I've Got Places to Go

Originally written March 8, 2017

I have an announcement and it's pretty big/exciting/scary/crazy in the best way. Some of you reading this already know, but there are those of you who don't. SO. Here it goes. I'm writing you this from a crazy, surreal kind place. I gave my three months notice (better than two weeks, rights?)

Huh? What? Wait. Why give up such an amazing career? I need to discover who I am outside of the life I’ve always felt like I needed to live. I am blessed and beyond lucky, but I can't help but feel like I'm lacking the adventure that I seek at 26. I am so incredibly grateful for all that I have and I am the luckiest person that I know – to have the family, job, vacations, opportunities and life that do. However, I can’t ignore the ache that I feel despite the cards that I’ve been handed.

I want to travel. I want this badly. I have always wanted this. The ache is so strong in my heart, every day. I've tried to ignore it. I've tried to distract it. I've tried to deny it. I have failed on all accounts.

I love my current company and I intend to make a career there. I believe in it and see an incredible, challenging, exciting future for myself there. But I need this time – this travel – this ache in my heart – to be filled before I can be 100% sure. Before I can settle down and buckle in without any doubts that I’m missing out on something. I must leverage these years - I am young, I am single, I have enough money saved to get around for a while, and I am capable. There will never be a “better time” or a “convenient time.”

I am not naive to the struggles and burdens that will coming with traveling for a long amount of time. I will have days where I cry and miss home badly. I will have days where I think I’ve made a huge mistake. I will have bad days away just like I have bad days here. But that’s growth.

I recently shared a quote, "There are years that ask questions, and there are years that answer."

"When do you leave, where are you going, for how long?" I'm sure you have lots of questions. Heck! So do I! I promise I will keep you all updated as my plans pull together. Right now, I don't have all the answers. And you know what? I kind of love not having to know all the answers.

Things I do know: I'm going to travel the world. I'm going to write. I'm going to learn. I'm going to explore. I'm going to open my eyes, my mind and my heart to whatever it is that this gigantic beautiful world wants to offer me.

I'm going to allow myself to ask questions of myself that I don't know the answers to without fear or pressure or a timeline.

And then? And then I'm going to just ... let myself live my way into the answers.