Category: Dreams

Travel Quote Series: The Misunderstood Escapist

2/10/2015

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

You’re an adult now. School is out. You’re living an independent lifestyle, away from family perhaps, or rooming with friends. You’ve got your first real job, maybe at a high-rise in town. Or maybe you’ve been in the game for a few years…or 10. You’re holding it down with a mortgage and family life knocking at your door. You think your clock is ticking and it’s time to move onto the next proper phase in life. No matter your situation at this moment, you may have heard some of this helpful advice along the way:

“Pay your dues, get in line, and go after the American Dream.”

“If your job is tough, suck it up. No one “loves” their work.”

“Put down some roots and start a family before your window of opportunity passes.”

“If you’re feeling a little restless and like you don’t belong in this rat race called life, there are pills for that.”

Right…helpful.

There is an annoyingly permeating belief that wanderers, or those who strive to always be “anywhere but here” are just trying to escape their responsibilities, their jobs, their lives. The assumption is that they just can’t handle real life and grown up obligations.

The truth is there are simply different types of people in this world. Some seek security and a more rooted life – either out of innate desire or a respectable sense of duty to themselves or their family. Others seek novelty and a less rooted life – either out of innate desire or a respectable sense of duty to themselves or their family. Different goals, same drives - both valid.

The travelers, the wanderers, the free-spirited risk takers – and those of us who are wondering if we are – we are not escapists for the sake of dodging reality. We are escapists of a “reality” that doesn’t quite fit us. If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance that you’re leaning toward the way of the novelty seekers. I have no doubt that for us, incredible experiences are just waiting to happen. It’s a matter of choosing to go where life can take us.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please share below.

The Cubicle Escape

2/10/2015

Let's be honest. Half the time you spend in that work cubicle, you’re not actually working, but daydreaming about being anywhere but there. Between spreadsheets, phone calls, and coffee breaks, you’re wishing you could be on a faraway Tahitian beach, sipping Mai-tais, and feeling the breeze on your face. Or maybe you imagine yourself backpacking through Spain with your 10th grade conversational Spanish skills barely getting you by. Or maybe you’re longing for the rush of an international city – London’s crowded tube and countless pubs are beckoning you to “live like a local” to your heart’s content.

We’ve all been there – that place in our minds – our escape zone.

As young professionals working to make our way in this world, it’s easy to fall into the rut of our daily grind. We seek an escape, if only a mental one, to relieve some of the pressure and remind us that we are human beings with a desire to experience all that life has to offer. But this mental escape can become a reality with a little planning and a lot of determination. Even if you don’t think you can afford it, or you don’t have a lot of vacation time, or you don’t know a word of French (Spanish, Mandarin, etc.), it IS possible to see the world! In fact, it’s important that you do.

You know there is more to life than the four walls of your cubicle, your apartment, and your favorite spot for Friday night happy hour. Whatever your four walls are, if you’re ready to go beyond them, keep reading. There’s much more to come!

Share your thoughts:

Can you relate?
What is your dream "escape zone?"

Travel Quote Series: The Misunderstood Escapist

The Cubicle Escape

Mel

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