We all make New Year’s resolutions we can’t keep. A drunken promise, a throw-away comment, a non-committal remark. We quickly forget the resolution made or struggle to stay true to the words uttered on the stroke of midnight.
So let’s forget talk of resolutions as the New Year approaches.
Instead, think about how you spent your time in 2014 and whether you achieved all that your heart desired. And if not, why not?
Did you spend your days chained to a desk dreaming of vibrant city getaways but the dream never became a reality? Did you research the road trip by campervan across Europe but it became too hard too fast and the trip never got off the ground? Did you contemplate a longer-term move abroad but the moment passed you by?
We dream and we wait. We prevaricate and we obfuscate. Time passes quickly and we grow old so fast. We are constantly restless – the urge to explore never goes away – but we’re caught up with our chores, commitments, careers, families… our lives.
The thought of travel or an international move remains a thought.
Life is too short and all too fleeting. We can’t have regrets. I reached my own personal milestone in December when I turned 40. They say life begins at 40 but it can’t be true because if life begins at 40, then everything that went before was a prelude.
And it wasn’t. Not for me.
Turning 40 did remind me how precious time is and why there is still so much of this planet left to explore. 2015 will be the year I commit to travel further.
So why not let 2015 be the year you make the decision to head overseas, to explore and to wander? Here are the reasons why you’ll know when it’s time to go.
You crave adventure.
The monotony of life leaves you feeling unfulfilled and empty on the inside. When you look back, you want little regret and many moments to feel proud of.
There are things you want to see and share. There is great risk and adventure to be experienced by setting foot beyond your comfort zone. You want to appreciate the “here and now”, enjoy every minute, find and try new things, taste, learn, listen and love.
Travel will give you this and more. It will let you live life to the fullest, not watch it pass on by.
You have to find yourself.
It may sound like a cliche but travel and life abroad is the ultimate experience for helping you find yourself. Nothing beats the survival instinct that kicks in when you wander off a beaten trail or lose yourself among the strangers of some vast continent.
Travel allows you to step away from everything that is familiar and gives you the room to breathe, to reflect, to consider and to assess what is important to you.
Travel lets you find out who you really are.
You need to satisfy your curiosity.
You are endlessly curious and there is always more for you to learn. What is it like to live among a foreign culture? What are the people like? Are the sights as impressive as they seem in every book you devour?
You need to put yourself out there and experience new, unusual situations. You need to travel beyond your local borders to see and appreciate other people’s perspectives.
You need to be shown what else is out there.
You finally realised it’s not about the money.
Too many times travel is considered expensive and unaffordable. You put it off for long enough but a life abroad doesn’t have to cost the earth. You don’t need to travel first class or stay in the finest accommodation.
Think outside the box and consider your longer-term goals. How many weeks or months do you plan to be away for? Where will you visit or choose to live? Is this a permanent move?
Work back from those end goals and come up with a plan that doesn’t break the bank.
You can’t have regrets.
You cherish where you’re from but you know there’s more to life. Family will disapprove if you go, your departure will be upsetting and you do love them dearly. Your emotions are in a state of upheaval and you’re unsure what to do.
You are torn.
It’s stressful to be where you are right now but it’s also clear something has to change. Is it worth crossing your fingers, hoping for the best, and jumping headfirst into the unknown? Of course it is.
Don’t hold back or make excuses. Face your fears head on and wait no more.
It’s all going to be worth it.
Travel, expat life, an overseas excursion… call it what you will. These things may bring upset, financial stress, uncertainty and unease. You may hate it. You might resent a loved one for pushing you to go. You could regret leaving.
But you probably won’t.
Over time, you realise that these issues aren’t issues unless you choose to let them become so. What matters is the journey to get where you’re going and the outcome once you get there.
The control you now have over your life’s direction. The emphasis on what matters most to you. The opportunities coming your way if you stay the course. The life you’ve always wanted.
It’s time to go. Let 2015 be the year you do it.
Its never been about the money, however, I just cannot save enough to do anything at all. I turn 25 this year. And I don’t even have a car in my name. I’ve never really left where I’m from.
But I know that I want to travel. And see the world.
I just don’t know where to start.
