MPG 2012 New York Host: Sherry Ott
All of our local Meet, Plan, Go! hosts have inspiring stories of their own career break travels. In the months leading up to our National Event on October 16, we will introduce them to you so you can see why they are part of our team.
Meet Our New York Host: Sherry Ott
Taking the Leap
There are 2 ways to jump off a cliff:
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Stand at the edge, look down and tentatively step off
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Take a running leap into the abyss
But the fact is – most people never jump off.
They go to the edge, look down, get a case of vertigo, freak out, and take a step back – still stretching their neck to see over the edge, but never feeling like they have the guts to do it themselves.
We started Meet, Plan, Go because we wanted to provide those people who were considering the leap off the edge with support. Support in the form of advice and inspiration.
I meet and hear from people every day about how they have this desire to travel and take the leap, but they look at the edge and wonder – “Can I do it?” They feel dizzy, fearful and back away from the ledge trying to push those travel desires to the back of their minds. They deny the desires and instead throw themselves into the routines of gathering up and accumulating the ‘shoulds’ in their life.
At a recent Meet, Plan, Go meetup in New York City I listened to a woman talk about how her family isn’t supportive of her ‘crazy’ travel desires and she wonders why she just can’t shake the desire and be ‘normal’ like everyone else. I thought to myself – does that mean I’m abnormal – because I did take a break and traveled?
I suppose I am. But taking the break was the best thing I ever did.
Finally getting the guts to take the leap and the joy of floating through this world on my own terms and landing on my feet was just what I needed to re-evaluate my career and life. I learned I was more capable than I ever thought. That initial leap into a year long career break helped me realize that I could take other leaps and make career changes. That’s the beauty of jumping over the edge, when you reach the bottom you want to turn around and go again.
But for those of you standing at the ledge looking over into the canyon wondering if you can do it, then I hope you have a ticket to a Meet, Plan, Go event Oct. 16th. The act of going out and meeting others who are standing at a similar ledge can fuel the fire enough to get you over that ledge. When you meet others who have taken that leap and survived, the jump doesn’t seem that scary any longer. In fact – it may just look like fun.
I feel like Meet, Plan, Go is like throwing gasoline onto a smoldering fire…in a huge blast of light and heat you realize that your smoldering spark can turn into something big, real, hot, and energetic….it can turn your travel dreams into reality.
The leap isn’t easy – we know that.
But it is easier when you are surrounded by a cheering section. It gives you a place to turn when your friends, family, and co-workers think you are crazy. Our cheering section of career break veterans will also provide you all the resources you will need in order to jump – information about money, preparation, packing, safety, and itinerary ideas. As much as we can pack into a Tuesday evening to get you started and closer to that ledge.
We hope to see many of you on October 16th at the ledge with us.
Sherry Ott is a Co-Founder of Meet Plan Go! and is a refugee from corporate IT who is now a long term traveler, blogger and photographer. Sherry has been blogging about her travels on Ottsworld: Travel and Life Experiences of a Corporate America Runaway since 2006. It was named one of the Best Around the World Travel Blogs on BootsnAll travel website.
While on a career break she traveled around the world to over 23 countries primarily solo armed with her camera. Since her career break she has spent a year living and working in Vietnam, wrote an ebook about her hiking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal with her father, traveled the globe house-sitting, volunteered in India and Nepal, participated in cultural exchange programs in the Middle East, drove 10,000 miles from London to Mongolia for the Mongol Rally, walked 550 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, co-created Career Break Basic Training online class & community, and organizes Meet, Plan, Go! events across North America. Sherry’s latest adventures will be to travel with her father to Antarctica this December.
Join us on October 16, 2012 for our nationwide Meet, Plan, Go! events:
Austin | Boston | Chicago | Minneapolis | New York City
San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle | South Florida | Toronto
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
[…] how badly I want to go to Paris… If only we could afford living there for an extended period of time during our travels! Any […]
G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.