I left my job. I’m selling my house. I’m going to travel.
I know it’s something we’ve all dreamed about and laughed about for years. It’s one of those, “Wish I could” musings that make the daily slog slightly more interesting. But every now and then someone actually has to do it, just to show we all still can.
I’ve always made good financial decisions. When I was in Jr. High, I earned $2,000 babysitting over two summers (going rate was $2 an hour!) and invested the money for college. I landed a job with the federal government at 21. I bought a house at 25. I’ve saved for retirement.
Leaving financial security and future stability does not seem wise. But it kinda seems fun. I realize that’s also how people get started in a life of crime, but I’m hoping for the best.
First thing: the job. I’ve worked for the Department of Commerce for 16 years, assisting companies in the healthcare and life science industry expand globally. I most recently returned from a 5 month stint in DC working in our headquarters office. It’s rare that you get a natural breakpoint in a career, but the detail allowed me to extract myself from projects and provided a natural and tidy wrap-up. It was the right time to do something different. I’m not sure if blow up your life and burn the ships different might have been a bit heavy handed, but here we are. I’ve always liked fire.
Next thing: the house. I have lived here for 13 years. I have a basement. You know what that means? So much stuff. I have a deeply sentimental streak and I don’t intend to abandon life in the U.S. forever, so it’s a balance of purging the old or paying for storage. And I hate paying for things. But so much stuff. And then the process of selling a house! Ahhhhh! And when it sells, you’re homeless. Which is the best case outcome. Which is kinda weird.
And then: the travel. I love traveling. I love new places and new people. I love learning history and the how and why things are that way. But this is a year. That’s a long time to be uprooted. I plan to leave in September, depending on when my house gets sold. I don’t have that part quite figured out yet, but I am a rather last minute traveler. Several years ago, I was going to Portugal for a few days. As I was waiting at SeaTac, realized I should probably find a place to sleep that night. So I did, downloaded directions from the airport, and boarded the plane. I’m not saying it’s the best way to travel, but I have yet to sleep under a bridge in a foreign country. There is always a first, however!
In the meantime, I’m packing up my house and thoroughly enjoying summer in Seattle. I’ve never been a stay-at-home person before — I highly recommend it!
Every now and then I stop and think, “What on earth have I done???” It’s both exciting and terrifying, but I doubt I’ll be bored. Sometimes the worst mistakes make for great adventures. If nothing else, this may just become the best story of my life. And I do like a good story.