April 20, 2014 - Written by: Lauren Williams

Chase Those Dreams!

Making a big decision to jack in the job and chase the dream is never an easy one. There is never going to be a good time to move away from family, friends and the long, hazy summers of beaches and festivals that Cornwall always promises.

But last week I did just that – last week, I handed in my resignation to my boss and told my friends that I was leaving the country and I didn’t know when I would be back.

(Image via)

You see, I finally did it. I finally took my own advice and took hold of an opportunity that presented itself to me. It got to the point where I was crushing myself with staying put – the thought of forever being in the same job and slowly trundling along was getting too much to handle.

What if I never did get to see the great Salt Flats of Uyuni?

What if I never get to spend another summer earning no money in the middle of Europe?

What if I never start that book?

Being sat behind a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week was doing nothing but stunt my lust for life. How on earth was this living? Being closed in by four walls, browsing the internet for far-flung destinations in which I wished I was was no way to spend my time.

So I said yes to a job in the middle of Italy that involves climbing mountains and meeting new people every day. That means I get to be in awe of nature every time I walk out my front door. I’m going to be earning almost no money but it’s going to be worth every single second.

Making a decision that drastic is as hard as it is liberating. As soon as you say yes to opportunity, something that could keep you here pops up with a gut-wrenching punch – a new boy comes on the scene or someone close to you gets sick. But life won’t wait. There’s a whole world out there that needs exploring and if there’s one thing this time that keeps you here, then there will always be something that keeps you here, setting you up for a long life of “what ifs”.

There’s a quote from one of my favourite local independent films that has stuck with me for a while. It’s something that runs true to how I think life should be lived – with a passion that runs to the core. Not at a computer screen for a corporate job I have no love and no gusto for.