10 months ago I left a position of marketing manager at a luxury sports travel company where I was heading marketing for North India and I took a travel break.
I always wanted to travel, but I always had reasons to postpone it. I decided I can’t keep waiting for life to hold my hand and take me on adventures. When I first realized that I want to quit my job and decided to take a break and travel before I start looking for another one, my friends told me how it is a huge career risk. In India we don’t appreciate career breaks, they were right, we don’t. Did I want a life in which I had never taken any risks or a career that was at best, safe? NO. I served my notice period, saved some money and started my journey.
By now, I have traveled to 16 cities, both in and outside India, some in luxury, some like gypsies. In last 10 months, I have felt intense joy, experienced peace and serenity, I have seen chaos and dealt with adversity, I have fallen in love and I have pursued my interests, I have been on adventures and I have started writing.
I always wanted to write, I scribbled some poems in my diary every now and then but I never showed them to people. They never seemed good enough. Eight months ago, my old friend Puloma suggested that I start a blog. She told me, one has to start doing something to eventually get better at it. I started my first blog, this blog. I am very excited that this blog has exceeded its first mark of 100 followers. It might not be much of an achievement, but it’s a start. There were times that a reader told me how my post moved or inspired him/her, how wonderful is that! Having inspired someone with your work is an inspiration in itself. Thank you, everyone, for your constant support.
I haven’t blogged much in a while, I was focused on writing a book, a birthday present for the man I have fallen in love with. He has been my biggest source of inspiration, it was only fair that my first book be about him, for him. It might not be a great book but he was so happy when I gave it to him, that makes it a success for me.
I have started my search for a new job and things are moving slowly. I always knew I will face difficulties when I start the job hunt because of the long break, but had I not taken the break, I will have never become the person I am today. In the big scheme of things, these little difficulties will be forgotten, but the memories, the discoveries I made about myself and the new journeys that sprouted from this one will forever remain.
I have realized that every decision of your life should be taken keeping the bigger picture in mind. When at crossroads, ask yourself, which path has the potential to add maximum value to your life. Sometimes it will be simple, it will be the popular choice and sometimes, it will be the road less traveled by. Whether you shy away from the risk or march on, will make all the difference.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.
– Robert Frost
N
May 11, 2017 at 2:30 pm
That is brave! Well done!
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May 11, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Thank you, Quinn! 🙂
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May 11, 2017 at 6:28 pm
Yay for your inner poet!
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May 11, 2017 at 6:58 pm
Haha…yay!!
Thank you, Brenda, you are always spreading joy.
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May 11, 2017 at 7:30 pm
I do like your blog. You are doing great. Congratulations on your first book and good luck with the job hunt!
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May 11, 2017 at 7:37 pm
Thank you very much. Your kind words have always encouraged me.
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May 11, 2017 at 7:38 pm
You are welcome.
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May 11, 2017 at 8:28 pm
Congratulations N.
Like you I am currently taking the road less travelled (not travelling cross country. Though that’s on my bucket list ) and everyday the journey gets more intense and also more beautiful.
Just discovered your blog today after you discovered mine.
Cheers! And here is to pursuing our dreams, trusting the process and knocking down invisible walls.
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May 11, 2017 at 8:39 pm
Hear hear! I wish you best of luck and courage for your road less traveled. Only intense journey can lead to a truly rewarding destination.
Cheers to trusting the process!
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May 14, 2017 at 1:50 pm
Good for you! I’m convinced writing makes me more balanced and contented so I’m sure it will be the same for you! Enjoy… that’s what life is about! Seeing the beauty in the ordinary… finding the fun in the moment! 😉
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May 14, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Thank you!! I couldn’t agree more.
I am so glad this happened for me and I can really use all the feedback I can get. 🙂
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May 15, 2017 at 5:56 am
That’s a brave beginning. Looking forward to the travel and other stories.
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May 15, 2017 at 1:59 pm
That’s AWESOME, N. Love it.
Society will always go against whatever they see as unusual but its up to you to decide what is right or wrong for you.
I think you made a really wise choice. You are a much much much more successive person that most people.
