Life changing decision - any advice/experience?

[ComedyPilot]

Hello Helen, just got in from work and am reading through the posts. I can't offer anymore advice than has already been (very well) put. By nature I am a sporadic person, and would love to do something like this. I have got a 20 month old daughter that I have responsibility for, so I am a little more 'grounded' than I used to be. Everyone I meet who has travelled has come back richer for the experience (if they come back). Throwing off the safety net of a safe job and friends/family seems to most like an absurd thing to do, but if it's your 'time' and you're getting the call, then go for it.

As my favourite film character Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it"

 

[ComedyPilot]

Hello Helen, just got in from work and am reading through the posts. I can't offer anymore advice than has already been (very well) put. By nature I am a sporadic person, and would love to do something like this. I have got a 20 month old daughter that I have responsibility for, so I am a little more 'grounded' than I used to be. Everyone I meet who has travelled has come back richer for the experience (if they come back). Throwing off the safety net of a safe job and friends/family seems to most like an absurd thing to do, but if it's your 'time' and you're getting the call, then go for it.

As my favourite film character Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it"

 

[ComedyPilot]

Hello Helen, just got in from work and am reading through the posts. I can't offer anymore advice than has already been (very well) put. By nature I am a sporadic person, and would love to do something like this. I have got a 20 month old daughter that I have responsibility for, so I am a little more 'grounded' than I used to be. Everyone I meet who has travelled has come back richer for the experience (if they come back). Throwing off the safety net of a safe job and friends/family seems to most like an absurd thing to do, but if it's your 'time' and you're getting the call, then go for it.

As my favourite film character Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it"

 

[TheDoctor]

I am so envious...

What I'd do is to be as open and honest with your employer as you have been here. Leave on the best possible terms - that way you keep your options open.

 

[TheDoctor]

I am so envious...

What I'd do is to be as open and honest with your employer as you have been here. Leave on the best possible terms - that way you keep your options open.

 

[craigwend]

Go for it grrrl!!!!!!!

Just choose an option and go with it, there are (generally) no wrong decisions, just decisions.

All options have merits :

Sabbatical a safety net to return to, & I'm sure your employer would not be surprised if you did not return - & you would not be the first, and the person in your job would probably be pleased to get the job full time

Ending job - yes the job market is hard but I'm sure you skilled enough to rebuild (& young enough)

House options to rent, a nice deposit to return to, to sell, and it would sell in your town.
A 'couple' of friends sold their house to fund their trip around Australia, now settled back in 'new jobs', 'new house' & 'new children' (on return), no regrets from them.

I think you have great options, & I'm guessing (?) the trip is with a 'friend' so I think you are being ‘a cautious adventurer’ (title of your book?)

I think what always impresses me so much about you, is your sense of 'adventure' - this is just a natural progression.

Go for it - so I can live vicariously through other people (friends) I know

Ps can I have that Brooks saddle yet? :?:

 

[craigwend]

Go for it grrrl!!!!!!!

Just choose an option and go with it, there are (generally) no wrong decisions, just decisions.

All options have merits :

Sabbatical a safety net to return to, & I'm sure your employer would not be surprised if you did not return - & you would not be the first, and the person in your job would probably be pleased to get the job full time

Ending job - yes the job market is hard but I'm sure you skilled enough to rebuild (& young enough)

House options to rent, a nice deposit to return to, to sell, and it would sell in your town.
A 'couple' of friends sold their house to fund their trip around Australia, now settled back in 'new jobs', 'new house' & 'new children' (on return), no regrets from them.

I think you have great options, & I'm guessing (?) the trip is with a 'friend' so I think you are being ‘a cautious adventurer’ (title of your book?)

I think what always impresses me so much about you, is your sense of 'adventure' - this is just a natural progression.

Go for it - so I can live vicariously through other people (friends) I know

Ps can I have that Brooks saddle yet?

 

[Arch]

I don't think I can add anything useful. In fact I don't think I could decide between the options, I can see both sides.

Anyway, I'm sure whatever you decide, it'll work out.

 

[Arch]

I don't think I can add anything useful. In fact I don't think I could decide between the options, I can see both sides.

Anyway, I'm sure whatever you decide, it'll work out.

 

[Speicher]

I have read all the very interesting replies to this thread, and cannot add anything about the pros and cons of Unpaid leave versus clean break.

I would like to ask though, have you already handed in your notice?

You say in one of your posts that recruiting someone will take time. I agree with the sentiments of posters about honesty being the best policy with your employers.

If I was you, I would explain to my employers that I have decided to go on an extended tour, and am giving them three months notice, because of the complexity of recruiting a replacement. They can then start the process. Can you delay by a further week or so, the decision on whether to accept the offer of Unpaid leave. This gives you time to discuss it with any particularly important people in your life. Your employers will not get very far in the recruitment process within a week.

