Yesterday marked a year since the day I officially quit my job to travel the world. It was without a doubt the most freeing moment I have experienced yet, and the point at which my entire life changed. Yes I had already made the decision to leave and yes I had already been saving for several months - but this was the moment it all became real, when there really was no going back. Telling my boss I was leaving was the point at which I took back control of my life and that was something I had been needing to do for a while. I remember walking out of that office and not quite believing the conversation I had just had, I remember being overwhelmed by the support and kind words from my boss, I remember feeling like I was about to explode with happiness. That was how I knew instantly that I had made the right decision. I still worked in that office for around two months, but the knowledge that I was about to embark upon the biggest adventure of my life did wonders to remove the stress and worry the job had held previously for me. Suddenly realising it didn't matter anymore allowed me to put my heart and soul into the job I loved while ignoring the, sometimes unfair, demands the job placed on me and others.
Now I have been travelling for nearly ten months and after so long spent constantly switching between places and on the move, I have actually settled and found a home in Darwin, Australia. The two months I have spent here have been the longest I have had anywhere since leaving on January 6. I've found amazing friendship, family and even some romance over here, I've worked my arse off to save and partied hard, and it's been two of the best months I've had since travelling. I'm planning to leave soon, but Darwin will always remain in my heart, as will every other place I've visited, from Thailand and Vietnam to Byron Bay and Fraser Island. There's been something special and magical about every place and every moment I have visited along the way - I can't imagine what my life would be like now if I hadn't made this choice - actually, I can, it would be exactly the same except I would be even more unhappy. The best advice I can offer? If you have even a teeny tiny part of you that wants to explore the world - just do it! Forget all these fears about finding work or losing your job, or money, or love or anything like that. Do something for you and you'll never regret it. Travelling was the best decision I ever made and even if I eventually return home in debt and alone, it won't matter because my heart will be full of the memories I've made and the people I've met - that's priceless.
In the last ten months I've had the chance to experience so many amazing things - from travelling by myself to with huge groups, abseiling down cliffs to jumping down waterfalls, from tasting amazing delicacies to eating cockroaches in the street, from the best massages to the least comfortable beds, from dancing my heart out on the beach to being invited to party with the locals, from watching the sunrise to watching the sunsets, from being adopted by the locals and talking about art with famous painters, from hiking through rainforests to swimming with sea turtles and dolphins, and so much more I can't even think of right now. The other week I suddenly realised that even on my very worst days here, I walk around with love in my heart and a smile on my face - even when everything goes wrong, I'm still grateful for every second of every day. I don't know if it's all that vitamin D or if it's just feeling safe in the knowledge that I made the right decision and that it wasn't such a big risk after all. If perhaps it's partly the knowledge that anyone who thought I was crazy to do it was in fact the crazy one for not realising I could do it.
Being out here has given me the opportunity to focus on things I love - like this blog for one thing, and it's made me so proud to see how many have responded to it, and how well it has done. Absolutely Lucy started off as a hobby, a side project, and has grown into a huge passion of mine, I pour my soul into it and it's amazing when you start to see that rewarded. Travelling has given me a chance to tell my story and to tell the stories of others - the journalist in me loves that - and to work on capturing moments in photography. It fills me with pride when people comment on how beautiful my photos are or how well I write because for the first time in a long time, I've had the opportunity to work on things I love just for me, not for an employer. Growing up is all about self-development and exploring the person you want to be, I can't think of a better way to do that than by educating yourself in whichever way you see fit - whether a degree or college course, teaching yourself to build a business or even reading everything you can find. But then following that with travel - a chance to learn how the world really works and what people are really like - education makes you cocky and knowledgeable but travel makes you wise and forgiving. The combination of these, plus having time to find out who you are and what you love, is a great way of creating a strong and amazing character.
If there is anyone out there who is reading this and unsure whether to travel or can't quite bring themselves to say the words "I quit" - just think about this. We are on this planet for between 80-100 years and while 18 of them might be tied up in education and childhood, the rest are our own to do with them what we please. Who really wants to get to the end of their life and say they stayed in a 9-5 until they retired? Going off and embracing adventure will not hold you back in your career, it will not hold you back in life, if anything it will push you further than you ever dreamed, it will give you ideas and inspiration you never had before. So many who didn't know what they wanted to do have found purpose and a future through travelling, so many who were stuck in a rut - like myself - have found new drive and motivation, a new focus. Stop using excuses like money, bills and safety - if you want to make it happen, you will make it happen regardless of all of these. And you won't regret it.
