6 Challenging Sacrifices of a Life of Travel (Know Before You Go)

Read almost any travel blog, including our own and you are going to hear constant talk of the benefits of a life of travel.

But at what cost?

There is nothing you do in life that does not involve some sort of sacrifice and there are many sacrifices that come with a life of travel.

A lot of these are minuscule and can evaporate without a second thought once you step into that great unknown.

Some of them, however, are a little harder to make and bear and quite often can be the very thing that prevents people from travelling in the first place.

6 Sacrifices of a Life of Travel

Cemetery Beach in the Grand Caymans

1. Leaving Family behind

You grow up in a particular family environment, you get married, move a couple of blocks or maybe neighborhoods away from your family home, have kids and start the cycle again.

This is the traditional way of living, which in today’s 21st century is not becoming so traditional anymore.

Living a life of travel means foregoing this cultural expectation and leaving your family behind. For som,e this is too hard to take and so they don’t spread their wings and fly, others have their wings clipped by those who don’t want them to leave.

Since 1995 when my brother, Stilts, left to go overseas, I have seen him about once every two years. Since I left in 97, I have seen my sisters and parents about the same frequency.

Because we rarely see each other, when we do, our moments are filled with love, laughter, encouragement and good times. Spending months, or possibly years apart from your family does not mean that it spells the end of your relationship.

It can strengthen it in many ways.

We were lucky enough to be able to spend time with Craig’s sister almost every year we were away. We would meet up somewhere in the world. We have so many great memories of that. We also have the same experiences with our parents.

Quality will always trump over quantity.

You might be at home living near your family, but are you really creating memorable experiences every day?

2. Leaving wonderful friendships

So many people cling to their friendships like they would to a piece of drift wood in the middle of a stormy sea. They see their friendships as defining who they are and without them they have nothing.

When you live a life of travel, you will leave many friends behind. This can be really tough to take. Your friends probably understand you more than your family do.

How can you ever live without them? How can the life that you know it together ever be the same without you in it?

Once you start travelling, you realize the world is so big and you are capable of loving and having friendships with many different people. You will find friends from all walks of life and you will rejoice in it.

There will be some friendships that will fade away in the distance as you will lose that common bond. You will still have your best friends though, the friends whose bond you share is so strong nothing will tear it apart.

I am so happy and content with having those friends in my life. I come and go but each time I come it is like I never left and I love them all the same.

I have some friends whose common bond I share is a travel one. I could see them and speak to them once a year and it would be like it was yesterday.

Time and distance cannot destroy true friendships it can only strengthen them in different ways.

I talk more about the concept of forever friends and socialisation when traveling with kids in this post.

3. Foregoing a Career

Coming back last year to Australia to teach again has taught me how much living a life of travel has really put a hamper in my “career” path.

I suddenly discovered that my qualifications were no longer considered worthy and I was going to be shut out of teaching in Australia.

The powers to be didn’t even want to look at the experience I had teaching in 5 countries, which included leadership positions.

I now am treated as a first year teacher but get paid on a slightly higher level- five years, wiping out 9 years experience.

A life of travel can get in the way of building up job experience and climbing that ladder.

But, if truth be known, I don’t really care about a career of teaching. I now care about living my passion and having a wealth of life experiences over job experiences.

The experiences I have had teaching around the world have made me a much better teacher, even though stupid executives in suits can’t look beyond their red tape to see this.

The skills I have learned from travelling make me much more able to take on new job and business opportunities.

4. Letting go of possessions and making cutbacks

Craig and I often think how rich we would be if we never went travelling. It looks and sounds great for about five minutes and then we think of all we have spent our money on; all the experiences, the countries, the friends, the laughter, the joy, the lessons.

There will never be any materialistic possession that will never equate to this.

Aqua Dome thermal spa Otztal Austria (1)
A spa with a view!

You will have to come to terms with this sacrifice when it comes time to travel. You will have to make cutbacks when you are saving to travel, and you will make cutbacks when you are on the road.

This can really hurt.

Who doesn’t want nice things? You have to weigh the sacrifice up with what you will get in return for it.

Your travels will take all your money and savings, you won’t have anything tangible to show for it at the end, except for some awesome photos. But, you will have a lot of incredible memories.

