The rumors have not been exaggerated. Taking a sabbatical is an amazing, rejuvenating and life-changing experience. Spending time in a new place or country away from the daily grind can help you see life in a completely new way.
I’ve been back in the U.S. for about two weeks following a 6-month sabbatical in Mexico. After much reflection (and readjusting to life stateside), here are 10 lessons I learned from taking a sabbatical:
- A sabbatical can be much cheaper than you might think.
My wife and I lived on one-third to one-half of what we typically spend in the U.S., including all travel expenses. We met people living in Mexico for less than $1000 per month.
- Lots of people are living interesting and unconventional lifestyles.
It’s shocking when you realize how many people are living well outside of the status quo. Plenty of people have created awesome unconventional lifestyles for themselves, and they’re easy to meet once you have something in common.
- Friends come easy when you’re happy and free.
We’ve never made so many great new friends as we did during our sabbatical. I attribute that to the fact that we were happy and free, with time for new interactions and interesting things to talk about. The best part is that making new friends just leads to a cycle of being even happier and meeting even more new people.
- Geography matters.
There are lots of important geographical decisions to make when planning a sabbatical. Ocean vs. mountains, warm vs. cold and city vs. small town are just a few choices. We decided to try a few different locations and found that being in a small town next to the tropical ocean was best for us. Your favorite place might be different.
- Driving in Mexico isn’t as scary as people say.
And while we’re on the subject, Swine Flu, the Drug Wars and economic woes have been blown way out of proportion too. Just be cautious and use common sense and you’ll be fine.
- Learning a second language is possible (but hard work).
Like most Americans, I had spent a few years in high school and college “learning” a language (German), only to end up with nearly nothing to show for it. It’s much easier to learn a language when you have a reason to, and are surrounded by native speakers. It takes real work, but it can be done.
- Those things you stress over now aren’t that important.
Once you’re away from your old job for a while, you’ll start to see clearly again. Eventually you’ll barely remember details of things that once seemed life-or-death important. You will start to understand that the truly important things in life exist outside of work – and you might begin to wonder how you ignored them for so long.
- You will find inspiration on a sabbatical.
I left for the sabbatical hoping that I would be inspired to start working on some new projects by the time we returned. That happened in a big way. I started this blog and have dozens of ideas for things I want to work on. During the sabbatical, creativity seemed to flow like water.
- The world will still be there when you return.
We came back to the U.S. and it seemed as though nothing had changed. We could jump back into our old life exactly as we left it, if we wanted to. Instead, we intend to keep the parts we really love and replace the rest.
- Location dependence is for the birds.
Taking advantage of climate and currency differences around the world at different times of the year is a magical thing. Add to that the ability to visit friends and family in different parts of the country when desired and it’s easy to understand why location independence is such a hot topic lately.
photo by adactio
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As I prepare for a transition of some kind at the end of the year, each of these 10 lessons provide encouragement for the things I want to do. Sometimes when you are surrounded by a world of conventional thinkers, it can be difficult to picture a different kind of lifestyle. This post reminded me not only that you can be different, but that you SHOULD be.
Glad to hear the trip was everything you were hoping for.
That’s definitely true. It’s hard to think about exciting creative lifestyles when you’re surrounded by societal pressures to fit in. You have a lot to look forward to with your planned transition!
I am so ready for a sabbatical. I dream of it daily. Right now I’m just trying to build up some steady income and some passive income. This post was really motivating.
I’m also really interested in learning a language. I have your language post open in another tab waiting to be read after I finish commenting.
Great post!
I hear you. I was ready for a sabbatical too. Instead of waiting to have a location independent income, I took the trip on savings. I’m glad I did, but I know it’s not an option for everybody.
This is a very inspiring post. I’m hoping to do a sabbatical of my own in about a year and a half and reading this just go me so excited!
Nice post! I’m days away from being “officially” retired and some of the points you mention – being inspired, having time to make friends and finding that things don’t “matter” etc – are the ones I am looking forward to the most! I am really looking forward to disconnecting from my current lifestyle and pursuing the one I’ve always dreamed of….you know, all those things that we think we’ll do “one day” but never really get around to.