You can explain to your employers, and I think this is understandable, that you are surprised at their generous offer of Unpaid leave, but you would like a some time (say a week or two) to give it (the going back bit) further thought. I would explain that Unpaid leave, had not previously occured to you as an option, so you need time to think.

It is not easy to explain this in a post, and you are a bit too far away for me to pop up for a drink.

As it happens, in 1978 the first job I had after leaving college, was as a temp to cover for someone who was going to USA for two months. She decided not to come back, and I stayed on and worked very happily with that company for four years. In fact I only left when the danger of redundancy looked increasingly real, as a result of new technology like ..um... computers. Plus ca change etc?

 

[Speicher]

I have read all the very interesting replies to this thread, and cannot add anything about the pros and cons of Unpaid leave versus clean break.

I would like to ask though, have you already handed in your notice?

You say in one of your posts that recruiting someone will take time. I agree with the sentiments of posters about honesty being the best policy with your employers.

If I was you, I would explain to my employers that I have decided to go on an extended tour, and am giving them three months notice, because of the complexity of recruiting a replacement. They can then start the process. Can you delay by a further week or so, the decision on whether to accept the offer of Unpaid leave. This gives you time to discuss it with any particularly important people in your life. Your employers will not get very far in the recruitment process within a week.

You can explain to your employers, and I think this is understandable, that you are surprised at their generous offer of Unpaid leave, but you would like a some time (say a week or two) to give it (the going back bit) further thought. I would explain that Unpaid leave, had not previously occured to you as an option, so you need time to think.

It is not easy to explain this in a post, and you are a bit too far away for me to pop up for a drink.

As it happens, in 1978 the first job I had after leaving college, was as a temp to cover for someone who was going to USA for two months. She decided not to come back, and I stayed on and worked very happily with that company for four years. In fact I only left when the danger of redundancy looked increasingly real, as a result of new technology like ..um... computers. Plus ca change etc?

 

[HelenD123]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. I think the motivation behind the trip is at least as much about making a break and forcing myself to do something else workwise as it is about the fun of the trip itself so I've answered my own question really. I need to go without a safety net. It's just scary though! I also don't really want to be tied to a fixed schedule. If I've had enough after 3 months so be it, but if I want stay away for 12 months it won't be a problem. I think the attraction of the unpaid leave option was just that I wouldn't have to be so careful with the budget whilst I was away.

I haven't put my notice in writing but will have to do so in the next week or so to be able to leave in mid May. I just need to work out the dates so that I get paid for as long as possible!

 

[Greedo]

Hand in your notice, go away and enjoy yourself, who knows what you will find, it's marvellously liberating and exciting.........good luck.

Agree 100%.

I did the same. Ended up bored out my skull in my job, packed it in as always wanted to work for myself. Liberating, fun, exciting and thrilling. You're not stupid and have a good head. You'll be fine no matter where you end up. You'll also be doing the right thing by your employer if you like them as they will be able to promote or take someone externally who will see the job you're bored with as a new chapter in their life.

Good luck!!!

 

[ComedyPilot]

Ps can I have that Brooks saddle yet?

Look up 'mercenary' in an encyclopaedia, and there'll be a picture of craigwend...............................sat on HelenD123's Brooks saddle.

 

[Crankarm]

Some excellent posts since I dipped out earlier. A thought did occur to me whilst I was cycling home earlier. Could a total change from what you are currently doing also be a possibility or are you set on travelling?

They say change is as good as a rest. So perhaps take a one month holiday come back and try something totally different?

I guess a lot of people are feeling pretty depressed at the moment. Christmas is a distant memory, it's still dark at 5pm and the arrival of good whether will take at least 5 months. So it is not surprising most are thinking about holidays or carrying out a life audit. Some might even be suffering from SAD. Not suggesting you are.

The question I now pose; is your decision to travel so because you really want to travel, to go and see some places you always dreamed of visiting, having real adventure and meeting exotic peoples or is it a means to delay deciding what you want to do with the rest of your life? There are a lot of pluses for it, don't get me wrong, but if you are using it merely to delay the inevitable life choices then you might not get as much out of it as you might. Maybe things such "life choices have never really bothered you", you do what feels comfortable at the time. But if you don't go for it you will always think, what if ..... Better to have tried and failed then never tried at all. Better still to have tried and been really happy trying. You might be a lot richer spiritually but financially poor for a few years. The sort of experiences you will have money can't buy.

Hence my preferred clean break approach waking up the next morning thinking "This is the first day of the rest of my life. I wonder where I will be in 5 months time let alone 5 years!"

Good luck.

Maybe you meet a tall, dark and handsome stranger that sweeps you off your pedals and you live happily ever after. I take it your are unattached and fancy free from the content of your posts. Go and enjoy life before it is too late.

This is my 2ps worth.