Choosing to quit your job and leave the comforts of your “normal life” is frightening. We outline a timeline of how we go to where we are today and initial reflections from our sabbatical so far.
March 14, 2023 – My last day at DoorDash after an incredible 3 year ride.
March 29, 2023 – My wife and I packed up our apartment, handed off our beloved pup Bindi, and we set off on our ~6 month journey to travel South East Asia and South America with our first stop being Bangkok, Thailand.
May 18, 2023 – 48 days from when we left Brooklyn.
We finally have some time to catch our breath after what feels like a month of so many roller coasters of life experiences and change. I am sharing some of my reflections so far and #comment below if you have taken a #sabbatical or have had similar experiences below ⬇
Being comfortable with discomfort takes PRACTICE
Like any exercise, you have to practice in order to get stronger and you have to start a square 0. I was reminded of this when we were learning how to scuba dive. You have to learn how to breathe through your mouth/diaphragm which to start is very uncomfortable and extremely awkward. After practicing this skill in various forms in the pool, in the ocean, in shallow water, in deep water you can work your way up having a fun dive and actually SEEING fish versus just focusing on your breathing.
Bottom Line: I will be actively looking to learn new skills and push myself out of my comfort zone. Learning how to take care of elephants 🐘 is top of the list .
When life gives you mangos, make some mango shakes
It has not been smooth sailing since we started our journey. We’ve had to book hotels for the same day based on walking in and asking for availability (terrifying for someone who loves to plan). We followed our friends to the bus stop to book tickets on the spot for a sold out bus (my heart stopped as we watched the bus roll away). We’ve had to extend our stay unexpectedly for a few weeks since Sarah had to go to the hospital for tonsillitis.
Bottom Line: Don’t be afraid to have your plans change and try to embrace the ambiguity. You’ll discover things that you would have never found to begin with.
It takes time (a lot of it) to embrace the person you are now.
This one is particularly challenging for me since I am still learning how to do this now. When someone asks me what I do – I do not know how to answer it. I think I’ll get more comfortable with the answer over the next several months.
Bottom Line: With any big life change, practice grace and self-compassion. It’s easy to be your own worst critic and I will be working on continuing to bring more awareness to my own self-talk.
📩 Please reach out if you have any questions or if I could be of help if you’re thinking about taking a sabbatical.
Follow our adventures on Instagram @KoswithTheFlow and YouTube Channel
#careerbreak #embracechange #sabbatical #growth #newchapter #experience #travel #change