Why I Quit My Job With No Plan B (And How You Can Too)

I’ve always dreamed big dreams. I wanted to be an actress, a singer, a writer, host my own talk show, become president, the list goes on. While some of these ideas were thrown around from one five-year-old to another, they stuck with me. And as I went to college and started cycling through different majors, I kept coming back to writing.

I’ve heard it said, often and sure, that we all want children to dream, but we want adults to conform, and as I’ve grown in my twenties I’ve seen how true that is. We conform in a hundred small ways that seem minor and are labeled as “adulting,” but quickly our dreams seem next to impossible, and the means we must take to accomplish them are riddled with financial hurdles, our beloved security, and risk.

It’s too bad, I think. To let life be dictated by what other people think, or by fear, or by finances. I believe these can all be real hurdles, and it’s difficult to leave your job, or dip into your savings, or answer tough questions from family members. But are those things worse than being miserable? Than returning to a 9-to-5 monotonous job, a mortgage that’s half your income, or mounting credit card debt?

I’m here to tell you, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! In fact, we all might be better off if we started doing things we loved, things that brought us life, that made us feel like we have a purpose on this planet. It’s hard, but it’s worth it.

You see, I refuse to believe that dreams are just dreams. That the outrageous is impossible. I believe with every ounce of my being that if you are willing to make the sacrifices, you can create the life you’ve always dreamed of.

As much as YOLO seems ridiculous, it’s absolutely, 100 percent true. We are only on this planet for a short amount of time. That time is filled with struggle and triumph and pain and grief and unbelievable joy. We have the opportunity to taste exotic foods, to take gondola rides to mountaintops, to love and be loved.

Two weeks after I finished college, Delta Air Lines offered me a job as a flight attendant. It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. Through Delta, I traveled to eight new countries, ticked off the last of my fifty states, and learned more patience than I’ll ever need again (I hope).

I quit in June of 2017 because I believed that I could create a life full of travel without having to work demanding hours in customer service. This blog is the start of that dream.

After Delta, I started freelance writing and landed a full-time gig at a tech start-up in Portland called The Dyrt, a campground finding app. I loved my coworkers, and the fast-paced nature of the job, but again, I knew it wasn’t getting my closer to my dream.

So I quit. And in grown-up terms, it was pretty irresponsible. I don’t have much in savings. I have three anchor clients to sustain myself, and a hardworking husband who works ski patrol in the winter. But I do have a whole hell of a lot of passion, and if there’s anything I’ve learned in my life it’s that passion can get you places.

Get Started Living Your Dream Life

It’s the beginning of 2019. We all have 12 brand new, glorious months ahead of us to set and attain goals, develop new friendships, and dream bigger dreams. What’s standing in your way?

Finances can be tricky, especially as more and more millennials leave college strapped with tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. It’s stifling, and I’m no stranger. Between Coby and myself, we could travel around the world three or four times with the amount of student loan debt we have.

There are two ways to approach the burden of finances: do something about it, or accept the long game.

“I would rather own a little and see the world than own the world and see little.” -Alexander Sattler

For a long time, I felt trapped under my student loans. I thought I had to put my life on hold in order to pay them off. I have a few close friends who have done this and been successful. They’ve put their heads down, saved the majority of their income, and paid back debt within 2-5 years.

I don’t have the perseverance to do that.

Instead, I’ve accepted that I’ll be paying on my student loans in moderate increments until I start making a higher income through travel blogging and freelance writing. This is the long game, for sure. Though, not as long as twenty years.

Work Beyond Your Fear

Some fears are rational, and it’s important to address them before quitting your job to pursue your dream. Do you live on a single-income? How much are your monthly bills? When can you expect to earn an income doing what you love?

It’s wise to have savings or a nest egg before starting out, but it isn’t necessary. For some, striking out with the pressure of making money can fuel them and enable them to earn thousands each month in a short amount of time.

If that sounds absolutely terrifying (it is!), then start with a side hustle. Dedicate enough time outside your day job to really pursue whatever it is you want to do. Is your dream to own your own bakery? Spend more time baking, network with other bakers, research the logistics for applying for a small business loan, or save enough so you won’t need one.

Make a list of goals and remind yourself of those goals daily. I worked freelance while I held a full-time job and it was exhausting. But, I had a list of goals I wished to accomplish that helped me refocus whenever I felt tired or angry or lost.

Envision your dream coming true. There have been multiple studies proving the benefits of visualization. When you visualize something, the neurons in your brain become excitable, and believe whatever you’re visualizing is actually happening. In fact, several studies have shown that your brain can’t actually tell the difference between an actual memory and a make-believe memory.

So when you start visualizing, your brain believes it’s happening. Then the rest of your body kicks into gear.

Remind Yourself ‘It’s Possible’

Somedays it might not feel like it. You might have unpaid bills, a mountain of paperwork, seven blog posts to write, tense relationships, car issues, a messy house, needy kids, piles of laundry. You’ll feel overwhelmed and overworked and tired and wonder if whatever it is you’re doing is even worth it.

I’m here to tell you it is.

Whatever your dream, it’s possible. You have to believe it’s possible to have any chance at all of achieving it. Dreams don’t operate with doubt as the driver. They’re not concerned with your current reality. They exist in the future, after you’ve done the hours and weeks and months and years of hard work.

It might sound exhausting, and it is. But it’ll make you feel alive. Unbound. Fiery. Fierce. Bold. Courageous. Joyful.

What dreams will you attain this year?