How I Took the Leap and Made Travel My Life

Who doesn't wonder "what career is right for me?" or "am I meant for something greater than this?" When your week starts to feel like a bunch of Mondays strung together, it's probably time to step back and have a good look at the path you're travelling down. 

That's what our guest blogger Phoebe did. On paper she had it all: a well-paying office gig, job security, a sweet apartment... but she wasn't happy. Then one day she decided to give it all up for a career in travel. Spoiler alert: she's never looked back.

It took me six months to build up the courage to leave my job to create a travel blog. Everyone I told was supportive but skeptical – and I don’t blame them.

I'd already been plugging away at my blog, but it earned next to no money and didn’t have a big audience; it’s not like I was quitting my job and walking into a perfect dream life. It was a huge risk and a massive sacrifice money-wise. It was terrifying.

Two years ago I was your regular office worker, counting down to annual leave and rolling my eyes at the thought of yet another mundane team meeting.

As time ticked by I started to realise how unsatisfied I was in my job. At 26, I felt like I had messed up my whole life by not pursuing my passions. I felt like I was trapped in a life of office work, unable to follow my dreams until I retired.
 

I’d been running my travel blog in my spare time for a few years and it had slowly been growing, but was making very little money. My office job paid me really, really well and my life was pretty easy, which scared me.

The regular paycheck and routine made days, weeks and months roll over far too comfortably and, as I now know, routine is the enemy of time.

One day, walking home from work, I became completely overwhelmed by it all. How could this be it? How could life only be about money, job security, paying rent, buying things and climbing a corporate ladder?

I was so miserable and unsatisfied – I knew I had to make a change. Either I abandon my office career to follow my heart or I forget about my dreams altogether and get on with ‘life’. A career change was definitely in order.

 Even though I was scared of failing, it somehow felt like I couldn’t. When I thought about staying in my current job, I felt so deflated. I would be wishing my life away and counting down to holidays and long weekends instead of enjoying every day.

The possibility that I could become a travel writer, no matter how small, excited me more than anything else ever had. So, I quit my job and started working from home.

I worked harder than I ever had before, learning about travel, public relations and blogging.

I’ve had days where I’ve wanted to delete my blog; I’ve felt exhausted and overwhelmed, completely inadequate and very broke; but I’ve honestly never been happier.

I’ve met some amazing people, learned a lot, grown as a person and now I get paid to travel the world and call it 'work'.

At first I worried I’d get bored, but working in the travel industry means your day changes constantly, which is really exciting, and because I love what I do I have endless motivation to do it.

I get to enjoy each day and be proud of myself, knowing how hard I work to make my dreams a reality.

Job security, a big pay-check, material things… none of it compares to that feeling you get when you’re doing something that makes you really, truly happy.

Phoebe Lee is a travel writer and award-winning blogger. She shares fun, practical inspiration to help others enrich their lives through travel. Her fun videos, useful travel guides and beautiful photographs are all aimed at inspiring others to live a life they love and never settle for less. Follow Phoebe’s travels on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and watch her awesome travel videos on YouTube.