There are some of us who read about how others wake up one day and realize they just want to travel. They quit their job, hop on a plane, and explore part of the world for six to twelve months. While it’s real life for some, those people are, more often than not, singles in their twenties. I never have any intention of quitting the real world in favor of traveling forever, as much as the idea appeals to me. I want to have a family. I have a wide range of interests outside of travel, and I don’t want to give those up.
My story isn’t quite as romantic as the bloggers I was talking about earlier. I spent two years in college trying to force myself to fit into a mold I would never belong in, aiming for some sort of generic 9-5 job after graduation. But the entire time I was there, I was never happy. I enjoy school and learning, but deep down, all of it felt wrong. I ended up coming home to a small town in Michigan, a town I’ve always despised and always wanted to break free of, in order to be with my boyfriend. We intended to go to a different college together, and begin a life together. We would carpool since I couldn’t drive at the time and we were neighbors anyway. And then he decided, three years into our relationship, he was afraid of commitment, and ended things.
Although I didn’t realize it right away, it was the most liberating thing that could have happened to me. I had been depressed all of these years because I was setting myself up for a life I knew I didn’t want with a man I didn’t truly want to be with. I forced myself to want that life because it was comfortable. And I learned a valuable lesson from that: Although it’s perfectly fine to make your relationships with others a priority, your relationship with yourself has to come first. Your dreams and hopes have to take priority above all else.
Over a year later, I’m still learning. While working a few various entry-level jobs, I’ve discovered I don’t do well dealing with corporate rules and regulations. That’s not to say I break major rules, but rather I have an issue accepting how some corporations and managers treat their employees. When I realized this about myself, I knew I wasn’t going to be happy with a standard career, and I would have to be my own boss if I wanted to be truly free and happy.
That’s how Wander Driven came to be. In a conversation with a close friend, I realized that if I could do anything I wanted, I would travel and write about my travels. And even though it wouldn’t be an easy job, it would be the only job that would make me happy.
But I’m still not traveling just yet. I’ve had some level of practicality drilled into my skull since I was a child, and have commitments at home. I have a new boyfriend, and we have our own apartment, along with all of the fun bills that came with it. I have students loans to pay and some credit card debt. I want to go back to school and get a degree. I need a new couch and a new mattress for my apartment. Traveling, as well as these “real life” things, are why I haven’t quit my job. Instead, I’ve gotten two more.
Wander Driven is here to help you learn how to balance your travel dreams and maintain a stable life in the real world. The very first thing you need to do is prioritize your goals. Make and keep two lists at all times. One list will be your travel goals and the other will be your home goals. Here are a few items from each of my lists:
Travel Goals:
My first home goal is setting up an emergency savings account (something that everyone should start if you don’t already have one - it’s nice to have money set aside just in case!) with $2,000 in it. My first travel goal is to go to Thailand, which is going to be a three-week trip for two. I will go over planning my Thailand trip in more detail another time, so for now just know my trip calls for a budget of at least $6000, preferably $6500 or $7000 if I can make it work.
Once you know how much you need, work it into your monthly budget, whether that be a physical budget or a mental one. Figure out how much time you have before you want to take your trip. I want to go to Thailand mid-October to early November of 2016. This requires me to save about $275-$320 a month. Knowing what my income and expenses are, and that I also need to be putting money away for an emergency savings, this is a feasible goal for me.
By doing this, I don’t have to compromise either of my two lists. I can afford to travel, and I can maintain a stable life at home. And that is truly what the balancing act is all about.
What do you think about having two lists that are of equal priority? Do you have other methods of balancing home life and travel? Share below!
My story isn’t quite as romantic as the bloggers I was talking about earlier. I spent two years in college trying to force myself to fit into a mold I would never belong in, aiming for some sort of generic 9-5 job after graduation. But the entire time I was there, I was never happy. I enjoy school and learning, but deep down, all of it felt wrong. I ended up coming home to a small town in Michigan, a town I’ve always despised and always wanted to break free of, in order to be with my boyfriend. We intended to go to a different college together, and begin a life together. We would carpool since I couldn’t drive at the time and we were neighbors anyway. And then he decided, three years into our relationship, he was afraid of commitment, and ended things.
Although I didn’t realize it right away, it was the most liberating thing that could have happened to me. I had been depressed all of these years because I was setting myself up for a life I knew I didn’t want with a man I didn’t truly want to be with. I forced myself to want that life because it was comfortable. And I learned a valuable lesson from that: Although it’s perfectly fine to make your relationships with others a priority, your relationship with yourself has to come first. Your dreams and hopes have to take priority above all else.
Over a year later, I’m still learning. While working a few various entry-level jobs, I’ve discovered I don’t do well dealing with corporate rules and regulations. That’s not to say I break major rules, but rather I have an issue accepting how some corporations and managers treat their employees. When I realized this about myself, I knew I wasn’t going to be happy with a standard career, and I would have to be my own boss if I wanted to be truly free and happy.
That’s how Wander Driven came to be. In a conversation with a close friend, I realized that if I could do anything I wanted, I would travel and write about my travels. And even though it wouldn’t be an easy job, it would be the only job that would make me happy.
But I’m still not traveling just yet. I’ve had some level of practicality drilled into my skull since I was a child, and have commitments at home. I have a new boyfriend, and we have our own apartment, along with all of the fun bills that came with it. I have students loans to pay and some credit card debt. I want to go back to school and get a degree. I need a new couch and a new mattress for my apartment. Traveling, as well as these “real life” things, are why I haven’t quit my job. Instead, I’ve gotten two more.
Wander Driven is here to help you learn how to balance your travel dreams and maintain a stable life in the real world. The very first thing you need to do is prioritize your goals. Make and keep two lists at all times. One list will be your travel goals and the other will be your home goals. Here are a few items from each of my lists:
Travel Goals:
- Cuddle with tiger cubs in Thailand
- See the cherry blossoms in Japan
- Visit Mount Everest
- Set up an emergency savings account
- Pay off all credit cards
- Buy a new mattress set (along with bed frame and bedding, since we want to upsize to a king bed)
My first home goal is setting up an emergency savings account (something that everyone should start if you don’t already have one - it’s nice to have money set aside just in case!) with $2,000 in it. My first travel goal is to go to Thailand, which is going to be a three-week trip for two. I will go over planning my Thailand trip in more detail another time, so for now just know my trip calls for a budget of at least $6000, preferably $6500 or $7000 if I can make it work.
Once you know how much you need, work it into your monthly budget, whether that be a physical budget or a mental one. Figure out how much time you have before you want to take your trip. I want to go to Thailand mid-October to early November of 2016. This requires me to save about $275-$320 a month. Knowing what my income and expenses are, and that I also need to be putting money away for an emergency savings, this is a feasible goal for me.
By doing this, I don’t have to compromise either of my two lists. I can afford to travel, and I can maintain a stable life at home. And that is truly what the balancing act is all about.
What do you think about having two lists that are of equal priority? Do you have other methods of balancing home life and travel? Share below!