totally different goals.
Also learn: How I’m Funding My Adventures Around the World Through Travel Blogging
Reimagining the subsequent decade
Over the years, I discovered some kind of function within the transient excessive of the sensation of freedom and the enjoyment of pursuing work I liked, whereas sustaining myself financially.
But when the pandemic crushed each, fulfilment started to elude me.
After many months of introspection, I’m slowly starting to reimagine what this decade would possibly seem like for me.
I foresee delegating much more to a small staff 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 data and expertise, so I can work with tourism companies and locations to realize much-needed sustainability, animal welfare and local weather motion targets.
While the interior pursuit continues at its personal tempo, I hope to chase fulfilment by pursuing impactful work of a unique variety.
Also learn: Why Long Term Travel is Less Like Instagram and More Like Real Life
Is it price taking a 12 months off work to journey, or altogether quitting your job to journey?
I usually obtain Instagram DMs and emails from of us who’ve learn my e book or comply with my weblog. Should they give up their job to journey the world? They wish to know.
I’ve blended emotions.
On the one hand, I really feel like I owe every little thing – from my journey in the direction of minimalism to my option to go vegan – to the street. If there’s a greater trainer, we haven’t but crossed paths.
But on the opposite, journey at this time is so totally 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 buddy over at BreatheDreamGo lately identified, within the age of Instagram, journey feels extra like a efficiency than a deeply private act.
Ultimately, the query we should ask as an alternative is, can we bend the Instagram pattern, eke out a dwelling travelling in a approach that really fulfills us, and depart a optimistic affect on the locations and other people we meet alongside the way in which?
What’s your present standing of freedom, monetary sustenance and fulfilment like?
Also learn:
How to Quit Your Job and Travel the World?
How I Manage Visas on My Indian Passport As I Travel Around the Globe
How to Earn Money While Travelling
Welcome to my weblog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been referred to as a storyteller, author, photographer, digital nomad, instagrammer, social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism marketing consultant and environmentalist. But in my coronary heart, I’m only a woman who believes within the transformative energy of journey.