Overcoming Common Excuses For Not Following Travel Dreams...

Many people have dreams of travelling and seeing the world but never actually do it. I am sure that I am not the only one to have had a yearning to live outside of the 9-5 rat-race existence and become a nomad!

For years I thought this dream was just that... an impossible and impractical pipe-dream.

We are too good at coming up with excuses not to follow our heart desires, trying to be 'sensible'...

Yet how many of these reasons not to travel are just excuses and excuses with solutions?

Why not travel? Why are you holding back if that is what you really want to do?

In this post I want to explore some of the most common excuses people use (and I did too for years) not to travel and follow their dreams.... giving some solutions!

Granted, giving up everything and jetting off might not be practical or feasible to do tomorrow but with a bit of planning perhaps it could be real in 6 months and not 6 years!

Common Excuses For Not Following Your Travel Dreams:

Money

Ok, let's address the big one first as I know this is the one you are all thinking of!

Consider Financial Options

Of course, money is a big factor. You need to be able to fund your travels, expenses, costs of living and you don't want to be begging on the streets!

Money is probably the greatest factor in why many don't bite the bullet and travel and one of the main reasons I hesitated for so long.

You are going to have to do some true soul searching on this one and only you can do that!

Do you have some savings to start you off on your journey?

Do you have anything you could sell to help with costs?

Get real about how much money you will really need - you might not be able to afford a luxury lifestyle as a nomad - forget 5 star hotels and flying business class and think economy!

What really matters to you in life?

Material items - having designer trainers and the latest entertainment system, but working in a mediocre job to afford it?

Or, can you forego the expensive items and live a life in which you feel you truly fit?

In point two I will address employment and income. Earning some money when travelling is very possible in our current age, so just having enough to start you off might well be sufficient.

Do not let money be the one thing that stops you travelling... there can be solutions.

Money is important but so is happiness.

Job / Career

Tying in with the money issue is of course your job, career and related considerations.

You might have a successful career that you have built up over years and giving it all up feels terrifying.

What happens to the career ladder?

Remember, I am not suggesting you drop everything and leave now!

Please, don't let a career stop you filling your travel dreams...

Don't wait until you retire in xx number of years to be true to yourself - none of us know what our future holds.

I was a nurse for 20 years before I gave it up and took up writing.. This was not an easy decision by any means but nursing was not making me happy or healthy any longer.

I had reached an advanced level as a nurse and could earn well in the profession but only if I remained dis-satisfied with life as a whole.

I made the decision to become a writer and take on a lifestyle I can do anywhere in the world and I do not regret it. I now feel a zest for life that had eluded me.

Jobs and careers are important but there are options if you do also want to travel:

- Could you put the career on hold for 6 months or a year and take a break to travel, with a view to returning to your old career when you return?

- Explore work options you can do while travelling - there are many ways to earn a living remotely now. These include working online or within the travel industry and beyond...

You might need to do something different to your current position but work and travel can go hand in hand!

- Are there options in your current profession to travel?

Do you work for a business with international locations and could you transfer abroad for a while?

- Do you have a skill set that other countries seek and could you get a professional position abroad... nursing is a key one here(!) but also teaching, many trades positions, IT etc etc!

Don't let work and career be your excuse not to travel - there are options and a bit of planning could have you handing your notice in and jetting off sooner than you thought!

Property Ownership

As as an adult you might well be a home-owner with mortgage responsibilities or have a rental property with a number of months left on the contract.

Is your current home an excuse not to travel?

Property is a big responsibility and commitment. However, with some time and organisation, the property issue has solutions!

Regarding property ownership you might let your house out or even sell it. It does take some planning and logistical gymnastics but it can be done!

I have written before about what to do with your home when travelling so if this is a big factor in your travel plans then see this earlier post.

If you already rent a home then serving notice on this contract and moving when you can is possible.

Belongings can be stored or sold - at the end of the day material items are important but perhaps not as important as living the life you really desire.

If you feel that selling or letting a home you own is too much to do at present then why not consider using a house-sitter to mind your home when you travel? This way you also get peace of mind that your home is not sitting empty and is looked after.

If you have pets then using a house-sitter could be a solution that also ensures your much loved animals are well cared for while you are away!

Children

Often people cite the reason for not being able to travel and really see the world as they would like to is that they have children and family ties.

Do you have children to factor into travel plans?

Many say that they will travel when the children are 'grown up' or have left home - but how many say this and that day never really comes (so many adult children still live at home these days!).

