“I want to see what the world has to offer, I’m an adventure seeker, and I want to experience new worldly things.” If that phrase does not resonate with you, or you’re a happy non-traveler than keep on keeping on and stay your happy self! However, if this phrase does relate to you in some small way then this post is for you! Most everyone at some point has felt there is more to see, discover or experience. We want to explore a few of our thoughts and perspectives on beginning the process of becoming open minded to what the world has to offer, and well… to go and explore it! We are not of the opinion that you need to drop everything, leave behind your family and friends, and become a “wandering Nomad” to see the world and what it has to offer (unless that is what you want to do of course – then go for it! We support you and your dreams). However, our focus and goals are on ways to make the most out of the time you have to travel, alongside pursing your professional passions.
Let’s establish a few beliefs we have that you may or may not agree with, so that you know where our thoughts are coming from. We do not advocate using any deceitful or misleading tactics when traveling away from work. As much as we all would like more time off to vacation, we do not advise or encourage trying to get out of work in a way that puts you or your business into an unfavorable situation. Utilize time wisely and effectively, with transparency. Secondly, we do not advise people taking on any large amount of debt. While small amounts can be useful when planning and paying for a trip, we are not of the mindset of putting yourself in a huge hole financially, even in the short term, for a vacation or trip. There are other ways to budget, save, and expense items rather than taking on large amounts of debt. Finally, we believe that no idea, adventure or place on earth is out of reach. Period. Many places may seem near impossible to get to, or too tough to plan, or not right at the moment, but we keep a very open and determined mindset that in the modern age, anywhere in the world is accessible to explore; you just have to put in the time and learn how to get there. There are some exceptions to this, such as traveling as tourists to places which are war torn or may be in a state of emergency. In those cases, we look at it more like an unfinished bridge than a non-existent pathway. It may just take some more time to become accessible. Always keep in mind that even when planning trips to destinations, ultimately these places are people’s homes, and that is first and foremost a journey to someone else’s country, state, wherever. Respect that every step of the way and embrace the culture.
At this point, some things may not add up. We don’t believe in taking on any debt, yet we believe you can do anything and go anywhere you set your mind to. And that’s a fair view. We both have professions that we very much so gain fulfillment out of, allows us to make a steady income in the DC Metropolitan area which we live, and allocates us the time off for vacation/traveling. Because of that, we are very lucky. But our outlook and thoughts are not solely formulated upon that situation. It is more about your mindset than your situation. What are your personal goals, life goals, and 5-10 years goals. If you are in a less-than ideal situation financially, than maybe you do need to put something like extensive travel on hold for a bit, and focus on smaller or more local adventures. But that does not necessarily mean that you can’t take the first step and break free from the “I Wish I Could Travel” mentality.
Have you ever sat down and just began putting together a trip or vacation, just for the fun of it? Have you ever taken a notepad and opened a map (google maps, not so much the atlas kind, unless that’s your thing) and just written down where you want to go, what you want to experience there, and what you realistically think it would cost? Taking the step from the “I Wish” to the “I Am” is a mindset. It’s the mindset that you cannot be hesitant or even scared to look the reality of what you want to do in the eye, and make that trip real. As soon as you write something down about that trip, it is real. And once you gather those facts and mark down days along the way, it is real. This is not saying you need to book a flight, pack a suitcase, and call out of work. What it is saying is that the first steps of getting out of your area, state, country, or mindset is to realize that the trips are all right there waiting to be created. There is no test you need to pass to begin planning a trip. There is no certification or approval from someone that is required for you to write down everything you want to do and everywhere you want to go. That is the truth, that is the reality. It takes time, motivation, and some creativity. All things that you have right in front of you, every single day. Yes, there are other factors and obstacles to consider when planning a large or expansive trip. Yes, timing and situations with work, family, etc. are going to vary and make you doubt things at times (trust us we’ve been there!). But you won’t experience the doubt in the moment of your adventure or the moment you take to plan your next excursion. Not in the moment when you outline that you want to sail across the English Channel. Not in the moment when you look up dates when groups leave to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. Not in the moment when you find the entrance to an amazing rainforest hiking trail leading to a pristine waterfall.
If you take only one thing from this post, take this – it’s never too late, too early, or too much of an inconvenient time to just create a bucket list and plan your next adventure. Whether it’s visiting a local hiking trail or traveling half way across the world, jot down your thoughts and ideas and start planning it out. Take the first step and plan the adventures that you’ve always dreamed of doing; you’re that much closer to making your dream a reality and to living #boundless 😊
With love,
D&K