Which one gives you more meaning, which one can you take with you at the end?

Living a life of travel has taught me to give up my need for materialistic things. I can walk away from it in an instance, as I know it does not matter.

I really don’t own anything any more, and I am quite happy with that.

I spoke about this in my recent post on learning lessons from not winning the Mummy blog competition which would have resulted in me getting a brand new car.

I really didn’t want the car as it was going to get in the way of my travels. I understood what was the bigger reward.

5. Forgetting the Home Ownership dream

I think about buying property again, and then it passes by quite quickly. I know what can come with ownership, mortgage, bills, stress, limitations. I’d much rather have my life of freedom on the road.

This sacrifice does not always come with travel. You can travel while still owning a home.

You can rent it out and have someone else pay the mortgage for you. Craig and I did that for five years with two properties. It worked out really well for us.

And then we returned home to a “normal” life, couldn’t handle the loss of our life on the road, made some seriously stupid mistakes which came at a bad economic time, and lost a lot of what we had built.

Sometimes I wonder whether the sacrifice of travel caught up with us in the end, but I don’t think so. I think you can do both.

It only stopped working for us when we stopped doing what we loved.

6. Giving up some cultural ideas

When you leave your culture to travel the world you are in some parts leaving all this behind. You think you will always hold true to your culture and that it will always remain the best in the world, but you will change, adapt to and take on the thoughts and beliefs of other cultures.

You will be sacrificing some of your own cultural ideals.

This can be at times hard to take, especially when you return home and are left with many feelings of not being able to fit in anymore, and of being somewhat of a traitor. (yes, don’t worry people won’t be shy in dropping comments to make you feel like you are)

But, if you feel like these new beliefs are now part of who you are and it works best for you then ignore them.

There is nothing wrong with changing your view point on things. Its called evolution. Life can’t move forward with out change and usually it is for the better.

Why wouldn’t you want to grow for the better?

It doesn’t mean you love your culture any less, you just might love others just as much. Just like a mother who has a second child, she understands she is capable of loving on infinite multi- dimensional levels.

So you see the rewards really do outweigh the sacrifices. You’ve just got to change your thinking on it.

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What sacrifices have you found the most difficult for your life of travel?

56 thoughts on “6 Challenging Sacrifices of a Life of Travel (Know Before You Go)”

  1. wow I really enjoyed reading this. It makes me happy to know that I’m not the only one that has no interest in living a 9-5 existence! I’m just starting out, have been on the road more or less since 2007. Just trying to crack how to earn enough without having to go back to England and work shitty jobs!! Getting there.. Thanks again 🙂 http://www.anyroad.net

    1. No worries Sam! I just can’t deal with a 9-5 existence. Give me six months and I’m itching to get out and back on the road. That is why we have always done working holiday extended travels. The working part covers us financially, but it makes the 9-5 not mundane as we every day is an adventure and we are out exploring every spare chance we get.

  2. So funny seeing this just now, as I touched on some similar subjects in a post I published today about why Americans don’t use their vacation days, and thus don’t travel. For me, the sacrifices have ALWAYS far outweighed any of the frustrations or issues faced when traveling. Not only that, but the sacrifices you mentioned, travel often makes me embrace those elements better. Travel has made me a better worker, friend, and local. Great write-up!

    1. I agree. Travel has made me a far better person. This in itself makes all the sacrifices so worthwhile. I could never have grown as much as I have without it.

  3. Roy | Cruisesurfingz

    Fantastic post. There are indeed huge sacrifices for travel. But as long as the pluses outweigh the minuses, it’s all good.

  4. Beautiful post Caz. I sometimes think that we a couple of kindred spirits. We have so many of the same thoughts. I can relate to so much of what you said. Being home now, we are really cherishing our time with family. We all make time for the little things like playing games or going for a walk. Being away, brings us closer together when we are together.
    We also can relate to the finances & material possessions and home ownership. We were just talking with my brother the other day about what our house would have been worth now had we kept it. Sure, it would be worth a lot more, but imagine the money we would have spent in upkeep and the time we would have had to put into jobs that we didn’t love to afford it. We wouldn’t change these last few years for anything.
    While we are looking forward to having our own space in the near future, we are happy that we are doing it on our own terms. We now don’t have to have a home in Toronto because it is close to work. We can own a home anywhere. We are finally living that “location independent” lifestyle that we had heard about a couple of years ago, but had no idea what it meant.
    This life isn’t for everyone, but for us we wouldn’t have it any other way.

