Hi Steemit! My name is Lou, short for Mary Lou and I'd love to introduce myself and how I got to traveling the world!
Growing up in Michigan was great. There is a sense of community, people have good jobs, nice houses and loving families. I always enjoyed playing sports, sledding and going out on the lake fishing with my Dad. As I grew older though, maybe around 15, it was evident after our family road trips to the ocean that I was meant to live somewhere else. I loved the sand and the palm trees and the water. Those road trips helped show me a new way to get out and travel. Fast forward to when I turned 30. I was living in Orange County, California and loved it, but it was a turning point for me for so many reasons (putting it all out there!):
- I experienced launching a startup and shutting it down.
- I was married, but going through a divorce after 10 years.
- My current job I felt like I needed something new.
- I didn’t have many friends yet since I worked from home.
- I lived alone, which was boring and sad.
- My family was all still in Michigan and I missed them, but didn’t want to go back there to live.
I decided enough negatives, it was time for a change. I’ve always wanted to travel to Europe and I was done waiting for time off or someone to go with, so I did the unthinkable – I decided to travel alone. I booked a ticket to Paris and my excitement for the trip started building.
I won’t go over the trip details now, but it was a really liberating experience. I did find myself being lonely, but that’s just me, I like being around other people and sharing exciting things with them. The part I’m trying to get to though, is it opened my eyes. I worked remotely already for 5 years, but not once did I travel and work in another country. I was now ready to explore more! As I felt more whole as a person and became more positive overall I found things were falling into place. In the new year I met Stephen, born in the UK, living in Bondi Beach, Australia. I instantly was in love, he was my perfect match. I decided to quit my current job, rent my apartment and live with him in Bondi to see how things go, plus, a new beautiful country to discover! The year went by and we were at a crossroads, we were very much in love, but thoughts of visas and where we could live started to cross our minds. I put out the idea that I really wanted to travel the world “before it’s too late”. After reading the 4 hour work week and other books, I knew it was possible and believed we could do it. When Stephen agreed, I was elated and plans started to go into motion.
I sold (almost) all of my things: my car, furniture and apartment. I had one 30kg luggage and that’s it – that’s all I had left to travel the world for who knows how long! I was scared of having no identity because I would have to wear the same clothes over and over (that’s a whole other post). Stephen quit his job on Christmas Eve and we have been traveling the world ever since. It's really happening. The thing that I didn’t realize would happen is my friends and family that would message me, telling me I’m inspiring them to get out and travel more. They say we’re “living the dream” and in a way, it’s true, and it’s fantastic!
It’s ok to start over. You could surprise yourself at what comes after! All I know is my experience in this life, I know that I’m on the right path now and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! So what are you waiting for? Get out and travel! Or… if you don’t like traveling, you could get out and experience something NEW!
I'm excited to write more about my experiences here on Steemit and hope to give tips, inspiration, photos and more! A lot of people ask me how I'm able to travel and make money and that's something I'll write about as well. Please follow me and comment any questions you'd like about traveling, I'm happy to give advice. ♥
You can also follow me on Instagram : @sweet.lou