I hear it all the time: “I wish I had your life.”
The comments come as friends follow my travel adventures on social media. It looks glamorous—flying around the world… staying in luxury hotels… experiencing other cultures. And often it is.
But this wasn’t always my life. What many people don’t know is that I left behind a lucrative career as a fiduciary accountant (translation: death and taxes) to pursue a freelance career in travel writing. Does it make financial sense? No, of course not. I made six figures in my law career. Following a dream isn’t always the logical thing to do.
But for me, it was my path to happiness.
My transition to my new life as a travel writer started with a personality profile. I had just relocated to Palm Beach, Florida, to join a prestigious law firm. The department I was employed with had recently taken personality profiles as a team-building activity. Although I was new, they asked me to participate. Never shying away from discovery, I agreed.
What followed was a revelation. The evaluator announced to me, as well as the department, that the “worst possible career for me was to be stuck in an office preparing tax returns.” Whoops! This wasn’t what the attorneys who hired me wanted to hear. But it made me think: Why was I spending 70-plus hours a week in an office doing something I despised? It was time to consider a change.
When my children were growing up, I had no choice. Following my career path meant financial security for my family. But, things had changed for me. I was single after 25 years of marriage. My children were grown and starting families of their own. It was time for me to make a change.
Once my personality traits were pointed out to me (and my law firm superiors), I started thinking about what made me happy. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was happiest when I was traveling. Discovering new places, meeting new people, and sharing my experiences with others are the things that bring me to life. But, all I had ever known was a 9-to-5 (plus) career. How could I possibly follow my passion?
As many of us do, I trusted my future to Google. Doing a search using keywords like “travel jobs,” I managed to connect with Great Escape Publishing. As I reviewed the extensive selection of programs offered, I realized there were others in the world who shared my passion for travel. These people had discovered a way to turn their passion into a career. I ordered the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program and dove in head-first.
The home-study program led me to an authorship of a local magazine column—Travel with Terri. But that was just the beginning. After attending an Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, I realized I already had the skills and the background to make my dream a reality. And the rest, as they say… is history.
To date, I’ve had more than 1,000 articles published. I’ve traveled to 26 countries across five continents—and there’s no stopping me. I took a chance, and I’ve never looked back. I’m living my dream.
No wonder people say they want my life!
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Five Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]