    1. I love the idea of owning and having a home anywhere. That is true freedom and I also couldn’t live any other way. I’ve tried it and it just does not work for me. A lot of people don’t realize just how much time and money home ownership, or ownership of anything material will take from you. The more you own the more you become a slave to it, and what you really want to do with your life tends to be overshadowed by the demands of keeping your stuff. I have another post about this idea coming out next week.
      I think we are kindred spirits!

  5. The comments contained in this article and the sacrifices described are exactly THE OPPOSITE of what I argue for in my blog on the On The Other Guys Dime. I have spent the last few years of my life arguing that you do NOT have to sacrifice home/family/job/finances/friendships in order to lead a life of travel, if you know how to do it. My wife and I have been on 15 separate “working vacations,” short-term overseas postings, lasting from 1 to 8 months, never once giving up my day job and never once reaching too deeply into my own wallet. Why do people think that you have to behave like “Under The Tuscan Sun” or “Eat, Pray, Love” and sell the house, put the dog in the kennel, and take off for years to really have a cultural travel experience. You can have that same experience by taking a temporary leave from your current position, travel during summer vacation (if you are an academic), use your sabbatical, close up the store (if you are self-employed) or wait until retirment. But even one or two months living and working overseas can be a marvelous and transformative experience. And, the nice thing is that when the posting is over, you return to your job, home, friends, and family. My wife and I have lived from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turkey to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. Read about it in my blog. And don’t think only of sacrifice to achieve a life of travel. There are other ways to do it.

    1. i agree with what you are saying and I was trying to get that across in the post. We’ve been living and travelling around the world now since 97 and I don’t see any of these being a sacrifice. But, many people do, and I think it is a fair fear for them. What I want to do instead of saying these are not sacrifices, is acknowledge that they are (you cannot get anything in life without giving something up first) and then allow them to see how you can change your thinking on them to look instead at the positive rewards. In doing so, you can clearly see that the reward outweigh the benefits. When people can clearly see this, then the decision to travel becomes an easy one.
      I’m hoping that people will now instead of saying “I can’t do this because I don’t want to……” they will instead say “I can do this, even though ……. might happen, I know that I will gain ………. as a result”

  6. Such a great post and something I really needed to read in light of what I’ve been feeling lately. It’s been almost 18 months since I came to Australia and I’ve found myself missing family and friends more than ever, and it’s emphasized by some events like deaths and birth that I’m missing. But what you say about relationships is really true. Love can stretch across all distances, but you have to believe that it can and learn how to keep the connection going.

    1. You have moments in your travels when you really miss your family and friends. This is really normal, especially when big events happen. I think I missed all my friends weddings except my best friend. I think you have to come to an understanding with yourself that this is okay. it doesn’t mean you love each other less and you have to do what makes you the happiest. For some this will mean returning home, for others accepting that you will have to give up some things in order to do what you really love. You can definitely find a way to keep the connection going.

  7. You’re right, there are a lot of things that we miss as long-term travelers. The hardest for me has been not being able to maintain a strong bond with the majority of my friends… because they’re not involved in my day-to-day life, I find myself constantly making big, life-changing decisions for myself without having anyone to bounce things off of. That’s pretty hard.

    1. This must be pretty hard. I’ve always been the type of person who never really did this anyway, so I can’t really relate to, but I can just imagine how if you like to do this it would be difficult to not have them around to bounce your ideas off anymore. I have Craig to do that with too, which makes a difference. I guess one positive way you can look at it is that it is forcing you to believe more in yourself and your own ability to make the best decisions for yourself.

  8. Really good article, I am getting closer to leaving everything behind also and this was all good info to me. Can’t wait to be on the road. I’m now saving for the next year before getting on the road. Moving out of my 3 room appartment to renting a single room at friends and I am actually finishing to be selling most of my stuffs, my apartment fells empty, but my excitement is growing stonger. Two weeks to go and most of my stuff will be gone and I’m moving in smaller spaces. It’s a first step to detachment of my actual life.

