7 REASONS WHY I HAVEN'T QUIT MY JOB TO TRAVEL THE WORLD

Like anyone who has the case of itchy feet, I've had fantasies of one day quitting my day job, hitting the road and never looking back. There are moments when I'm tempted to just pack up, leave, and live as a digital nomad. I am however, a fan of sabbaticals or gap years, but I won't be quitting my job anytime soon to travel forever and here are 7 reasons why I won't:

1. I need money to travel. Obviously. Let's be honest, we need money to travel, especially if there are creature comforts we can't live without. Sure, there are ways to earn while traveling like having online jobs, voluntourism, being an English teacher, working as a yoga instructor, being a day trader, etc. and I truly am amazed at how all these inspiring travelers do what they do. But it's not for everyone. It's certainly not for me. As an old adage say, "to each his own." I like having a steady income because of a few other items on this list. If I haven't lost you yet, read on! :)

2. I actually do like my day job. Advertising was my first passion before traveling took over. Despite it playing second fiddle nowadays, I still love the industry I'm in and I still get inspired by the work that people do, especially those who make it their life's work to make a difference in this world.

3. I have investments, not just bills, to pay. Call it being in a different life stage, but I do have responsibilities that I don't want to shirk on. It's called future-thinking. :) Yes, I do believe in living in the moment, but I also like to take steps in ensuring I have a relatively cushy fall pad when I'm older and having a plan for when unexpected things happen, i.e. me or loved ones getting seriously sick, unemployment, natural disasters ... basically everything that can turn our lives upside down.

4. I like having a steady homebase. I'm an avid believer of "home is where the heart is," and I've had my heart longing for places that I know I'll be able to live in after visiting them, but the truth is - it's tiring to always be on the move, no matter how slow your travel pace is. After a while, I find myself longing for the familiar comforts of home, the camaraderie of friends I've had for years, and even having a normal non-travel routine! I expect some people to recoil at the word "routine," but let's face it, even if we travel, there will always be some semblance of routine to our days: surf, suntan, eat, sleep, repeat. Or: sightsee, meet locals, drink, party, repeat. There's a reason why we repeat things: we are after all, creatures of habit.

5. I don't want traveling to turn into a JOB. First of all, I do respect those who travel for a living and it's awesome how they commit to this lifestyle 100%, I know it's not easy all the time. But again, it's not for everyone and it certainly isn’t for me. Traveling for me, has and always been a passion, a break from everything and everyone familiar, a reward for all those days of hard work. I prefer not to worry about what to write, what to post, what activity, hotel or tour operator to review, what to photograph, etc. to reel in or maintain an optimal percentage of readership to start earning from ads and pique the interest of the travel industry and community at large. Travel stories become content, must-sees/eats/dos become listicles, and followers become consumers. Personally, I feel it can all get contrived fast. I prefer not to worry about hits and followers, SEO, or when the next sponsorship will come. It sounds more and more like advertising and since I'm already a part of this industry, I do some of these in my current workplace and I don't want traveling to fall in the same bucket.

6. Forever's a long time to travel. A lot of things can happen, circumstances can change, zombies might attack humanity, the world can collapse, I might not live forever. :)

... and most importantly ....

7. I love being close to family. They're just 5 hours away, counting transfers and local flights. :) I have a two-year old nephew who's growing up so fast and I don't want to miss his first walk, his first day of school, his first prom, his first everything. I have a sister who's maturing so fast into her roles as wife, mother, career woman, that it's impossible to keep up with how she's blazing through life. I have parents who are growing older each day and I realize every day that we're living on borrowed time and that someday, our loved ones won't be there anymore and we should spend every possible opportunity we have with them. It's fantastic how interconnected we all are with technology and all, but it's not really the same as BEING THERE, isn't it? Nothing beats just physically SHOWING UP at the snap of a finger and being able to hug them, laugh with them, kiss them in person.

There's really no cure for this travel bug and I will travel as long as I am able to, at every possible opportunity the universe presents to me, but always on my own terms. As with everything, my lifestyle is my own choice; so don't quit your job to travel the world just because travel articles tell you to. Or quit. Don't listen to what I'm saying. Do as you wish. It's your choice, after all. :)

Happy travels! x

#selfdiscovery #listicles