And so was our line of reasoning when we decided to quit our jobs in Los Angeles, give up our apartment, sell most of our things, and go on an indefinite road trip. Since we met nearly three years ago we have been talking about going on a “Big Trip” and on August 1st, 2015 we officially pulled the plug. It was both the hardest and easiest decision we have ever made.
The idea of trading a 9-to-5 desk job for a life of travel is certainly nothing new. In fact, most of the hours between 9am and 5pm are probably spent secretly fantasizing about such a life. And there is no shortage of people who have actually done it too. People who have broken away pursued meaningful life experiences and found a more fulfilling way of existing – at least for a while.
For us, we really want to give ourselves the time to pursue our respective crafts of photography and writing. We’re trying to embrace the concept of slow travel (having no destination in mind and not being particularly intent on arriving). We’re excited to continue Fresh Off the Grid from the road. We’re also excited to have time to take on outside creative projects. Far from being a holiday, we’re viewing the trip as an out-of-the-box career shift.
Over the past couple years we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with a few individuals who, at some point or another, made a major shift in their life and noticed a recurring theme: not a single one of them regretted their decision. Not one of them would have traded their experience for a few more years of a steady paycheck. “Those memories will last your whole life,” one of our friends told us, “It’s the wisest investment you can make.”
So there we were, standing on the edge of the pool. Everyone was telling us the water was fine. And even if we didn’t like it, we could always get out. We didn’t have to stay in forever. We hemmed and hawed, dithered, and stalled, until finally a moment of conviction came and we decided to make the plunge. Maybe we’ll get out right away, maybe we’ll stay in until our fingers raisin up and our lips turn blue. We’ll see.