    Thanks again.

    1. Awesome Norm! you have a wild adventure ahead of you. Small steps are needed to detach yourself from your actual life. It is a huge thing to do as it is so unlike what we have grown up being told is normal. It is amazing how liberating it feels to own nothing but what you carry around on your back. Frees you up to enjoy and think about so many other wonderful things life has to offer. No more junk cluttering up your head space and time.

  9. I don’t have a strong drive to travel for long periods, but our family close by and close emotionally is definitely one massive for the “con” list if I did. We do have quality and quantity time and growing up without an extended family I saw regularly I really value giving this to my kids. I don’t think we are an anomaly either! So we travel for short bursts, more often than not with members of the family, we went away three times last year, once with both sets of parents and once with one set of siblings with same age kids. I fully agree you must strive to make memories and keep life interesting not get complacent in the day to day drudge.

    1. Everyone has to find the way of travel that best suits their lifestyle and their desires. There is no one best way to travel, it is all about what is best for you.

  10. I have now missed two Christmases in a row. It was definitely difficult for my family to understand. But I believe you can still be close with family if you don’t see each other frequently and miss out on some of your family traditions.

    1. It’s always hardest when you miss big events and traditions. You learn though that you can make any family time just as special no matter when it is.

  11. What a thoughtful post. Great. Some of the things you talk about relate to being an expat too…..actually, not sure where the line is drawn between expat and a long term stay…….that missing of friends and family being the most prominent one. In your case you have to remember that you are traveling together, which makes up for missing other people I think. In all the years I have been away from England I’ve missed nothing at all, nothing that was specifically English that is. Living in a climate which is so much better than UK I found that friends and family, for the most part, were only too eager to come visit, and, like you, found that less time meant better quality time.

    I appreciate all the arguments in favor of long term travel, and have no doubts that it’s in my own future, but I have a question for you. What happens when your children want to go to university/further education? In my case both my sons chose to go, not to the UK nor to Spain, but to third countries, which I thought was great (I really do see them both as citizens of the world, not of just one mindset), but the cost has to be considered. At that time I hadn’t downsized, in fact, it was one of the things which propelled it. I needed the money from the sale of my house to pay for their education. OK so my lifestyle was expat, so not entirely “conventional” but I did have the equity in the house from having worked etc in the 9 to 5 to do that. My alternative would, of course, have been to remortgage, but the empty nest was my signal to move on anyway. So my question is, how about planning financially for your future when you travel so much? Maybe that’s a whole other post? Or maybe it’s too personal, in which case, apologies, I’m not looking for details of your income so much as ideas for other people with kids looking to travel?

    1. I guess I have never thought about the university thing. In Australia the government can help you with paying for it, which is what I did. My parents didn’t pay for it for me. I think you can still find ways to plan financially for your future while travelling That is what we are doing now with our business. We plan to grow and expand so that our financial future will be covered. Each persons’ situation is different and you need to figure out what is best for your situation and how you can best plan for these sorts of things.

      1. Ah. That’s lucky. My parents only paid a very small fraction of mine too, but things had changed in UK by the time my son was ready to go. In a way it was good, because it worked out that it was no cheaper to go to UK than to go to a third country, so he opted to go to the US for the experience of living elsewhere, which was, of course, really good for him.

        1. If it is no cheaper to go to your home country than overseas then i would go overseas. We would love for Kalyra to go to an American college. We’ll have to work on getting her sponsored. Hopefully she is an athlete like her dad- looks promising so far

          1. I would obviously depend on the home country, but it certainly worked out that way for Guy. The only downside was that I saw less of him in the (eventually) 7 years he lived in the US. Popping over to the UK from here would have been cheap and easy. Outside of Europe it’s much more expensive for us. We didn’t know anything about sponsoring back than so it was a combination of the ex and I paying half each and Guy getting what jobs he could. He was only allowed officially to work on campus, because he had no green card, of course, but he worked in the book store eventual
            ly, which he loved!

  12. I just recently write a post about something similar-more about my fears of travelling long term and what I was leaving behind. But like you said about friends and family-the bond you have with them, grows even stronger when you are away. Making the times you do see them even more worthwhile and enjoyable. You are not taking them for granted.

