5 reasons to quit your office job and start a nomadic life
It seems like one of those things on your bucket list that you’ll never actually get around to doing: quitting your horrible office job and starting a nomadic life full of adventure. You longingly read travel blogs of people that have somehow managed to do it, and while you flip through your Lonely Planet book collection you ask yourself: why not me? What is stopping me from throwing in the work towel, packing my bags and setting off on the adventure of a lifetime? Well, there are of course some things that you should take into consideration before starting a nomadic lifestyle. It might seem like it, but a nomadic life does not equal a life-long vacation. However, if you know the risks and are more than willing to take them, but just need a push in the right direction, here it is: 5 reasons why you should quit your office job and start a nomadic life.
1. Are you happy with your office job?
Chances are, if you started reading this article, the answer to that question is no. Now, I am not saying quitting your job and starting a nomadic life will automatically make you happy - happiness has to come from within. But, doing something that is unfulfilling for you (from 9 to 5 every workday) will definitely not help up your happiness scale. Doing something you love doing – such as exploring the world – might. Unless you are tied down by children or crippling debts, don’t let financial stability stop you from following your heart. So take what money you have, use your creativity and see where the road takes you. Do whatever, as long as it’s not staying in a job that you hate.
2. Broadening your horizons
There is nothing like a nomadic life to drastically broaden your horizons. Pushing your limits and being open to new things are practically unavoidable when you spend your life traveling to new and unfamiliar places. Of course, this does not mean that as soon as you board that plane all your morals and values can be tossed out without a parachute. What it does mean, is to step a little bit out of your comfort zone. Are you shy talking to strangers? Start a conversation with the lady next to you in the chicken bus. Do you struggle with feeling comfortable in new cities? Wander around an unfamiliar place until you do. Opportunities like this will arise all the time as soon as you start leading a nomadic life, so grab them with both hands while you can.
3. Learning valuable skills
Think a (temporary) nomadic life will put a definite end to your career? Think again. There is no place like the world to learn the most valuable life skills. Whether it is learning a new language, upping your communication skills or (re-) learning to trust your intuition, there are so many qualities you’ll need both on the road and in the workspace. That is, if you ever decide to come back…
4. Learning about yourself
By far the most valuable skill you could learn by leading a nomadic life, is learning to trust yourself. When traveling alone, you are often just that: alone. This of course does not have to mean that you are lonely (friends are so easily made on the road), but it does mean you are going to have to trust in yourself. There is no-one else around to tell you what to do, how to act or how to look; it’s all on you. It’s just like moving house when you’re a kid: a new school, new people, no-one knows who you are or who you once were. You can completely re-invent yourself and discover characteristics and skills you never knew you possessed. Put this together with the fact that you’ll be experiencing so many new places and cultures, and you’ll notice you’re slowly but surely learning more about yourself (and the world) than you ever could from your cubicle desk.
5. It’s a waste not to!
Now, even if completely giving into a nomadic life is still a step too far for you, at least take a sabbatical or frequent holidays. The world is vast, and it would be a shame if you didn’t try to see and experience as much as possible of it.
So, what are you waiting for? The world is out there, waiting for you to explore it. Your office will still be there in a couple of years, and with all those vital life-experiences you’ll have gained employers should be happy to hire you back (assuming you would ever want them to). Pack your bags, kiss your desk goodbye, and start that nomadic life you’ve always dreamed of – you deserve it. After all, there’s no time like the present, and there’s no present like the time.
