I also took a career gap at age 30 to backpack in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. I dove the Great Barrier Reef on a live aboard ship, hiked on a glacier, jumped out of an airplane. It was a reset and changed my life as well. I relate to so much in your story. Mine was back in 2000. It led me to my husband and a new understanding of myself and my capabilities. I’ll have to write my story as well. Thanks for sharing.
Great to hear about your gap year experience. I can imagine it would have been so beneficial. I wish i would have done that during my career. But at least I'm now traveling the world in retirement. Better late than never!
The unexpected ending, meeting a partner, relocating to Belgium, building an entirely different life, is a good reminder that the "plan" of a gap year is rarely the point. It's the openness you develop along the way that changes things.
Yes, I think that openness is what really changes people. Once you step outside the life and identity you’ve been repeating for years, completely unexpected possibilities start appearing naturally.
Thanks for sharing. I feel it's pretty common to take gap year like this in EU so it's not a big deal. It may not be as common in Asia or the U.S so the employers there may be more concerned. Glad to hear all worked so well for you!
Great piece. I think a lot of professionals worry that these breaks can hurt their careers, but it's reassuring to see that it's possible, and can even be a better talking point for future interviews!
That’s amazing. I took a gap year four years ago, met a guy along the way, and now we’re sailing around the world — even though I’d never touched a boat before. A gap year really can change the course of your life!
The 'too old' worry stops so many people from doing exactly what they actually need. The adult gap year concept is underrated — you bring so much more awareness to the experience than you did at 22.
I totally agree. I wouldn’t have had anywhere like the same experience at that age. Sometimes an adult gap year is exactly what you need to reset and reflect on your life so far and what you want it to be.
I started a travel year at 29 and it changed my life enormously. Sometimes I think, I wish I could have started sooner... but younger me would not have been able to absorb, appreciate, (or finance) the experience in the same way.
I recently found something I wrote ahead of starting those travels. This is the subject of my latest post and you may like to check it out :)
Adult gap years are truly underrated! When I tell people I'm going to take a 2-year break to find out if I can run my life differently, without a full time employment and hours to obey to, some of look at me like "Are you mad? Leaving a high paying job? Really?".. and yes, really! Because you never know what's on the other side until you've explored it. And I'm writing about my transition here.
I'm with you on the screen job, no matter how interesting the job is, sitting behind a desk in front of a screen in a place I did not choose is not for me!
Incredible that, for you, the other side was love and a new place to call home! I love that for you 😍
Ahh I'm so excited for you! You're right, sometimes you've got to cut the cord and give it a go. Otherwise you'll never know! It's so easy to get stuck in a trap of what you think is security and safety in a permanent job, even when your nervous system is screaming at you to leave. And with all these layoffs, jobs are not even that safe any more. We may as well make the decision on our own terms. Looking forward to reading how your adventure down under goes :)
I think what changes people in experiences like this isn’t just the change of place, but the combination of freedom, uncertainty, new environments, different rhythms, and being fully responsible for your own decisions for the first time in a long while. When you step outside the structure you’ve adapted to for years, you start noticing what actually feels aligned and what was just habit or survival. That’s why these kinds of transitions can shift people so deeply.
The fear of being “too old” is so loud before you go — and so irrelevant once you’re actually on the road. I remember that shift clearly. The anxiety dissolves into competence surprisingly fast.
What I love about your story is that it wasn’t just a year off. It was a year that clarified who you were — and then demanded you live accordingly.
The Brussels move is the quiet plot twist. It’s one thing to travel. It’s another to let travel reroute you.
I also appreciate how honest you are about the things that went wrong. Lost luggage. Food poisoning. Almost-homeless in Rio. Those are the moments that actually build the conviction you describe.
Taking a break doesn’t derail a career. It often recalibrates it.
And you’re right — it’s rarely about age. It’s about timing and courage.
This really resonates with me too. I think a lot of people imagine these kinds of breaks as some huge escape, but often it’s more about finally having enough space to see your life differently. And honestly, the difficult moments are part of it. Navigating unfamiliar places, plans falling apart, figuring things out as you go -that’s usually where self-trust starts getting rebuilt in a very real way. I also agree that it’s rarely about age. Most of the time it’s about whether someone is finally ready to stop living on autopilot for a while.
I agree with all of this. And yes — it’s absolutely a privilege to be able to live this way. But what’s funny is that financially, it’s really just the same cost as the life we were living in Texas. We traded square footage and “normal” overhead for movement and time.
What changed most wasn’t necessarily the budget. It was the pace and the attention.
And you’re right… travel accelerates things. It peels layers back faster because so many of the usual distractions, identities, routines, and autopilot behaviors fall away. You notice yourself more quickly for better and for worse. Which is beautiful some days and deeply inconvenient on others. 😅
I also took a career gap at age 30 to backpack in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. I dove the Great Barrier Reef on a live aboard ship, hiked on a glacier, jumped out of an airplane. It was a reset and changed my life as well. I relate to so much in your story. Mine was back in 2000. It led me to my husband and a new understanding of myself and my capabilities. I’ll have to write my story as well. Thanks for sharing.
That sounds amazing - I would love to read your story, Tricia!
Great to hear about your gap year experience. I can imagine it would have been so beneficial. I wish i would have done that during my career. But at least I'm now traveling the world in retirement. Better late than never!
Fantastic! It's never too late. I hope you're having the best time!
Love this. Really made me want to dig out my backpack again
Thanks, Tom! Same, honestly.
I’m 55 and while I can’t take a gap year just yet, I’m planning to take a backpacker-style gap summer this year. Why not?
Gap summer! I love that.