    I agree about having a mortgage and still being able to travel. We currently are renting out an apartment we own-and we wanted travel enough so we made it work for us-sure more saving up, because we knew we would have some costs for the unit, but long term travel is still possible!

    1. You can definitely make it work. What better way to own a house then to have someone else pay it off for you while you travel the world

  13. All to often people that I talk to come up with all kinds of excuses why they can’t travel. The one I hear most often is the “I don’t want to leave my friends behind”, they always fail to realise there are 6 billion people on this planet, and when you travel its quite easy to make new friends. Skype/email/chat works find for me to stay in touch with friends back home.

    Most of the people around me have also bought a house, but I decided a few years ago I would stay far away from that. I have been renting a room for the past 3 years, its cheap and small. But it saves money, and I can leave tomorrow if I wanted to.

    Not having your own house, and not seeing your friends so often is definitely a small sacrifice to make for all the great memories you get back from travelling 🙂

    1. I love the freedom that comes with “I can leave tomorrow if I wanted to” I think you have to apply this thinking to your friends as well. Just because you leave them for awhile doesn’t mean you friendship is over or they’ll stop loving you. And if they do then you probably didn’t have the true bond of friendship. You cannot let other people define your life.
      As you say there are 6 billion people wanting to be your friend. It makes life so rich!
      I’d take my travel memories over 10 houses any day

  14. This post really spoke to me in a lot of ways. I can relate to everything you talked about here, Caz. I guess I wasn’t even aware of some of these items functioning in my life, but they are certainly defining characteristics. I don’t see them as limitations either. It might mean that you are in oddball within certain groups of people that are in your life (old friends, your parents’ friends, family) but I’ve never thought that’s a bad thing.

    1. I don’t think being an oddball is a bad thing either. It’s only bad when you don’t walk the path you want to walk. So many people will never understand your choices, but its not really their place to understand them. Thanks for appreciating the post!

  15. Caz, thanks for this amazing post. I’m about to embark on my own version of an around-the-world, and I’d already been thinking about what I might be missing out. Your article only highlighted various aspects of long-term travel which, oddly enough, I’d already begun to accept. I’ve lived in four different countries in the past decade, and your point about “cultural” sacrifices rang very true. However, despite my traitorous leanings and the heretical things I say, I still wouldn’t trade anything for the experiences I’ve gained. I guess I simply want more, out on the road. Thanks again, Caz!

    1. Thank you for your kind comment Henry, I think the cultural sacrifices are some of the hardest to deal with. It is like losing a big part of yourself and you have to learn to let it go and those negative feelings that come with not appreciating certain parts of your culture any more. I definitely want more out on the road too. That is where my joy lies. I hope you have a fantastic rtw

  16. Hi Caz, Definitely inspiring. Although do you know anyone who’s done this with kids? When I say kids, I mean 5-7yr olds? We homeschool and I reckon what better education could you get but by travelling the world. I’d love to hear their experiences!

    1. Hi Melissa. There is no better education then travelling the world. A child couldn’t learn half as much in the classroom. this is coming from a teacher as well, so I feel confident in saying that.
      Theodora is travelling with her nine year old. You can find her at http://travelswithanineyearold.com/ and if you request to join this facebook group it is all about family travel and you will meet a ton of people travelling with their older kids http://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfamilies/ If you can’t get in via that link connect with me on Facebook and I’ll add you in http://facebook.com/cazcraig

  17. I agree with every bit. Choosing travel as your way of life is hard. But, you can also have a good balance. Who said that the travel can’t be a career, that you can’t have a house (you can always rent it out).
    I also think that the relationship with your family can be much better when you don’t see them that often. You just cherish every moment you have with them.

    1. I agree Jo. You develop such a special bond with your family when you have shared memories like the one travel can offer. You can have the house and the travel, you just have to make different choices. Some people aren’t prepared to do that, and that’s okay

  18. One thing that I feel like I gave up for my life of travel (which was the biggest imo was the relationships with my friends at home. I missed out on a lot when I was abroad and felt a great disconnect between them and myself when I returned.