I’ve been on my own since I was 17. But I am tired of it. I just want to escape and break free from the world society builds around you.
But I don’t know how to take that first step.
It’s tricky because to travel anywhere costs something but there are cheaper options – budget flights, hostels, low cost excursions, working visas. Start small then build up – travel further in your neck of the woods, explore parts you haven’t seen before. I’ve found that saving is key – for me, it was about giving up something else in order to prioritise my travel budget. And small steps lead to bigger things over time. It might seem daunting at first but every small step gets you closer to the end goal. Sometimes the first steps are the hardest…
It’s the adventure part that gets me. It burns inside until I have to act on it. Great post!
I backpack all over the world even though I am retired. I run into a lot of European kids who work for 6 months, then travel for 6 months. This is especially popular in Australia and New Zealand. I heard the minimum wage there is about A$20. You can work on the farm, restaurants, hotels,etc. I think they have a youth exchange visa program with the US so you should be able to work there legally. When you travel, you can stay in hostels, where you might be able to get a bed in a 6-bed room for less than $20. Go to http://www.hostelworld.com to check out the hostels.
In NZ, I traveled with a company called Stray Bus. They go all over NZ and do all the crazy things that Kiwis do. They have a similar operation in Southeast Asia.
You can also teach English and live in a foreign country. Check out this website: http://www.tefl.com and learn more.
Unfortunately, American youths nowadays are so afraid to travel overseas. Just step out and do it. You will enjoy traveling and meeting new people.
Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this information, Meng. Useful for folks reading this post. As long as you’ve planned well, there’s no reason you shouldn’t go for it and travel a while. I think that meeting people and experiencing language and culture unlike your own is incredible in itself. Cheers!
All so true and well said Russell. The hardest lesson I learned in coming home from living overseas is that beyond a few minutes of polite chatter, how little most people were interested in my experiences. In the era of 5 second sound byte, perhaps most people are too multi-tasked and tired to take much more listening. Thanks for an insightful site!
That’s an important point, Michael. I found the same thing when I returned home for an extended visit last summer. Maybe your new life is too hard to comprehend or, as you say, people are too preoccupied with life. I also experienced the polite chatter and eyes glazing over!
I have seen the same look, Russell. I have learned too that not everyone wants to relive my seemingly carefree days traipsing across the globe, while they were busy working and paying a mortgage. My posts now are less about all the great things I have been fortunate enough to see, but more about the beauty that exists out there and inspiring people to respect and appreciate it even if they never get to see it in person. The same reason I read my National Geographic cover to cover every month.
Feel free to share the link to your blog here. Would be keen to read some of the posts, especially the angle you’ve taken (which, by the way, I think is a good one).
Always happy to share stories and ideas. My blog is http://traveltheworldover.org which also connects to my travel photography site on WordPress. Thanks again Russell…
I’ve just been back to Melbourne for 2 weeks and it’s so true…life moves on and I’ll probably never go ‘back’…the world has become a different place for me since I left 11 years ago and sometimes it takes a glimpse of what went before to realise how far you’ve come. Great article and congrats on The Huffington Post ‘appearance’ too!
For the adventure. Yes. Thanks for reminding me.
Anytime. Thanks for sharing.
I think we’re on a similar trajectory – more than 11 years away and I had the same experience in the UK (in fact, at times I didn’t recognise the place). But I think you must be probably suffering from the ‘Kylie’ factor. I can’t see her returning permanently any time soon 😉 Thanks too re. your final point!
Hi Russell, Great blog. it really inspired to take that plunge this year. Being 40 myself I am curious, do you stay at hostels, youth hostels or hotels. And if at Hotels how do you find the process of meeting people (as I will be going on my own.)
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Russell, I couldn’t agree more. Whether you take the epic round the world trip or just decide to go somewhere new and experience new things, travel seems to do something to you. At least in my case. I am a little older than you and I still travel out of curiosity, adventure and the overall experience of meeting new people and experiencing new cultures.
Thanks John.
And the best part is that the wanderlust doesn’t necessarily leave you as you grow older. In fact, it can grow stronger! I’d agree that the benefit of travel for me is all of those things you mention above. Thanks!
Travel lets you find out who you really are.–Its True!!!!!
Yes it does!