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5 reasons why I am not a Lucky One- A Broken Backpack

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that I am not.

It would be luck, if one morning, I notice that a stranger paid my debts when I would consult my bank account. (Oh Dear, I would be more than happy!)

It would be luck, if someone calls me to offer me a free world tour.

Well, it is not my reality.

They tell me that I’m lucky. My answer is as simple as this: I chose happiness.  So, I travel.

  1. The choice to leave despite the expectations

There are probably a lot of excuses to stay trapped in our comfort zone. It is so easy to stay somewhere and simply wait for something to happen. However, I am of those who think that there is a massive difference between an excuse and a reason. If there are excuses for not moving, there are very good reasons to explore the World.

Two years ago, while working for the children protection as a social worker, I was proud of my career and my diploma. The kind of job you cannot leave because the wage, conditions and benefits are just too good. I was proud, but. But the problem is that there was a “but.” I always wanted to go on a long-term trip without having the “guts” to do so. I was too attached to my material life and to my entourage. Each year, the human ressources provides a day of recognition where there are conferences. That day, I listened to the speaker who asks questions similar to these:

“What makes you feel alive?”;

“Why do you get up in the morning?”;

“What makes you vibrate ?”.

I thought that human resources had made a very bad choice if they intended to keep their employees with this kind of motivational conference. I was wrong. My co-workers seemed to have found their voice. Secretly, I was probably the only one wondering what I was doing with my life.

For a long time, I have made my decisions based on my fears. Change is not always easy (it’s scary!), but also refreshing. Since that day, I try my best to make my decisions based on what makes me vibrate, on what makes me feel alive.

If there is no excuse to stay, there are a big bunch of good reasons to leave.

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that I just decided to challenge my fears.

  1. The choice to leave despite my debts

If I have had a lot of fun with my student loans, made immature mistakes during my young frisky life and bought a car even if I didn’t have the money for it, let me tell you that I am getting better.  I tend to be a bit more adult (or at least, I try!). “Why did she not pay her debts before traveling?”, you think. That would mean I should wait 10 years before I can afford the “luxury” to travel.

Life is too short to wait.

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that I just decided to work abroad.

  1. The choice to be rather than to have

I chose happiness.  I don’t choose to possess. Obviously, I’m human and I have my weaknesses. I prefer to simply invest in my life and in my experiences rather than stuff. When I sold most of my material life, I felt so free. The thing is… the day I’ll die, this material is not going to follow me, right?. The day I’ll die, I would rather have had time to live.

While my friends are buying houses, furnishing their apartment or buying new cars, I collect passport stamps, memories and adventures stories. I prefer to put myself in the middle of the discomfort zone.

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that my priorities are… slightly different.

  1. The choice to live rather than survive

If I am in my comfort zone, I find it so easy to forget to live. I’m in survival mode, overstressed and, most of the time, uncomfortable. As I am anxious, travel is my way of living. This is my pill. An effective method to make sure I stick in the present moment without having to worry about anything.

I want to live my life as I decide. Why should I survive if I can choose to enjoy my life where the magic happens?

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that I simply chose to live my life, to run after my dreams.

  1. The choice to live with remorse rather than with regrets

This quote used to be one of my favourites. Teenager, I had difficulty to understand the meaning. Today, it’s how I make my decisions. I prefer to have remorse. Yes, I have not been there for my family and my friends when they needed me during the last fifth teen months.  I missed a lot of stuff. And yes, I feel guilty. But, I know one thing; I don’t feel guilty of making my dreams come true.

I don’t want to wake up a good day, saying that” I should have been there or done that…”. Excuses are going to be unforgivable when it will be too late.

I prefer to fall asleep and still be impressed by the “luck” that I had.

 

They tell me that I’m lucky, I’m telling you that I am not.

They tell me that I’m happy, I’m telling you that it started with a simple choice.

 

Read the original post on my blog.

If you enjoyed it, you will certainly appreciate my adventures.  Stay tuned on Facebook!

Melissa Giroux /

Hey guys! I'm Melissa! I am a backpacker since June 2014. I was supposed to travel for two months... So far, I never came back! I am originally from Quebec, but I am currently in Australia! Enjoying my working holiday visa, I am also a travel blogger. Find my tips / stories and learn how to travel like a broken nomad (or not!).



2 Responses to “You don’t need to be Lucky to Travel”

  1. Felix

    Maybe you should go to a poor country first and rewrite this article. Unfortunately a flight ticket or a long-distance train ticket is not affordable for so many people over the world. I consider myself lucky everytime I’m traveling

    Reply
    • Dimi

      Fair point, I guess this piece is from the point of view coming from a first world country. I agree with your point Felix, people from third world countries have said my dream is to come to Australia.

      Reply

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