“In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take”

As i’m just about to embark on another journey to far away seas and pastures new, i’m reminded of the one thing that people say when they learn of my plans to skip off into the unknown sunsets, and all alone no less!

‘THAT SOUNDS BOSS/SOUND/AMAZING/UNREAL – I WISH I COULD DO IT”

I usually ask: ‘”What’s stopping you? To which I receive varying degrees of a few answers……..

1 – Isn’t it dangerous? Especially on your own as a woman? 

Well obviously you’re not going to be booking a flight to Baghdad or Syria right now, but there are actually very few inhospitable places in the world, and the list of out of this world, incredibly beautiful and interesting places is massively long, so there’s plenty of choices to hit the road. I usually remind people that bad things can happen in any country and if you look closely enough i’m pretty sure they are happening on your doorstep too.

2. I don’t have the money to travel.

Ok i’m not saying that this isn’t true for some people, but realistically wouldn’t it be better to say “I chose to spend my money on lots of ‘stuff’ and now I don’t have the money to travel” Basically we choose what to value, sometimes consciously or unconsciously. People of all ages have absolutely no problem spending money on luxuries each week. My luxury comes from meaningful experiences.

3. I like it at home

Yep, me too. But i’m not afraid of new experiences and change and of course it can be nerve wracking and a bit scary to venture off into the unknown, but its easily overcome. Only a fraction of people will be brave enough to do it, the rest will stay in their culture of comfort, it’s their loss, don’t allow it to be yours.

4. I can’t i’ve just got a new job, new boyfriend, new kitchen or ‘i’ll do it when i retire’

Delayed gratification is dangerous as it can be an excuse for not living the life you want. Staying 40 years in the same sort of job just so you can retire and then enjoy your life, makes absolutely no sense at all to me. The time for living is always now, often people have downsized their dreams by the time they get to retirement age.

So you’ve realised that your excuses for not living your dreams are pretty lame, a few things to ask yourself:

Does my work fulfill me, does it meet my needs and do I feel satisfied in my job? If  your work is aligned with your goals then great, if it isnt then maybe it’s time to make a change

When you have been away before, what did you learn? Do you think you could learn more with future travel? In my experience, the more you travel the more you learn

Travel is not nearly as expensive as people think it is so you should be asking yourself what your financial priorities are.

If you don’t know the answer, dig out your bank statements, see where most of your money is going, give yourself a shock and add it up. If you have decided that it’s time to value your experiences more than stuff then it might be time to make a few changes.

Happy travelling wanderlust!