DISQUS

Craig · 11 months ago

Sounds like a big change for you Christine; and a very good one. We've been challenged by this "alternative" goal-setting for the last few years. This year I actually have some hard numbers in place but I'm not sure if they're things I really want or just a direction to head in.

<abbr>Craig´s last blog post..085 - Internet telephone for travellers</abbr>

Melissa W. · 11 months ago

Very well put! And a good point to make that it isn't all freedom and play time. I've always thought that things were easier when dealing with the most restrictions. It is very inspiring to see you take this on!

Nomadic Matt · 11 months ago

Your alive! we need to talk!!! There is much to catch up on!!!

<abbr>Nomadic Matt´s last blog post..The Weekly Photo: Birds</abbr>

Sean Lannin · 11 months ago

Wow, gave me goosebumps as I read this post. Last year I was looking for excuses to get out of a neighborhood new years party, and this year I attended a chanting and meditation in a small town in the Andes.

Last year I expected that I would "grind" through another year...and hopefully get a week's vacation in Mexico. One year later we have COMPLETELY changed our lifestyle, sold all of our stuff and are traveling through Latin America with our school aged kids. Amazing what you can accomplish in a year :)

My list has not gotten smaller...although it has changed, and I have crossed off quite a few in the past few months.

Reading the (Excerise More! Read More! Eat Less!) goals made me a little depressed. I have thought to myself if/when we return to the states will we be sucked right back into the belly of the beast (rhetorical question), and that saddens me. I have walked more in the past 5 months than I have in the past 20 years, I can eat all I want because we are eating raw, unprocessed foods that would be slapped with an Organic label back home, when I finished reading the entire collection of Mark Twains work I thought to myself...this is pretty cool!

Our "goals" for 2009 are simple. Keep having fun. Keep enjoying this time we are spending as a family. Keep meeting lots of interesting people.

Great post. Thanks for sharing. Safe travels.

<abbr>Sean Lannin´s last blog post..Contrasts between the U.S. and Ecuador Holidays</abbr>

Geoff · 11 months ago

Happy New Year Christine, and thanks for a very thought-provoking post. I've made the same decision in 2008, to quit my job (and my comfort zone) to travel. My biggest challenge for 2009 is to make sure the trip isn't *just* a holiday, otherwise I'd end up back in my old life in 2010, which is not what I want; instead I want to find a way of using my experiences to build a different and better life when (if) I get back. How exactly I'll do that is something to think about, but thinking in terms of things that'd make me giddy is a great way to start.

<abbr>Geoff´s last blog post..2008 Travel Round-up Part 2: Summary</abbr>

Andy Hayes · 11 months ago

Sounds like you're on the right track. I mean, learn some languages and finish a novel? You're doing better than 90% of the population, I think. Kudos :)

<abbr>Andy Hayes´s last blog post..See Them Before They’re Gone</abbr>

Chris (from Lifestyle Project) · 11 months ago

What a great perspective. My 'goals' this year are pre-freedom but have a deadline against them - accordingly my goal is to quit work on 30th June 2009. Plan beyond that are sketchy.

All the best for the New Year!

<abbr>Chris (from Lifestyle Project)´s last blog post..2 Steps to Simple New Years Resolutions</abbr>

Lanora @writingtravel · 11 months ago

Christine, thank you for such valuable advice for me in this moment.

I have about a week left in Paris, and I'm still learning to be gentle with myself about what I want to accomplish while I am here. And you're right. It's all about choices, as much about choosing what to leave behind as about activities and goals to pursue.

You are an inspiration!

<abbr>Lanora @writingtravel´s last blog post..Rare sight in Paris: snow!</abbr>

jamie · 11 months ago

I found myself in the strange position of explaining the resolving tradition to my kids this year...they were a bit mystified. On the plus side, I think I've finally hit on a really good all-inclusive resolution for myself this year: Have more fun.

I'm off to a good start.

<abbr>jamie´s last blog post..Sidetracked! Ed Debevic’s</abbr>

Mara · 11 months ago

"I have to decide each day what to do, and suddenly your choices become much smaller.

