"What if I miss something at home?"
"What if I can't find another job when I stop traveling?"
"What if we fail?"
What if, what if, what if.
These are the thoughts that swallowed us before we took the leap to travel full-time.
To be honest, taking the leap is the hardest part. The decision to leave your perfectly good job, your supporting family and your amazing friends is a difficult concept to grasp, but we knew we had to make a change.
So, what if you stopped worrying about all the "what ifs" and jumped without fear?
Where would you go?
What would you do?
Here are 12 reasons to consider traveling full-time
(even if it's for a few weeks, a few months, or a few years)
1. Take Time To Think About Your Career & Life Goals
We hike a lot. We drive a lot. And we talk about what we're going to do when we grow up a lot. It's with clear minds and open hearts that our daily conversations include talking about our future plans. We notice ourselves being more creative, adventurous, and determined. Traveling has allowed us to feel excited about whats to come.
2. Move At Your Own Speed
Need a slow day? Take a slow day.
Wake up slow, sip your coffee and actually savor the taste, and take in the sights around you. We initially wanted to travel because we wanted to slow down and spend time together. When you're traveling full-time, YOU get to set the pace. You can decide to sit in one place for an entire day and then travel through multiple states the very next day.
3. Flexibilty
I'm generally a Type A personality, meaning I like to have a plan and I like to stick to it. While I'm traveling, I let my Type B side step in and take charge. Plans don't always work out and I've learned that's okay. You never know what's around the corner and you must learn to go with the flow.
4. Visit Amazing Places
Imagine going anywhere you would like to in the world and staying there as long as you pleased. You can climb mountains, swim in rivers, and walk in the forests. You can visit famous places or discover sights off the beaten path.
Some of our favorites (so far) have been walking with the giants in the Redwood National Forest and hiking in Yosemite NP.
5. Learn to Live with Less & Love It
We've learned that we need far less than we ever thought. Thankfully, when we took a travel break for the holidays we re-examined our "stuff" and packed even less than we did before. It's very liberating to get rid of extra baggage and useless things in our lives. The memories rank higher than then the things we own.
Extra bonus: selling your "things" can help fund your travels!
6. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
It’s not all rainbows and butterflies and it’s a mistake to think that traveling full-time will be. You are pushed out of your comfort zone almost daily. You have to try new things, be bold, brave and daring. Outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens.
7. Meet New People
Have you ever heard of the seven degrees of separation? Go ahead and close the gap! Get out and meet the locals or other people traveling. Everyone is on a journey and you never know who you're going to meet.
We were sitting a brewery in Portland when I noticed a man wearing a Wabash College sweatshirt. Wabash is a tiny Men-Only college from my hometown in Crawfordsville, IN. I ventured over to speak with him just to find out my Dad was renovating his bathroom the very next week! It's a small, small world folks!
8. Visit Your Friends
We have friends and family scattered all across the US and we've been fortunate to visit with so many of them. So, call up your friends and pay them a visit! You won't regret it!
The map below shows where we have visited friends while on this particular adventure. We feel so lucky.
9. Learn Something New
Did you know that if a statue of a horse has both front legs in the air, the rider died in battle? If the horse has one front leg up it means the rider was wounded in battle or died of battle wounds and if all four hooves are on the ground, the rider died outside battle. We learned this fun fact while doing a segway tour (yes, a segway tour) in Portland. I have the words of my sister inside my head often - "Every day is a school day."
10. Avoid Regrets
We know when we're old and grey we won't look back at our young lives and regret this adventure. Now is the time. Not later. Now. If you have been bitten by the travel bug and have the urge to travel, then go.
Go. Go. Go.
You will not regret it.
11. Fall In Love with the Earth
Traveling has humbled us. It has made us feel small. And even though we are small we, as humans, we make a huge impression.
The Earth is big and beautiful and it deserves attention and preservation. Exploring so many beautiful places has made us want to try harder and to be better about taking care of the Earth. We hope you fall in love with it too.
12. Inspire People
Be an inspiration, be the light, to someone who wants to travel. Inspire them to follow their dreams, all while following your own. We love sharing our experiences but we equally love hearing the experiences of other travelers.
Start living your travel dreams!