I remember waking up on my first Monday after I stopped working for 12 months. It was September 3, 2018 and I didn’t have to go to work. This happened to me after almost 9 years (not counting short vacations or sick leaves). The feeling of freedom was unbelievable. In all my corporate years I’ve been meeting people who would tell me how bad they are feeling on Monday, just because it’s Monday… and how well they are on Friday, just because it’s Friday. I couldn’t stand it, until the moment I realized I am not different. I started to feel the same.
I was thinking that morning, why we people often avoid decisions which could give us the ultimate freedom. Instead of that, we live a life in a comfort zone, full of unhappiness, frustration and routine. Why we simply don’t do what we have always dreamed about? Sure, bank loans, mortgagees, private schools for kids, our family… There will be always something. We don’t realize that we have only one life to live and if we don’t start living it now, it will be later too late!
The most common things people regret before they die is that they haven’t accomplished more…
… that they haven’t followed their passion in life
… that they haven’t lived more in the moment
… that they haven’t worked less
… that they haven’t travelled more
… that they haven’t taken more risks
… that they have worried too much
… that they haven’t spent more time with their kids and family
… that they couldn’t feel happier.
To feed the family, we often avoid doing things we love, without being with the family most of our time. We are too scared to change something, so we don’t change anything. We like to envy someone’s courage, though we don’t get inspired and don’t reveal our own courage. Most of our life we don’t live.
I remember waking up on my first Monday after I stopped working for 12 months. It was September 3 and I realized, that my story is nothing special… and the same time it is really special. That I am not the only one, though one of the least. It is a story about feelings, decisions and adventure. About courage. At one day I will be back, back to my daily job, to my daily routine. Though I will never be back to a life, where I am unhappy on a Monday and happy on a Friday, just because it’s Monday and Friday. I want to accomplish more.
I promise.
2 Comments
Hi Matej,
After reading couple of ur articles i thought i would leave u a comment :). I have also quit my corporate job in the middle of Sept. Maybe we have met not knowing about it as i worked next door from you :). I m currently traveling around and taking break from the madness lifestyle too. I like the journey you have decided to take and wish you all the best on your future running travels. If you ever go to Colombia and would need any info let me know. I lived in the country for almost 2 years. So it might be handy. All the best!! Barbs
Dear Barbs, thanks a lot for the nice words and sharing your story, very interesting! 🙂 What is your travel plan? Maybe we’ll meet again, without not knowing about it again… or better knowing. 🙂 Wish you all the best!!! Matej