This is a good thing."

This is my favorite part of your post, because it is so true. This year is the year I am finally in that same place where I am going to make the leap into really doing what makes me happy and it does mean have slightly fewer options - the difference is that all of them are good and exciting.

Thanks for another wonderful post. I think your writing is actually getting better all the time. Might be a good idea to start that novel now. I'm planning to do the same.

<abbr>Mara´s last blog post..Why travel? Ask Matt</abbr>

Gillian · 11 months ago

I can't dis resolutions too much as it was my NYE 2008 resolution that found me researching moving away and evolved into our current RTW 2009 plan. I made no resolutions this year however, other than to just watch the year unfold. I, like others, do have some anxiety over what will happen once the travel is done - my dream is to not come back, to find a different life - my fear is that I won't.

<abbr>Gillian´s last blog post..Start the Countdown!!</abbr>

malia · 11 months ago

i actually spent both years with friends, watching the first sunrise of the year on oahu's east shore. on jan 1, 2008 i was eight days away from taking that leap on my first RTW adventure.

every year, my friends and i pick a word to sum up what we hope for the year ahead, write it in the sand, and let the ocean sweep it away. last year, my word was "explore" and i ended up spending 9 months of 2008 abroad, and got to explore 17 new countries, plus tons of getting to explore what makes me passionate about life.

this year my word for 2009 is "freedom." freedom from debt (i went slightly over budget in my RTW last year!), freedom from judging myself (or the judgments of society), freedom to live the life that i want to live.

happy new year, christine! you've been a great inspiration to me. =)

<abbr>malia´s last blog post..tradition</abbr>

Erica · 11 months ago

Well said, Christine. Happy New Year and I hope you'll realize the goals you've set out to accomplish in 2009. I agree about the importance of listing goals that make you happy. If something doesn't motivate and inspire me, it's off the list!

<abbr>Erica´s last blog post..Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!</abbr>

Julie · 11 months ago

Nothing more to say other than the fact that you're right on...and I totally agree!

<abbr>Julie´s last blog post..How to Use an ATM in Chile</abbr>

Julie · 11 months ago

Nothing more to say other than the fact that you're right on...and I totally agree!

<abbr>Julie´s last blog post..How to Use an ATM in Chile</abbr>

Fly Girl · 11 months ago

Thanks Christine, this is just what I needed. I've been avoiding all the resoulution hoopla pressure but now I see I can just change my perspective. A gentle approach to what I really want to do sounds really appealing to me.

<abbr>Fly Girl´s last blog post..Snow on the Mountain and the Christmas Candle</abbr>

sine haniefy · 11 months ago

I am allowed to be gentle with myself and make having fun a goal? Wow, now I'm going to have to rethink things!

Am curious though. How did you decide where to go to to start your travels? Sometimes I am tempted to just goooooooooo, but I know I have to have a better plan than that.

Thank you for this inspiring post.

Stevo · 11 months ago

Great piece, Christine. Small, obtainable, open-ended goals (not resolutions) are the way to go. I kept two of the three I set for 2008. I should make a few for 2009 so I don't wander aimlessly through the next 12 months.

<abbr>Stevo´s last blog post..Renewed Purpose: A Christmas Gift</abbr>

Lola · 11 months ago

Happy new year! Definitely right on. Wishing you the best in 2009.

<abbr>Lola´s last blog post..Mission for 2009</abbr>

Tanya · 11 months ago

I was so excited to see your post in my gmail! And as usual, it didn't disappoint. Happy New Year.

<abbr>Tanya´s last blog post..Le Shopping</abbr>

mich · 11 months ago

Live life to the fullest, well, at least before you have kids. Someday, you will look back and say, been there, done that.

Look forward to new experiences.

<abbr>mich´s last blog post..Planning for Cancun</abbr>

Craig · 11 months ago

So life DOES finish when you have kids. I've been wondering :)

Soultravelers3 · 11 months ago

Ha ha, absolutely not Craig & Mich, life does NOT finish when you have kids, nor does traveling or freedom. Or for that matter, reflecting on life on New Year's or other milestone. ;)

In many ways, life BEGINS when you add a child to the mix and having experienced travel and life for many years as a single & a couple, I find family travel the richest of all. Each phase has it's own pros and cons.

