i'm quitting everything... what would you do?

[Coffeecuppony]

I can't believe i'm saying this. I'm so scared and excited

I'm in my late 20s, live in a large UK city, have run a small business that has afforded me to live but not thrive. I have had the same panics and stresses day in day out for the last few years and something has to change.

My friends make four times my salary in their corporate jobs and dislike their jobs. i just know that life isn't for me. I just need new experiences so I can figure out what excites me.

I am going to quit everything, sell all my stuff, move country, and start a whole new life, and try and become a writer.

I have enough savings budgeted to last two months so wherever I go I will need to find work - preferably doing something fun and different e.g. tourist guide. Hopefully one day I can be a full time writer.

I would love to write business books and also comedy but have a lot to figure out yet.

I need somewhere inexpensive, warm climate, exciting new experience and safe for a lone women.

I currently own and live in a small derelict flat which I need to renovate before I move so I can rent it out and have a little income but at least cover my mortgage. I will spend most of my savings on these renovations.

I have given myself until June next year to move which feels very close but is enough time to plan.

I don't yet have kids but would like to in the future which is a lot easier for moving. I just have no idea how to go about moving and getting work in another country.

I just know I can't live my current life anymore.

What would you do ? Where would you go? Do you know of any opportunities? How do I not become broke? How do I become a writer?

Indeed
I have a few connections in writing world and the ones who write to feel alive were doing it while I was down pub. I quite like it but you have to be realistic abot making money out of it.

if you have a good business going, I'd be loath to sell it just because you want change. I am reading this thread with interest because you clearly have a lust for life I've never had - but I feel strongly that some of my more conservative decisions should have been more conservative! Freelancing but debating going back to stable job.

I see thanks for people giving ideas and encouragement. Are you also listening to the people saying to slow down, research and figure out how to protect your asset if you let it out? Fine, if you’re happy to take the risk of the bank foreclosing, just ignore us.

You seem to not know what you want in life right now. Buying a flat 6 months ago, deciding a month later to try to sell your business then giving up and a couple of months after that deciding you want to jack it all in and start again is a lot of turmoil.

I would say you need some time to reflect. If you want to go and live elsewhere, that’s brilliant. But make sure it’s done right and you look after your future. Not just the now.

Do you not realise how utterly irritating this chat must be for your friends? It reads like a parody of gap yah wankers.

OP sounds awesome although I don't understand the leap from very handsome profits to only having 2 months of savings to travel? But aside from that, EU isn't viable because of Brexit but commonwealth countries may be a good bet - easiest way is to get a job and a visa first, then move, then write around it. Tourist guide is out as you won't be a local, seasonal bar work etc might be ok but you might have to move back as soon as contract finishes for the season so best find something more permanent. The only problem there is it will be shift work so you won't realistically have any time to write.

Other practical idea I can think of is to try to find an online remote job that is linked to writing copy of some kind, move to Isle of Wight to try it out, if you're making money from it and it is viable, go where you like as long as tourist visas allow!

Just make sure you have a buffer of cash - like many well meaning posters on here I don't want to imagine a young woman alone and out of cash with a dodgy visa situation in the middle of nowhere, suddenly feeling like they're not in a safe situation.

What happens to your five employees, OP? Presumably you will have to pay them redundancy, holidays owing etc.

I am guessing OP is in the travel industry and things are rocky. You could always take a part time job as well as the business while you decide what to do?

I want to become a writer to feel alive

If you want to write just do it. DD1 has a demanding f/t job, a husband and 2 small boys. Whenever she gets a moment she writes simply because she has ideas and loves writing for writing's sake. She doesn't ever expect to become a full time writer.

Why don't you take a holiday & scope out somewhere you would like to work & write first ?

You need to sort out your property if you are going to rent it out
Read up on the laws & regulations of being a landlord
Read up on the tax implications
Get valuation from atleast 3 letting agencies if you are not going to manage it yourself
Buy landlord insurance

If you don't go on your adventure, you will aways wonder what if ???

