A Weekend of Emotions

It was until 4pm on the last day of work that the emotions set in. Until then, I had been running at full speed (on empty, mind you) and hadn't had a chance to face my decision to travel abroad for 5 months. For the past year, I've kept my mind and body busy with my 9-to-5, babysitting, contracting with a startup, and traveling. In the past year alone, I've traveled to LA twice, Petaluma, Jamaica, Boston, New Orleans, London, Madrid...and that was just for fun. For work, I was in Houston, Maine, San Francisco, Detroit, Indiana, and D.C.

Last fall, after a trying and life-changing breakup, I decided to start pursuing the Year of Christina. I promised myself that in the year ahead, I would achieve (or at least start making steps toward) the following goals:

-Travel when and where I wanted
-Do yoga regularly for mental clarity
-Find a creative outlet
-Get in shape
-Learn how to cook
-Filter out the toxic friends and people in my life
-Find a job that fulfills me
-Date men that are "marriage material"

I have made strides in each of the goals above, but the biggest one I'm on the road to accomplishing is traveling to a "bucket list" destination in pursuit of a job that fulfills me. For me, the "perfect" job is one that allows me to have stability in an office setting but allows me to travel extensively in various parts of the world. This position is challenging and constantly changing. It also allows me to utilize my skills and education in a way no previous job has. At the end of the day, it won't feel like a job because I will be fulfilled. I don't care how many hours a week I put into this job, as long as it's something I believe in. I want to show people the world. I want to teach them about the history so we can make for a better future. I want to help change people's lives and help them become their best selves.

There are critics who say that this job does not exist, but I know better. The people who don't believe this type of job is a reality are the ones that won't take chances in order to find it. But you know what? I'm about to take that chance. I'm feeling the fear and doing it anyway. I'm going outside my comfort zone and traveling for 5 months in a country I've never been. And I'm doing it without a plan. I'm going to go off the beaten path and find the greatest things in Australia and experiencing them firsthand so I can send other people there in the future to take them outside their comfort zones, too.

The reason I became so emotional on Friday is because I know I'm finally on the right track. When you pursue your passions, you can't fail. I was stuck for so long in a job that didn't fulfill me that it was hard to see the silver lining. All I needed to do was change the momentum for the better. I made a leap of faith, bought a plane ticket, and am about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. This trip signifies more than an extended vacation; it represents me reaching deep into my soul to let the real Christina show and shine. I'm going to work various jobs and volunteer for multiple organizations and companies to build upon the different facets of my passions. I can't wait to share these experiences with all of you!