Have you reached any travelling milestones? How did they make you feel? How long have you been travelling for, and did you struggle to make the leap to quit your job?
It finally happened. The moment I've been counting down to, that has never seemed quite real, and that I've been waiting for all year. The moment when my travelling dreams finally became a reality. This time last week...
I QUIT MY JOB.
Holy shit. I can't actually believe I finally did it. It still hasn't sunk in despite everyone at work wanting to know all about my plans - where I'm going, how long for and who with. I keep repeating the same combination of words: solo, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, hostels, seven months, saving money, so excited... but no matter how many times I say them, I really cannot believe that they make up my plans for the next year. It just seems odd to me that this could finally be here, that my adventure is nearly within a fingertip's grasp, that I can almost taste the Thai spice and salty sea air on my lips. You see, I've spent the best part of my life day dreaming about where I would go, what I would do and the people I would meet if I ever made my travel dreams a reality. I've spent the last year dreaming of a future that I couldn't quite piece together, and I've spent the last 11 months saving, planning and booking the trip of a lifetime. And now, I have 10 weeks left until I board that plane all by myself and finally make that leap to full independence and take on a scary solo journey.
I won't lie, I'm pretty terrified. But I'm also more excited than I have ever been about any decision in my life, and that is what tells me I'm doing the right thing. It's something I've dreamt of all my life and it is something I have more than earned the opportunity to do after working so hard for so many years. I have been working four jobs on and off this year, I have done everything asked of me and gone beyond the call of duty at all four jobs. I have put the time into setting the groundwork for a great career, put endless time into friendships and relationships. Now I deserve to take some time for myself. To enrich my own life, steal some real independence and strike out on my own. Don't get me wrong, I am a very independent gal and anyone who knows me well enough will tell you the same. But the truth of the matter is, I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing friends, family, colleagues and to have a fantastic boyfriend by my side. This means I have never really had the chance to do anything by myself - university was the one thing where I struck out on my own but I had a huge group of great mates from the first day so it never seemed a challenge. This is something that will test me in every way possible - it will terrify me, make me rely on myself to keep me out of trouble, to take chances, to meet people, to find my way, to make a plan and all the rest. It is a big challenge when you have always had someone to help out along the way. That is the exciting part. 
I'm also really looking forward to finally having time to really reassess my life. I'm at a point where I think it would really do me good to take a step back and take a look at things, before making my mind up about my next move. I want time to indulge myself and to discover new passions, interests and loves. I want time to really dedicate to blogging and writing what I love, and I really want time to discover more of the world and more of myself. It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day rush of working so much and never really taking time to smell the roses - well now I want to smell the roses, and the spices, and the flavours the world has to offer. Yes it means leaving behind friends, family, and a boyfriend that means the world to me, but in the grand scheme of things, it is a short-term sacrifice for a lifetime of happiness. That is the best way of explaining it to those who I know don't understand how I can leave behind these things. Adventure and risk are the best way to discover what you really what to be doing, by stepping outside of your comfort zone, you find out where your boundaries really lie.
So how did I do it? Quit my job I mean. I know there are a lot of people who have been asking me how I went about it, so I though this post could explain the few steps I took to quitting my job. It was one of those things that seemed like a huge task, but when it came down to it, it was so simple and so easy. I had lots of friends and family joking about how I would do it - would I go in and slam down my resignation letter? Would I just storm out in a dramatic moment? Would I just not bother turning up any more? Haha of course not. So how did I do it?
Seven simple steps that took me from being a full time employee of the company to an unemployed traveller who is set to embark on a huge trip across the world early next year. It may seem really daunting to quit your job and a bit scary to have to basically reject the company after your time there, but you must remember you are completely entitled to leave at your will and move on whether to develop your own career or try something different. Don't feel guilty for quitting your job, but remember to be respectful and grateful for what you have gained by being a part of the company. You never know when you will need a good reference, or when that job will affect your future or give you the right contacts for your next move. Don't underestimate the power of a thank you and the importance of keeping things polite and civil to the bitter end - even if you have really hated your time in that job.
It's an exciting time - that's for sure. I'm slap-bang in the middle of a couple of courses of jabs, I'm working every hour going to save more money and trying my hardest to see as many friends as possible. I still have so much to do and so little time to do it in. If any of you are planning your travels - don't let fears of quitting your job stand in your way. It is one of the most freeing things you can do.
How did you go about it when you quit your job to take up another or travel the world? Any tips you would like to add from your own experiences?
