It seems that these days we are constantly being told that we need to quit our jobs, sell everything we own, and travel the world to truly be fulfilled. To that I say NOPE! I really don’t think you have to quit your job to travel. We can be fulfilled so many other ways.
For me that’s by having a steady life to come back to. I love having my bed to come home to sleep in, my same neighbors to have a chat with, my local grocery stores to shop at and my favorite restaurants that I crave.
While I’m sure that handing in our two weeks notice to travel the world is something that many people dream of, it’s totally okay if that’s not what you desire, or can afford!
Maybe traveling yearly isn’t feasible for you, while some would rather have that take out cup of coffee everyday, or spend their money on other things (maybe a house, a new business, a hobby, or paying off debt).
Not everyone feels the urge to fly the coop and live out of a suitcase, and that’s perfectly fine!
You don’t need to quit your job to travel the world.
There are so many ways to travel without having to quit your job to do it.
Myself for instance. I work full time as a nanny and I absolutely love it! I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. Maybe one day I’ll want to travel more frequently, but for the time being I’m very happy to work full time and use any opportunity to explore that I can!
Table of Contents
Why You Don’t Need To Quit Your Job To Travel The World
Not All Jobs Offer Remote Work.
And for the ones that do, will you be able to motivate yourself to get to work when you’d rather be exploring?!
Working in an office where you have a schedule to follow and bosses to check in on you is one thing, but motivating yourself to get to work can be REALLY hard. Lots of jobs that offer remote work still require you to work a certain number of hours daily. It’s hard to spend your days exploring and evenings creating content around those travels when you have to fit in those other work hours. Maybe you even need to work a set schedule daily.
Or, maybe you actually like working in office, seeing those same co-workers everyday. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to give that up!
Travel Isn’t Cheap.
No matter what, if you’re going to be traveling, you’re going to end up spending some of your hard earned money. And depending on the location, you may be spending extortionate amounts. For me, a dream trip is always worth the money, but I need to make sure I’m saving up enough money beforehand. I couldn’t afford a trip to Antarctica tomorrow. For me, that trip would take a few years of serious saving.
Not everyone can afford a nomadic lifestyle. Chances are that unless you’ve been saving up all those pennies (do pennies even exist anywhere anymore?), you most likely won’t be able to just quit your job to travel.
And then, if you did quit your job to travel, how long will that be sustainable for? When will your money run out? These are questions you have to think about before deciding to up and quit your job. Can you afford to travel without having a job to go back to?
Not Everyone Can Handle Living Out Of A Suitcase (Long Term Travel).
The thing I dislike most about traveling (aside from jetlag and long haul flights) is having a messy suitcase. I’m the type who never unpacks my things while traveling, so my suitcase is a giant mess. I never know what I’ve worn already, what’s clean, or what needs washing.
I love coming back home at the end of a trip, doing all the laundry, and putting everything away back into the proper places. #Orderandorganization
I’ve never spent time doing long term travel. I’ve always had a home base to return to. And I love that. While I’d love to try long term travel one day, I really do enjoy having the same bed to come home to. I think that being on the move nonstop would wear me out, and make me crave returning home.
And maybe its the same for you! It drives me nuts hearing influencers or bloggers say that the only way to know a place is by spending significant time there. Sometimes knowing a place is a feeling, a connection. Not knowing every secret it holds gives us an excuse to go back.
There are so many different travel styles, long term travel doesn’t have to be the only way to see the world.
Use Those Vacation Days.
Most full time Canadian workers get 10 days of paid vacation time. I wrote about this in my post How To Have A Steady Job and Travel, but we need to use our vacation days!
26% of Canadians aren’t using their PAID VACATION TIME each year because of having too much work to do. Maybe if we use our vacation days and leave the office behind we wouldn’t be so burned out all the time, making us want to quit our jobs to travel the world 😉
I know this is easier said than done, I really do, but I think we need to encourage each other to take time off and just live. Just live and let the stress stay at work for a bit. I really think the human population as a whole would be happier.
Maybe You Don’t Want To Travel.
I know quite a few people who can happily stay in their small hometown for their entire lives and never leave. They simply don’t want to. Travel is not a priority for everyone. Some people would rather plant roots then fly to other places.
And that’s okay!
Remember. While quitting your job to travel the world is often portrayed as a glamorous way to feel fulfilled, successful, and happy, you do not have to do the same. Live your life as you want. Do what makes you happy. And you’ll find yourself feeling fulfilled.
