How to Refine Your Travel Resolution
January is coming! And frankly, forget roasting chestnuts and ringing sleigh bells – we all know the real most wonderful time of the year is dreaming up a new year of travel! But so many people put “travel more” on their list of New Year’s Resolutions and leave it at that. I want you to make a better travel resolution this year – one that swaps inspiration for intention and actually gets you out in the world! Here’s how to refine your travel resolution into a clear, actionable plan that could help you not just “travel more” but quit your job to travel the world on a sabbatical.
Start with Why You Want a Sabbatical
Why do you want to take this leap? Are you burned out and craving a different lifestyle? Eager to see a part of the world you would struggle to fully experience on limited vacation time? Looking to skyrocket your personal growth?
Your “why” will be part of an important guiding light when the planning gets tough. Take time to reflect on the deeper motivations behind your desire for long-term travel. Knowing your “why” (and even better, knowing your core values) will help you make decisions, stick to your goals, and plot out a life-changing sabbatical that aligns with your needs.
Define What Travel Means to You
Saying you want to travel more could mean a hundred different things, from taking a weekend getaway every month to taking a whole gap year. Even quitting your job to travel is a little too broad to be helpful, because there are different types of long-term travel and tons of things you could do on a sabbatical. Do you picture backpacking around Southeast Asia? Renting an apartment in Italy for three months? Driving across the United States?
Get specific. Instead of “I want to quit my job and travel,” try, “I want to spend six months exploring Europe and Asia” or “I want to teach English in South Korea.” Defining what this lifestyle means to you will help you map out an itinerary that’s both exciting and realistic.
Get Honest About Barriers
Dreaming about taking a sabbatical is easy, but what’s standing in your way? There might be practical concerns, like what to do with your apartment or car while away for a long time. Or you might be held back by some deeper mindset obstacles, like worrying long-term travel is irresponsible.
Refining your travel resolution means facing those hangups head-on. I won’t pretend quitting your job to travel is right for everybody – it’s not! But there’s also a chance your challenges are what I call “figure-out-able” and you won’t know for sure until you try.
Freaked out about the finances? Make a travel savings plan. Worried about leaving a gap on your resume? Research how to talk about your sabbatical when you return. Addressing your biggest “but what about…?” early on will make your travel resolution feel so much more achievable.
Break It Down Into Steps
Quitting your job to travel might feel like a huge, overwhelming decision—and it is! But that doesn’t mean you can’t break it down into smaller, more manageable steps.
Think about the big milestones: saving money, deciding where to go, and preparing for your departure. Then break each milestone into actionable tasks. Saving money might include setting a budget, cutting unnecessary expenses, and picking up a side hustle. And there are even more microtasks within each step. The more granular you can make it, the less overwhelming it will feel to move forward.
Join Me to Workshop Your Travel Resolution
If you want hands-on help refining your travel resolution, sign up for Workshop Your Travel Resolution. Whether you call it a career break, a sabbatical, or a gap year, this free 4-day challenge is designed specifically for women ready to take the leap into long-term travel. Together, we’ll transform your travel resolution into a concrete plan.
By the end of the week, you’ll have:
- An achievable savings goal,
- A rough outline of your itinerary, AND
- A departure date on the calendar!
Sign up here and we’ll map out the first steps toward your life-changing adventure.
Refining your travel resolution is about more than setting some pie-in-the-sky goal—it’s about creating a roadmap to achieve your biggest dreams. By tapping into your motivation, defining your vision, and identifying your barriers, you’re setting yourself up for sabbatical success. With the right tools and mindset, your dream of quitting your job to travel can become a reality.