As we settle into our 3rd year of our open ended tour as a family, we had a divine sweet New Year- quiet, peaceful and totally family oriented this third celebration in our 15th century winter home.

Goals change as life changes. I am in my 50's, so have gone through the whole gamut. We are in a very different place than we were six months into our journey and you will be too as yours unfolds. Every place and age brings new surprises if we allow it.

Happy New Year Christine & all!

<abbr>Soultravelers3´s last blog post..Reflecting On Our Family Travel</abbr>

Lily · 11 months ago

Great post, and exactly what I have been thinking about. New year, goals etc. A year ago I was in such a different place - hating my law firm job and dreaming of getting out. A year later I'm in the Caribbean and traveling, and pursuing my writing/photography dream (actually photography just kind of happened). No clue what's coming next but one thing for sure, I'm enjoying my life more than I have in the last 7 years. That's pretty telling to me. Happy new year to all!

<abbr>Lily´s last blog post..The Amazing Tarrus Riley…</abbr>

Taylor Davidson · 11 months ago

When you're traveling long-term, it's no longer a trip, it's just life; and that simple difference changes your entire approach and frame.

Actually deciding what you want to do every day and doing it has an enormous impact on forcing you to determine priorities and figure out if those wishes are really nothing but wishes; it's not easy, but it's worth it.

Tom · 11 months ago

Love it.

I reached a crunch point a while back. Couldn't face continuing in the world of finance. I dumped the lot: job, car, belongings etc and went to teach English in Japan. A year later I was in Poland, then Italy for a brief period and then back to Poland. Right now I'm packing up to move home to England. Retraining and a uni course call and my girlfriend's joining me in the Summer. It's great how things turn out if only you try and live a little!

Good luck this year with your...um, desires!

Tom

<abbr>Tom´s last blog post..Is everything OK?</abbr>

Alexia · 11 months ago

It was reading a handful of different blogs at the beginning of last year that booted me out of a post-exciting-challenge (cycling Borneo/climbing Kinabalu).

I realised that there wasn't much point in getting more and more miserable in a marketing job in a financial services company. I quit, and went travelling for about 5 months - Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, California, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico (again), Connecticut and New York.

I arrived home riding high on the wave of confidence that travelling, independence and time alone with your thoughts and creativity gives you, and confident that with a very decent CV/experience/qualifications that I'd easily find a way of bringing the money in, yet avoiding the 9-5 drudgery I had escaped and so dreaded. Not so. In fact, with the economic climate being the way it is, I've not found ANYTHING.

So it's back to some serious creative thinking, and also, interestingly enough, learning an awful lot about what actually does make me happy (time with friends, family, getting arty, getting crafty, cooking, and enjoying life). But still no money to live on. That's the hard part.

Having said that - the point you make about 'what you can do in a day' limiting you is absolutely true. It's all about little steps, every day.

Life doesn't quite end up how you imagined it when you're off across the world, but it also throws up a huge amount of interesting things when you get back as well. The unexpected is often quite interesting.

<abbr>Alexia´s last blog post..Ice Queen: the UK in its frostiest finest</abbr>

Craig Zabransky · 11 months ago

I did it once. Quit and traveled the world...that was 2005 and then I returned to a similar job - a management consultant - but I was never the same. The great thing is I can never imagine my life with out that journey....once you are on the road and taste the fruit of travel....it is so delicious

Best of luck in 2009. I am loving this site and your posts...it is making me believe my decision to follow my passion and become a travel writer is correct....my journey continues in 2009. My words in the sand are "the way forward" stay adventurous.

jen laceda · 10 months ago

Christine - I admire your courage tremendously. I am still shackled to my 9-5 desk job, wondering everyday when I'll actually have the guts to hand in my resignation and follow my dreams.

<abbr>jen laceda´s last blog post..Florence: A Walk On The Feminine and Masculine Side</abbr>