In August 2022, I made a bold move and quit my dream job. Driven by the need to overcome burnout and discover happiness beyond the confines of work, I embarked on an ambitious journey: an 18-month exploration of South America and Asia, costing $34,000. Initially, the allure of ticking off bucket-list destinations was intoxicating. I found myself trekking to majestic snow-capped peaks and serene glacial lakes in Patagonia, and basking in the inviting, warm waters of Thailand.
However, this initial excitement was fleeting. Standing on the breathtaking coastal cliffs of Jeju Island, Korea, I was surprised to feel a sense of apathy wash over me. Even while exploring the vibrant streets of Japan, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy watching people working on their laptops in coffee shops. Here I was, ostensibly living my dream of Traveling The World, yet I felt profoundly burned out and strangely empty. It was during these moments that a stark realization hit me: I had drastically changed my surroundings, but I had failed to address my internal state of mind.
The Core Mistake I Made While Traveling the World
It gradually dawned on me that my approach to this sabbatical, this supposed dream of traveling the world, mirrored my approach to my career – with the relentless drive of a workaholic. Back home, the relentless pursuit of professional success and prestige had transformed me into an anxious individual, unable to fully appreciate the present moment. Now, I was replicating the same detrimental patterns by traveling according to an overly structured and rigid schedule, as if traveling the world was another task to be conquered.
I was obsessively checking off destinations, viewing each new place as a badge of honor to accumulate. Subconsciously, I believed that by visiting enough places, my life would somehow gain the same enviable worth as those travel influencers I admired online. It became clear that a fundamental shift was necessary if I was ever going to truly enjoy my time off and the incredible opportunity of traveling the world. To transform my sabbatical and, indeed, my life, I took three crucial steps. These steps taught me invaluable lessons about finding balance between well-being and ambition, especially when traveling the world.
1. Radically Reducing Plans and Shifting My Focus While Traveling the World
A wave of defeat washed over me as I lay in bed in Tokyo, grappling with the realization that my meticulously planned sabbatical was not delivering the anticipated happiness. My grand plan had been to visit all 34 countries remaining on my extensive bucket list during this time off. The underlying rationale was to “get travel out of my system,” allowing me to return home and fully dedicate myself to career advancement and family planning. There was a fear of falling behind my peers, who seemed to be reaching conventional milestones like purchasing homes and starting families.
However, the very burnout I was trying to escape provided the clarity needed to drastically revise my sabbatical itinerary. I made the decision to cut my ambitious bucket list in half, prioritizing depth and quality of experience over sheer quantity of destinations visited. What, I reasoned, was the true value in seeing so many places if I wasn’t genuinely present to enjoy them?
Tokyo
Experiencing urban landscapes in Tokyo, Japan, a moment of reflection during world travels.
I consciously let go of the need to impress others with an inflated country count. I accepted the idea that traveling the world could be an ongoing part of my life, even if it meant a slightly extended timeline for achieving professional goals. Learning to prioritize my own well-being meant relinquishing the illusion of control and detaching from external metrics of self-worth. I began to redefine success, measuring it by moments of genuine aliveness, inner peace, and meaningful connection with others, rather than by resume-boosting accomplishments or an impressive online presence.
2. Choosing to Embrace “Missing Out” While Traveling the World
A significant shift occurred when I learned to consciously disregard FOMO (fear of missing out) and instead prioritize my genuine needs, even if it meant deliberately “missing out” on popular, heavily Instagrammed attractions and activities. Instead of undertaking a lengthy journey to the mountain paradise of Pai in Thailand, I chose to remain in Chiang Mai, spending my time reading and watching documentaries in charming local cafes. Similarly, instead of joining a Caribbean island hopping tour from Cartagena, Colombia, I opted for the simple pleasure of sleeping in after an enjoyable evening dancing with friends.
By consciously prioritizing the pursuit of joy over a sense of obligation to experience everything deemed “essential” for a well-rounded traveler, my enjoyment of each experience deepened considerably. This approach liberated me from the pressure to constantly perform as a “successful traveler.”
3. Giving Up the Hustle: Disconnecting From Work While Traveling the World
In the initial months of my travels, I frequently found myself working late into the night, brainstorming and pitching freelance story ideas. I was clinging to a sense of connection to my professional life, as my self-esteem was still heavily intertwined with my job identity. However, this attempt to juggle work with travel was counterproductive, accelerating my burnout rather than alleviating it.
Exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Patagonia, South America, finding peace and disconnecting from work during travels.
Eventually, I made the liberating decision to completely abandon freelancing during my sabbatical. Instead, I redirected my energy towards exploring subjects that had long been relegated to the back burner due to the demands of full-time work, such as history, geopolitics, and real estate investing. For the first time in years, I felt like a curious human being learning about the world, rather than a productivity-driven worker bee.
Cultivating a fulfilling identity that was entirely separate from my professional life proved to be profoundly beneficial. I now consciously make time for rest and leisure without experiencing guilt. Paradoxically, this detachment has allowed me to approach work with renewed vitality and a fresh perspective.
Integrating Travel Lessons into Everyday Life After Traveling the World
Upon returning home to Los Angeles in late February, I felt a familiar anxiety creeping back in, threatening to eclipse the valuable lessons learned during my transformative journey traveling the world. The pressures of my old environment and the search for new employment triggered a resurgence of workaholic tendencies.
To actively reconnect with the more balanced and mindful person I had become during my sabbatical, I deliberately incorporated daily practices into my routine. I began to meditate, journal about aspects of my life I was grateful for, and take daily walks. These were practices I had long desired to incorporate into my life, but had consistently deprioritized, fearing they would detract from my productivity. Now, these routines serve as anchors, helping me to maintain and build upon the emotional growth fostered during my time traveling the world.
Instead of succumbing to burnout or feelings of inadequacy, I am now embracing this period of uncertainty as an opportunity to explore “what’s next.” I am actively learning to cultivate a fulfilling and meaningful life, even when I am not working in a “dream job” or actively traveling the world.
Helen Zhao is a former video producer and writer at CNBC. Before joining CNBC as a news associate, she covered residential real estate for the LA Business Journal. She’s a California native and a proud USC Trojan and UCLA Bruin.
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