Living The Dream: It’s Unachievable, Like A Pot At The End Of A Rainbow

Living The Dream

Kristin and I have been on two press trips together. The first was in Ireland and the second in Greece. She is a young, vicarious lady with a bright future. And while her dream continually changes she’s still Living The Dream.

Kristin

What was the first country you visited? Who with and why did you choose it?

The first foreign country I visited was Spain and I did so with my sister at age 20. We chose it because she speaks Spanish, I had been learning about Moorish architecture at University, and we were dying to go to Europe. It just seemed like the perfect place for all those reasons.

When did you start a travel lifestyle? What inspired that change?

I started travelling full time in September 2012 after four years working as an investment banker. I was tired of the corporate lifestyle and felt like there must be more out there. I didn't get much vacation time at all and would sit in my car driving home wondering why in the world I was slaving away the years of my youth supporting someone else’s dream when I had one of my own. After paying off my school loans and selling off nearly everything I had, I had no choice but to move forward with a one-way ticket to Thailand. The rest has unfolded in ways I could never have imagined. 

Do you have a base you travel from? Or is it continuous travel? And why do you choose that style?

My travel style is continuous mainly because I feel like there are so many places I need to see and my list hasn’t stopped growing since I started.  I expected that I’d cross of locations and reach satisfaction but I only learn about new places and have ended up staying largely in Asia as a result. I feel like I want to “finish” it first but that is looking impossible. I have to admit, though, that after two years I’m getting tired. Chances are good I’ll be spending much longer chunks of time in a few key areas I really love in the future rather than living out of a backpack and moving from place to place only spending a few days in each. 

How do you fund your travel lifestyle? Is it something you do when travelling or are you a saver?

I saved up a lot of money before I started travelling. I believe everyone has to do this and there is no magic way to keep going without working. Some people work in hostels or teach English, whereas I’ve been blogging to support my travel habit. Some months pay better than others through affiliate sales but I’ll need to come up with other income streams if I want to keep going - which I do! More to come on that as I brainstorm. 

If you could tell yourself one tip before you started your travel lifestyle, what would it be?

My one tip would be to enjoy the first few months because they are the best. Everything is new, carefree, and amazing. Those aren’t really times you can get back. Now life is in a routine for me, even though that routine is much different than the average person’s because it involves constant movement and exposure to new things. I’d tell myself not to expect everything to be perfect and not to get disappointed if quitting and traveling isn’t a magic pill that fixes everything - it isn’t. Problems will still arise, and they’ll be new problems nobody ever saw coming. Conversely, the highs are very high and the magical moments are plentiful. Just be prepared for mixed emotions just like things were before.

What does "Living The Dream" mean to you?

Living the Dream is a buzz phrase. It’s like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow - it doesn’t exist. One can chase a dream but the thing about dreams is they’re always changing. We’re always seeking something bigger, better, higher, and more amazing.  There’s nothing wrong with that but recognizing it and deciding to be happy in the current circumstances is the only way to truly “live the dream” which is simply to enjoy life. 

You can find Kristin Addis here -

Website: bemytravelmuse

Twitter:  @bemytravelmuse

Let fear take you to the wildest corners of the globe rather than holding you in one spot. It's far scarier never to experience what you feel you were meant to see than to throw yourself into new and unfamiliar circumstances.

Reader Comments...

"I respond to every comment by direct private email. I look forward to your feedback" -

It’s great that professionals are taking up ‘the less traveled road.’ Wonderful to see your experience while traveling random places on your own. Good read..!

Micheal Kesler Oct 28th, 2014

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