Ok, I don't have children and I am not going to pretend to be an expert on this but I have followed and read blogs and stories of people who do have children and travel long term.

If travel is in your heart then don't let the reason for not fulfilling that dream be your kids.

Travelling the world could be the best education your children could have and happy parents will make for happier kids too!

Please don't take my word for it though - see how others do it by checking out these blogs -

exploramum.com - a single mother travelling with her son

wanderluststorytellers.com - a family of five travelling the world together

worldtraveladventurers.com - a family of four making travel their life!

Children are a commitment but there are ways to travel with children of all ages - people do it and so could you if you set your heart on it.

Seek out inspiration and experiences from others and contact them for advice.

What Will People Say?!?

I think this is one that more people worry about than will admit to.

Will people think me irresponsible?

Am I going to be seen as a 'layabout' or as being idle?

Will they say I am shirking other responsibilities?

Seeking permission from others or can you give it to yourself?

It is human nature to worry and care about what people think of us and say about us.

We can't help but care about other's opinions but, at the end of the day, do what is right in our minds and hearts.

Most people just want the best for you. They want to see you happy and fulfilled. Any people making negative comments about your intentions to travel might be driven by a concern that this could be detrimental for you in some way.

A few might just be a little bit jealous that they have not done the same!

I suspect that many people will not have the opinions you might fear and will in fact be delighted to hear about your planned adventures...

For those who do doubt you - prove them wrong!

If we live life only doing things that we think other people will be respectful of, we could be left feeling stifled and unfulfilled.

As an adult you do not need permission from anyone but you to travel.

What about logistics - accommodation, travel plans?

When you first start to make your plans to travel, the logistics might seem daunting and put you off proceeding.

Logistics.. Could a campervan for accommodation and transport solutions work?

Travelling does involve some logistical juggling and consideration.

What sort of accommodation can you use?

What about transport means?

Do you need to think about visas, travel insurance and all those other boring things to consider when planning a trip!

All of this can seem too much at times but they are all areas to explore and quandaries to solve!

There are many accommodation options that can be budget friendly (or perhaps you have surplus cash and can afford luxury!).

Try different things and see what fits.

Perhaps house-sitting will be a good option for you?

Maybe get a campervan and use this as a means of transport and for accommodation?

Many now use Airbnb to find solutions to where they will stay.

You might have friends or family scattered around the globe willing to put you up for a time.

Transport again is something that has so many options today and to suit most budgets - from budget flights, trains, ships, self-driving, motor-cycling, coaches and more...

With the internet now set up to help us find good deals, a bit of time to research is all you need!

(also see my earlier post on finding the best deals on flights here).

Depending on where you travel to you might need a visa and this information you will find on a country's immigration website...

Travel insurance I would highly recommend but you can buy annual or backpacker policies that will last for some time and give you peace of mind.

Logistics can take a bit of planning, a bit of trial and error and times of just going with the flow!

Just don't know where to start!

You don't know where to start so you don't start at all?

Is this familiar to you?

Don't allow procrastination to stop you!

Perhaps you are thinking, do I start with sorting out the home, speaking to family, planning where to go or by handing in my notice?!?

At the end of the day procrastination because you don't know where to start will get you no where...

Well, it will keep you continuing on in the rat-race for a few more years.

At some point you just have to act.

It does not really matter where you start. Take one positive step and the rest will then flow like a stack of dominoes. Until you do push that first domino over though, the rest will stay upright!

Will telling other people you are going to go travelling then keep you accountable to actually do it?

Decide where you would like to go first when you travel and start to find accommodation or transport options - even get in touch with some of the solutions you find and start to make tentative bookings...

Let people at work know of your plans and work opportunities while travelling might then arise.

However you make that first step - for the sake of the rest of your life, make it today!

Conclusion

Deciding to embark on some long term travels is a big decision and goes against the status quo.

It is natural that people feel daunted at the prospect of making that leap to doing it.

Making excuses not to travel is understandable, even though it is the very thing you truly want to do.

Of course, there may well be very real reasons for why you really cannot travel at this time and this post is not to make light of those.

For those of you though who deep down have that little flicker of hope that perhaps the excuses you have been making are surmountable - I hope this post has given you some ideas of how to overcome any of the common excuses you are using not to travel.

I never thought that being a Nomad with a Notebook would be possible in reality but that dream is becoming real for me.

Your dreams could be real for you too!

Please share with me any other excuses you might have given not to travel and how you have or will overcome them!

**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**