4k is not much, but I am sure others have travelled on less

What is the big rush ?

Yes, but there is travelling on less than 4k and actually setting up somewhere else.

I have just moved house. Across districts of the same town. Still cost me over 1k just to move my stuff and pay associated fees, let alone set everything else up.

I would suggest you start blogging and travelling- Start close to home initially - you'll be able to show the transition from business woman to independent free spirit. Many people have written books and even had films made out of such life changes.

I think getting a visa to work abroad will be your challenge - why not follow this dream for a while in the UK?get a hospitality jobs somewhere picturesque with tied accommodation, and use your spare time to unplug from the grid and write.

PS, it is very very hard to make money as a writer.

How do you think you are going to write a book on Business/entrepreneurship?

@Mummyoflittledragon I am lucky that I have a very cheap mortgage and my parents who I can always fall back on as a plan Z to pay my mortgage. If I rented my place out the rent would be double the mortgage so I am not too worried.

I have realized for two years I don't enjoy the lifestyle of the business and I know its not for me but I have been too scared to do anything about it. I was so focused on getting a property to give me stability.

I will just work hard to create a realistic plan and timeline to make this happen.

@Softplayhooray Thank you! I had a friend who traveled to Europe once and guided English people around different areas in Spain e.g. coach tours, jet skiing, zoo guide. She had to spend a month learning the information in her own time but she didn't speak Spanish or any other language so I was thinking of something similar to this.

Regarding profits... I spent all my money on a flat and am now saving for renovations. I went on a holiday of a lifetime costing £15k at the end of last year which is where a lot of my money went. I have more than £4k but have accounted for renovations. My business isn't struggling nor thriving and after thinking of the costs of closing down I want to leave my staff in a good position and I have an expensive lease I will need to pay for. I will also not want to default on my loans and just pay them back even though a bad business decision its important to me, which will leave me with very little money left. It is hard for small businesses right now.

My friend just upped and left for Asia 10 years ago. She’s never looked back now working in an EU country.

the only difference is she did job hunt before going and didn’t have a flat to sell/rent.

personally I would sell the flat btw

This is a great plan! I love this! Your twenties are your time to explore!

How about the Cook Islands. Safe as anything, tropical, NZ currency, LOADS of jobs available, EASY to get a work visa.

see:
cookislandsjobs.com
We're Hiring! Jobs in the Cook Islands FB page

Do NOT sell your flat. Rent it out. It will provide a steady income.

God some of the people on this thread are so depressing. You only get one life OP. Don't stay stuck in a rut because some negative nancy told you that you might sound a bit gap yah. Fuck them.

thank you so much @Watchthesunrise I would never have thought of the Cook Islands!

@Coffeecuppony be prepared for low wages. The cost of living can be fairly high but costs can be reduced especially if you house share with others.

I can answer any questions by PM. I've PM'ed you.

🌺

I am guessing OP is in the travel industry

I doubt it. She seems very naive about travelling the world, what is needed to set up anywhere etc.

OP, follow your dream but do loads of googling to find your way around the practicalities.

I've travelled loads solo and worked - picking oranges in Greece, kibbutz, bar and waitressing work in a few countries. But this was eons ago.
Life is a lot different to that now where you could just rock up on the off-chance.

Why don't you peruse this site to orient yourself on opportunities around the world?

www.workaway.info/en/hostlist?hidden=&showMoreOptions=0&search=&lang=en&workawayer_capacity=0&languages=&date_start=&date_end=&min_stay=&host_rating=0&country=&region=&gnid=&lat=0&lon=0&ct=&distance=&all=1

Oh yea. Would love an adventure in the Cook Islands!

For now I think you need to focus on how to wind down the business- how long do you have left on the lease? Paying of the loans and and getting someone to take over the lease would be my first priority. Would any of your employees be willing to take on the business, and therefore take on the lease?

Where are you at with this op?!