Are you sitting at a desk, staring at a computer monitor and dreaming of traveling? Thinking about seeing your screen savers in real life? You aren’t alone. Mini retirements and gap years for adults are becoming more and more popular.
Here are ten reasons to take a career break and travel. Now.
Life seldom gets easier. If you have an opportunity to travel now, take it.
Why not? Do you have a real reason for not traveling, or are they all just excuses? Excuses are often just ways to justify your fear of doing what you really want to do.
Redefine success. Is success your car, your house, the stuff you own or your career? Didn’t think so. Get out there. Find out what success really is.
You’ll regret not going. Take the rocking chair test. When you’re 80 years old, and sitting in your rocking chair, will you regret not taking this step?
Kids grow so fast. Don’t waste the chance to create irreplaceable memories with them.
You’re here now. You can go now. You aren’t promised anything more than this moment.
You’ll see and do things you can hardly imagine. Watch an endangered leatherback turtle lay her eggs by moonlight, explore Hong Kong’s emerald harbor, see some of the last orangutans in the wild, visit ancient temples, swing on a zip line, or just relax by a beautiful beach. Get out there. Explore.
Break the routine. Does your life sometimes feel like groundhog day? The same alarm clock, the same conversations, the same people, the same food and the same sights? Change your perspective.
You can make the world a little bit better. Use your travels to volunteer somewhere else in the world.
Learn to dream again. Did you feel your heart lift a little when you read this list? Did you start to dream, and hope, just a little? Then go.
Travel doesn’t need to be expensive. You can take a career break for less than most people spent on their last vacation.
Bonus reason: Because you’re here now. You can go now. You aren’t promised anything more than this moment.
