Without sounding too much like a Hallmark movie, on paper, my Managing Editor role at a small publishing company was perfect. I was in the senior management team, editing a national magazine, lead a fantastic team of people, the pay was great, hours were flexible and I gained a great reputation in the industries we covered. But I was comfy, and growth rarely occurs in your comfort zone.
So, after seven and a half years – which was most of my twenties – I have resigned and booked a four-month trip around Europe. What’s going to happen after, I have no idea, and that’s the fun part.
There’s a quote from British entrepreneur and host of The Diary of a CEO podcast, Steven Bartlett, that says, “The only choice you have is to live authentically. The cost of living an inauthentic life is too great – trust me, it’s not worth it.”
He goes on to say that when you pursue an identity that isn’t true to yourself, you can become your last accomplishment – typically the thing in your bio – and when you do, you can end up feeling lost and lacking purpose.
He suggests resisting labels and thinking about the things you like and are interested in, then adding as many of these elements into your life as you can, which, “Is how you get close to your happiness.”
For me, those elements are travel, writing and creating content, and connecting with people. Sure, I could have committed to more weekends away, started a side hustle, or even just taken extended leave from my job, but I’ve decided to embrace the opportunities that come with big change.
I think that once you remove the monotony and distractions of everyday life; bills, work, grocery shopping, Netflix, you start to get to know yourself a bit better and find out what you’re truly curious about. This sentiment doesn’t have to mean that every trip you take is some sort of life-changing experience. Sometimes, just navigating your way in an unfamiliar country, overcoming language barriers, experiencing different cultures, or seeing some of the amazing natural landscapes around the world, is enough to make people a bit more patient, empathic or considerate, and that’s never a bad thing.
Given the current cost of living crisis and the rising prices of flights and accommodation, this might not seem like the smartest move, perhaps more idealistic than logical. But there’s never going to be a perfect time and I’m very privileged to be in a position to do this now. Besides, that’s what I’m searching for – uncertainty, challenges, and prioritising fun and enjoyment over stress.
Like a lot of young people, I’ve realised that working a 9-5 Monday to Friday, and only having two days out of your week to do what you enjoy, may no longer be the ideal to strive for. The COVID pandemic bought work/life balance to the forefront and highlighted how small pleasures in life should actually be the goal.
I could say that this is all happening now due to recently turning 30, or Melbourne having gone through the longest lockdowns in the world, or reaching long service at my job (it’s rare for my generation to stay at one place for so long), but it’s mostly because of the hard-to-ignore feeling that there is something else out there that I should be doing.
For me, this trip, and that travel feeling, is the start of really listening to myself and following something I’m curious and excited about. I’m going to chase new adventures and adopt the mindset of valuing experiences and romanticising life, and I hope you’ll follow along with me.