How it All Began
In 2019, I gave in to the nagging feeling that I needed to make a dramatic life change.
I decided to take an intentional career break.
I put my audacious travel dreams on paper, stacked money, and picked a date to resign from my fancy job.
Nadia Mitchem
Then, Covid happened.
So, I sat tight, somewhat fearfully waiting for the world to right itself. As we all know, it took a while.
Like any seasoned professional, I continued to mull my plans, played “what if?”, wrote pro/con lists, and weighed my options. Ultimately, I could not come up with a good enough reason to NOT move forward with my original plan for that dramatic life change.
In May 2020, I went on to defy convention and left my familiar, secure, comfortable life in favor of a plan to relax, move slowly, recharge, and simply give into whim.
Equipped with a budget and some general ideas about places to go and things to see and do, I otherwise let curiosity and opportunity guide me. I had a history of business and leisure travel that took me to 43 states and 30+ countries before my sabbatical, and had also lived abroad, but that did not make this any less scary. Especially in the early days, I had moments of doubt and instances of professional FOMO (fear of missing out). I was even reticent to tell people what I was doing and would downplay my sabbatical narrative. After all, choosing to step away from an established career and well-paying job to travel isn’t something most people do.
It felt indulgent, extravagant, even undisciplined.
But, you know what? I pushed through those doubts and embarked on a transformative adventure. First, I took a bit of time to be still, and rest. Then, I began. I started with weeks-long trips around the U.S. Three weeks in Tucson, Arizona, a stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a jaunt to Nashville, Tennessee, six weeks in Chicago, Illinois, a month in Washington, D.C. Sure, I saw friends and loved ones along the way, but make no mistake–I was the pilot and passenger of this extraordinary journey. After several months of long drives and seeing both familiar and unfamiliar parts of the U.S., my journey into 1.5 years of international exploration began. Croatia was my exciting first stop among many. With each successive U.S. road trip and my eventual trip overseas, my comfort and delight about my career break increased. I learned to embrace the uniqueness and bravery of my bold move.
During moments of reflection, whether gazing at the expanse of open road in New Mexico or enjoying the ferry ride to Istanbul’s Princes’ Islands, I could not help but think about the women who came before me for whom societal expectations and limitations dictated their sense of agency. I was living what for them would have been inconceivable.
I had full autonomy over my time. I wasn’t beholden to any institutional rules or expectations. I jumped into solo travel with both feet. I felt a new kind of freedom and every day felt like my birthday.
I had tapped into my travel MOXIE.
Moxie: confidence, courage, determination, fighting spirit
What began as an intentional career break has blossomed into a continuous journey of adventure and discovery. My sabbatical was so enriching that it transformed me into an accidental nomad. I continue to travel full-time and want to help you experience the same magic as me. I live what I call the GLOBAL CHRONICLES OF NADIA.
You don’t have to embark on this journey alone. I with individuals to help them take their first or next Solo and Slow Travel Experience. You are invited to join my Chronicles as a reader or to have me as your mentor as you curate you tap into your travel moxie and curate your own journey.
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Your travel success is closer than you think!