The unexpected ending, meeting a partner, relocating to Belgium, building an entirely different life, is a good reminder that the "plan" of a gap year is rarely the point. It's the openness you develop along the way that changes things.
Sometimes the best plan is no plan :)
Yes, I think that openness is what really changes people. Once you step outside the life and identity you’ve been repeating for years, completely unexpected possibilities start appearing naturally.
Thanks for sharing. I feel it's pretty common to take gap year like this in EU so it's not a big deal. It may not be as common in Asia or the U.S so the employers there may be more concerned. Glad to hear all worked so well for you!
Thanks, Sindy! Yes I'm sure employer attitudes can vary so the more normalised these kinds of gap years become, the better.
Great piece. I think a lot of professionals worry that these breaks can hurt their careers, but it's reassuring to see that it's possible, and can even be a better talking point for future interviews!
Thanks, Daniel! Yes - it also helped that I wrote about my travels in my blog so they had a personal portfolio of my writing.
You never know when those entries come in handy.
That’s amazing. I took a gap year four years ago, met a guy along the way, and now we’re sailing around the world — even though I’d never touched a boat before. A gap year really can change the course of your life!
What an incredible story! Following you back :)
The 'too old' worry stops so many people from doing exactly what they actually need. The adult gap year concept is underrated — you bring so much more awareness to the experience than you did at 22.
I totally agree. I wouldn’t have had anywhere like the same experience at that age. Sometimes an adult gap year is exactly what you need to reset and reflect on your life so far and what you want it to be.
Fully supportive of the adult gap year (especially now that I’m back in the office after mine!).
Oh cool! Where did you go on yours?
Great piece! I’m 45 and I just started my gap (half) year!
I love this! What are your plans?
Great piece. Im on my gap year right now (at 27) and can’t wait to interview and share about how my gap year better prepared me for real life.
Thank you, I'm happy you like it. And fantastic that you're on a gap year! It's so rewarding in ways you can't even anticipate. Enjoy!
I started a travel year at 29 and it changed my life enormously. Sometimes I think, I wish I could have started sooner... but younger me would not have been able to absorb, appreciate, (or finance) the experience in the same way.
I recently found something I wrote ahead of starting those travels. This is the subject of my latest post and you may like to check it out :)
Hi Lilar, thanks for your comment - I agree with you on all points. Happy your break was life-changing too. And cool, I'll go check out your post!
Adult gap years are truly underrated! When I tell people I'm going to take a 2-year break to find out if I can run my life differently, without a full time employment and hours to obey to, some of look at me like "Are you mad? Leaving a high paying job? Really?".. and yes, really! Because you never know what's on the other side until you've explored it. And I'm writing about my transition here.
I'm with you on the screen job, no matter how interesting the job is, sitting behind a desk in front of a screen in a place I did not choose is not for me!
Incredible that, for you, the other side was love and a new place to call home! I love that for you 😍
Ahh I'm so excited for you! You're right, sometimes you've got to cut the cord and give it a go. Otherwise you'll never know! It's so easy to get stuck in a trap of what you think is security and safety in a permanent job, even when your nervous system is screaming at you to leave. And with all these layoffs, jobs are not even that safe any more. We may as well make the decision on our own terms. Looking forward to reading how your adventure down under goes :)
Absolutely!! 💯 Would you plan another break at some point? 🙃
Why not! Never say never 😄
I think what changes people in experiences like this isn’t just the change of place, but the combination of freedom, uncertainty, new environments, different rhythms, and being fully responsible for your own decisions for the first time in a long while. When you step outside the structure you’ve adapted to for years, you start noticing what actually feels aligned and what was just habit or survival. That’s why these kinds of transitions can shift people so deeply.
Claire, this really resonates.
The fear of being “too old” is so loud before you go — and so irrelevant once you’re actually on the road. I remember that shift clearly. The anxiety dissolves into competence surprisingly fast.
What I love about your story is that it wasn’t just a year off. It was a year that clarified who you were — and then demanded you live accordingly.
The Brussels move is the quiet plot twist. It’s one thing to travel. It’s another to let travel reroute you.
I also appreciate how honest you are about the things that went wrong. Lost luggage. Food poisoning. Almost-homeless in Rio. Those are the moments that actually build the conviction you describe.
Taking a break doesn’t derail a career. It often recalibrates it.
And you’re right — it’s rarely about age. It’s about timing and courage.
💛 Kelly
This really resonates with me too. I think a lot of people imagine these kinds of breaks as some huge escape, but often it’s more about finally having enough space to see your life differently. And honestly, the difficult moments are part of it. Navigating unfamiliar places, plans falling apart, figuring things out as you go -that’s usually where self-trust starts getting rebuilt in a very real way. I also agree that it’s rarely about age. Most of the time it’s about whether someone is finally ready to stop living on autopilot for a while.
I agree with all of this. And yes — it’s absolutely a privilege to be able to live this way. But what’s funny is that financially, it’s really just the same cost as the life we were living in Texas. We traded square footage and “normal” overhead for movement and time.
What changed most wasn’t necessarily the budget. It was the pace and the attention.
And you’re right… travel accelerates things. It peels layers back faster because so many of the usual distractions, identities, routines, and autopilot behaviors fall away. You notice yourself more quickly for better and for worse. Which is beautiful some days and deeply inconvenient on others. 😅
That's probably what I need to do at some point. Not this year though.
So glad you did take the risk and travel and explore!
Sounds like a great plan! Where would you like to go?
We are moving out to Idaho so that will be a big adventure and will shift everything.
I need to find some more paying projects and work so that takes over a gap year.
We plan to travel during the winter months so those months may be our gaps.