It’s great to read about people like you who have taken the risks and have found out that’s it’s totally worth it. Keep the posts coming!
Can’t wait till I reach my location independence. I have enough savings to leave now, but I’m still getting some things sorted out. Should be traveling within 6-8 months though.
Awesome Corbett!
Most people don’t have connections to people living alternative lifestyles so they don’t really believe it is possible. Sure they can rationalize it and imagine that it exists but it isn’t until you really start traveling and seeing with your own eyes that it really becomes fact.
Thousands, maybe millions of people have been living off the grid for years. It is great to read examples like yours that make the possibility all the more tangible.
Thanks for sharing your story!
That’s a great point, John. I wasn’t really aware that so many people were living outside of conventional society until we took the sabbatical. Once you’re out of the country and away from the daily grind, you find that there are countless alternative lifestyles that people have dreamed up and are living.
Corbett,
This is outstanding advice and thank you so much for sharing. My wife and I are getting ready to leave on a multi-year trip around the world and I will be quitting my job. Obviously, this comes with a lot of trepidation but your tips are a perfect summary for why it is important. I will refer to these often on those “tough days”.
We would love to hear about your re-entry to the US in future blog posts. How have you adjusted? Do you find that coming back is hard?
We are looking forward to reading all your archives and looking forward to learning in the future from your trail blazing. Thank you for the insights to your life.
Hi Warren. Nice to meet you. Congratulations on your upcoming multi-year trip! I’m sure the thought of your adventure is both scary and exciting. I’m glad you found these lessons useful. I’ll try to write more about our reentry to the US later. We haven’t found it difficult at all, but we were gone for just six months. It might be a little different if you were gone for years.
Gorgeous post. (Yes, I just said gorgeous.) I’ve got a couple of ideas I’m noodling for a sabbatical – top secret, of course – so thanks for the reminder to finalise these plans.
I’m glad your sabbatical was everything you hoped for, and am psyched that the rest of us can benefit from your experience!
Reading this kind of post makes me even more excited for my own upcoming sabbatical (and those of many of the people who commented before me!)…keep them coming!
This is an awesome post. It came through on my RSS reader as I was writing my post on the 10 Awesome posts I read recently, so I included it in the list. I hope you don’t mind.
Rasheed
Thanks for including me in your post, Rasheed. Of course I don’t mind! Glad you liked the article enough to write about it.
Glad it went so well for you, that’s great. Liked the point about the world still being there when you get back, too. Tim Ferriss often talks about his low information diet and, whilst for some information acts as a form of entertainment and they’d rather not sacrifice it, it is amazing how much absence changes your priorities with regard to what you ‘need to know’.
There’s nothing wrong with taking a mini-sabbatical at home either, if you have the self-discipline to turn off the computers and change your attitude. We all know people (or are people) who live in great places but never explore them; I lived in London for 2 years and barely saw any of the sights because I was in a working mindset and sightseeing was such a ‘tourist thing’.
I like that idea of an in-town sabbatical. It’s fun to be a tourist in your own town sometimes, and it can probably be a refreshing experience if you do it as if you were actually on vacation.
Congratulations on finishing your successful 6 month sabbatical! I especially agree with number 7, those little things we stress about now aren’t half as important when we sit back and take stock of the big picture.
Any plans for the next excursion?
Thanks for the comment, Roy. As for our next excursion, my wife and I are working on becoming location independent so we can spend at least a few months away from home each year. We’re planning to head back to Mexico and try working remotely for a couple of months next January.
Thank you for writing this inspiring post. It’s given me some great ideas. I’m so excited about your blog too. I just added it to my reader. Thank you!
Just came upon your blog via Zen Habits – SO glad I’ve found it. I’ve been involved in a number of “Design Thinking” projects for work, but am spending 9-7 at work doing that – so time to apply some design to life as well. I love the way your site is structured – so many useful articles. New follower here. Thanks Corbett!
Fantastic, Laura. I’m glad you found me via ZH! Welcome, and don’t be shy.