  19. Hi Caz,

    This is a great article and I read it at the right time. We are currently staying with my Mum in Ottawa for a month after having not seen her for 16 months. 6 years ago my Mum fell in love with a Canadian and they have been living between here and Australia ever since. Then Tom and I went and moved to Holland. Neither of us have huge amounts of money so this is the first time we have seen each other in 16 months. Huge amount of time. But we are so close, a lot more than a lot of my friends and there mums. We are so grateful for technology. We make great use of skype and facebook to share photos and stories and the day to day of what we are doing. We know each others friends and favourite places. Neither of us would give up our lives of travel even if we miss each other so immensely. Tom and I are kicking off travelling again this Wednesday and Mum and I are getting sad again. But it won’t be long and then we will be together again, this time on the beach!!

    1. What a great story Trudy. Thank you for sharing. IT just goes to show that you can still maintain that close bond and follow your passions as well. I know so many people who give up their dream of travel because they don’t want to be separated from their family. I think it is essential that you know who you are away from those who know and love you the best. The love never disappears- it only gets stronger I think and it is the best way for you to grow. Enjoy your travels

  20. I am reading all of these posts from the perspective of the “traveler,” but not from the ones “left behind.” Yes, YOU can feel close to family and friends left behind because you are off on your travels and finding new and exciting things to keep busy with. For family and friends you are leaving “behind,” the perspective on your relationship is completely different. I, too, was the one in the past who chose to “do my own thing,” merrily tripping off to do whatever I wanted. I, too, thought I was just as close to my family as you think you are. However, the ones who stay “behind” and “take care of business as usual” are the ones in the nitty gritty of everyday life with family and friends and are choosing to have the “real” relationships which come from frequent interaction. I now have two children who are very independent and one who has chosen to interact more frequently and she is the one I really have a “true” relationship with. I will agree that a relationship of daily interaction with someone in and of itself does not create a good relationship. However, ‘good’ interaction with someone on a frequent basis does create a tight bond. I promise you that as you flit “in and out” of these relationships, you are an “exciting moment” for your family and friends, but you both are missing out on the quality of relationship that is truly meaningful…one where you really “get to know” the other person as you see them in the “stuff of life.” I am happy for you as you enjoy the life you have chosen. I just want you to know that there is the other side of the coin. Yes, your family probably loves to see you the infrequent times they get to see you; I promise you that you are leaving them “wanting more” and sad they don’t have with you what they would rather desire. Your “sacrifices” are not yours alone…they become the sacrifices of your family’s as well. There are two sides to a relationship. Not just “the traveler’s.” I believe you are giving up more than you know you are losing. Just know that you have much more of an “acquaintance” relationship with friends and family than an “intimate” one. This is from someone who has experienced the difference. Thanks for listening to a different perspective…just food for thought.

    1. I think everyone has different value systems and ideas on life and relationships.Each person has to do what feels best for them. For me personally I would never want anybody to not follow their heart’s desire just to remain home near me. That’s the attitude I have for myself as well. I was born to live my life in a particular way and to serve a purpose, if that means travel away from those I love, then I can’t do anything but that or I will never be fulfilled. My purpose in life is to not make other people happy. We are each responsible for our own happiness. But that is my choice. My blog is a reflection of that but I don’t tell people they need to be like me

  21. Hi Caz,

    I really enjoyed reading your article. So many great and valid points. Like you, I am in the process of persuing a new career abroad. I am panicking though. Not sure if this is normal?

    I’m 33 years old going on 34. Leaving Australia to move to Canada. Whilst I have some family there, I am looking to really start a new life. But I read and hear so many varied opinions about migrating there. For starters, people of my age group generally find it harder as foreigners to obtain work through the governments strict visa policies. I work in graphic design. At my age, my only real option of a gaining entry and a visa is to study there first which is what I am doing. The course is however extremely expensive given I will be classed as an international student. This is chewing into the overall money I have saved to my name and tend to live off once I leave Oz. Unlike yourself also, I don’t have property to rent out and rely on. Whatever I have in my account t is all I will live off until I generate an income. There is also no guarantee that I can remain in Canada once my studies have been completed. There may be other options which if course will involve more money outlaid.

    I’m going with a moderate amount but panicking if after I complete my course, I still can’t find a job especially if there is no money coming back in. I will back to square one. Factor in also having to look for a place to live and everyday expenses. Am I doing the right thing? I really do need this I think for my sanity in some aspect. Like most of the bloggers on this page, I too am tired of the daily 9-5 grind.