Also, I love your poetry. Because of all the seminars and exams I haven’t been able to check out blog posts much but I love em. Keep doing this. AND HEY. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 100 FOLLOWERS.
It is a big deal! 🙂
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May 15, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Thats the best feed back I could have asked for. Thank you Ket, it means so much to me. You have made my day! 🙂
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May 17, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Yay!
It makes my day when someone says I made theirs 😀
Lil weird, I am.
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May 17, 2017 at 7:16 pm
it’s not weird at all.
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May 15, 2017 at 8:53 pm
travel is extended living plus you get the added bonus of meeting some wonderful new friends and experiencing new foods.
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May 16, 2017 at 2:20 am
Travel is extended living, well put. 🙂
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May 16, 2017 at 4:59 am
When will you be publishing the book??
I’m just waiting to read it just as for your blogs I wait…😃😃
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May 16, 2017 at 6:01 am
oH! That is very motivating. Thank you.
And hopefully soon. 🙂
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May 16, 2017 at 10:56 am
I am really glad that you were brave enough to do this because i want that someday.Haven’t started my job yet.So taking a break is in far future. 😛
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May 16, 2017 at 11:27 am
hahaha… I hope get to do what you want, everyday would be like a break.
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May 16, 2017 at 12:08 pm
I will do that for sure.And you’ll be one of the people for inspiring me to do that.Take the credit. 😀
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May 16, 2017 at 12:32 pm
I sure will. 😀
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May 16, 2017 at 12:12 pm
And i ask this to everyone who has travelled,what has been your favorite place so far?
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May 16, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Location, Sydney.
best personal experience, Sri Lanka 🙂
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May 16, 2017 at 12:48 pm
Good to know.
Have u been to Bali?
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May 16, 2017 at 12:56 pm
No, not yet, is that your favourite place?
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May 16, 2017 at 12:58 pm
2nd on my wishlist.After Santorini.
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May 16, 2017 at 1:13 pm
I hope you get to go to both the places soon.
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May 16, 2017 at 5:25 pm
Hopefully.😄
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May 19, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Excellent choice! You’ve done something I wish I had done twenty years back but I was too focused on promotions and money. By stepping out of ‘the mold’ you’ve really pushed yourself and rarely does such effort go unrewarded. I finally decided to live a two decade dream and relocate to Alaska from SE Michigan after my parents passed on. It was a huge paradigm shift as I went from suburban living in the lower 48 for 59.5 years to semi-rural life in south central Alaska. It was a challenge to leave all my friends and family so far behind and move to someplace where I knew no one but ‘the adventure’ has been amazing. Like you, I stretched my own envelope and placed myself in a myriad of highly uncertain situations. Not all turned out well but overall I am a much better person for taking those chances and I’ve finally found my home. Good luck to you and always consider that ‘road less traveled’!
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May 19, 2017 at 4:05 pm
I am so glad you took the road less traveled (it must have been such an adventure), and the fact that you have found your home now and the journey turned out to be so good. It’s actually really motivating to hear your story. Thank you so much for sharing. I wish you even better things in future.
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May 26, 2017 at 3:06 pm
That sounds so scary, yet so inspiring! It gave me some perspective on how I should steer my career, keeping the writing in it and looking at the big picture, thank you for that.
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June 9, 2017 at 7:04 pm
If you don’t mind, how long did you save up for this grand adventure? Did you work odd jobs as you traveled? How did you support yourself financially on your journeys? Thnx 🙂
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June 11, 2017 at 4:42 pm
I saved for almost a year, very strictly, and I have been spending very judiciously. After my first trip(Sri Lanka), every other adventure has be budgeted and planned very strategically.
Also, luckily my friends and family has been very supportive whenever I have needed any thing. 🙂
But now I need to work, different jobs or take a steady one, something that is in line with my interests. I have started looking, I hope I find something soon.
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June 15, 2017 at 4:10 pm
Sounds incredible!
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October 2, 2017 at 1:07 pm
Amazing! Just read many of your old posts and Poems and then found this post. All the best for the book.
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October 2, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Thank you! That truly means a lot. 🙂
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