    1. Okay so panicking is normal. You’ve got to try and push that aside so you can come up with the right answers. What’s your gut telling you?

      Obviously you’re feeling the calling to travel. If it’s a real intense desire that won’t go away I think you have to listen to it and step forward through the fear. But, you do have some valid concerns regarding the money, because without it you can get stuck.

      So I’d sit down and come up with some plans that will fit every scenario, including the worst case one. If you have a back up plan you can appease the fear. Ask yourself, What’s the absolute worst that can happen? Probably you go home with your tail between your legs and as you say start again. AT least you won’t have any regrets. CAn you live with that worst case scenario? Can you start again and be okay? Is it worth taking the risk for getting the possible best case scenario. Because you might. Stack all the odds in your favour.

      Is Canada the best option for you? Have you explored other countries?

      I think once you go through all of this and have your plans and back up plans in order and you’re okay with every situation possibly happening and how you’ll manage it, then I think you’ll know what to do.

      REmember – always follow your heart and allow your gut to guide you. Thats where the answers lie.

      1. Wow that was a quick response thank you so much for your reply and advice.

        My heart says it wants to go, my mind plays the defence and tells me to think of the financial repercussions if it doesn’t work. For me, it’s more a financial concern in the long run. But how do you put a price on happiness? I need to do this because, like yourself, I need a change of scenery and peruse new adventures.

        I ask myself questions both ways all the time. Like if it doesn’t work that I won’t exactly return to nothing back home here In Aus. That’s a pro. But I come back looking for work and starting all of over at 35 years old. That’s a con. Money won’t be an issue so long as I can find some type of work and generate an income to help preserve what I already have and keep and even float to some extent. I’m really excited but sick to my stomach that everything I have done in the past, worked hard for, and saved, could falter if this doesn’t pan out the way I would like. I really need to churn this negativity out of my head I think and make the plunge. A lot of my friends are supportive also and are saying to do it. I think worst case scenario is that I try it and return home if it doesn’t work. Start again but at least I return with additional and valuable new skills to help me further my career through what I will learn at college. Well I hope so anyway. In response to your question, I can live with this worst case. I do also agree with your statement about not being able to say I gave it a go. I think if I don’t do this now whilst I have the chance, it will sit in my mind for a long long time. Contemplating what could of been. Life’s worth risks. I look at your story and it gives me a lot of hope and inspiration. You made it work.

        Regarding other questions, I have a European passport also so I wouldn’t face merely as many issues working in the EU. However work there is extremely hard to find especially in countries like the UK.

        1. “I think worst case scenario is that I try it and return home if it doesn’t work. Start again but at least I return with additional and valuable new skills to help me further my career through what I will learn at college.”

          I think this is key. I really believe in the saying, “Leap and the Universe will catch you.” You can’t make a decision based upon what you think might happen in the future. You can never determine that. You’ve got to decide based upon what you know now. I think you have to believe in your dream and believe in your ability to handle any situation that arises. We worry endlessly about money and not having enough in the future, but have you always managed to create money?

          Then why couldn’t you in the future? Just because you have a life change and a new direction doesn’t mean your smarts will stop.And as you say you’ll learn new things that will make you more valuable. You’ve got to quieten that mind – it really doesn’t know much. It’s just a pain the but!

          1. Thank you so much for this Caz.

            You have really been of great help and fantastic advice. The fact that you have have travelled the similar road already gives me great motivation to try it out and most of all… Make it work!

            Thanks again.

  22. Good points in regards to leaving behind. I think friends and family is the hardest for most people. Like you mentioned making the moments when you do the most enjoyable.

  23. There’s an Iranian saying, “Keep away and stay friends”. Obviously it works with family members more than others.

    Naturally, when you are attached to a certain type of lifestyle, you will gain particular things and lose others. This is true with the settled people too! It’s up to you to choose, but traveling all the time as a lifestyle isn’t something I prefer although I travel a lot for my work.

    I think there’s a solution for the people like you and I: We’ve spent part of our lives on the web, a virtual world. If we spend a bit more time to choose the web as our main source of income in a way that we stand above the crowd, that’s where we belong. This is career-wise and consequently we can creep into our ideal lifestyle.

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