How did my life benefit from my Year Off?

I believe that extended time away from work and the craziness of day-to-day life would benefit a lot of people. It most certainly was a benefit for me. In this post, I outline what I believe are the main areas of my life that changed for the better as a direct result of my Year Off. And I believe that most people who take extended off would experience the same benefits.

1. I’m much better at living in the moment.

I believe that a great amount of happiness can come out of living in the moment and being fully present. If you’re constantly worrying about the future or getting hung up on the past, it’s difficult to see the good in your life that’s right in front of you.

Prior to my Year Off, I feel like I was never really present, especially around friends and family. I was always thinking about past events or trying to figure out future plans. I feel like I missed out on some quality time with the people who mean the most to me.

Now that my Year Off is over, living in the moment and being fully present is not as difficult for me. I have gotten better at listening to other people and practicing empathy. Stepping into their shoes and knowing how they’re feeling is a skill I’ve learned and gotten better at. And I feel like a better friend, family member, and husband.

2. I gained a lot of knowledge about the world.

During my Year Off, I read close to 40 books, everything from classic fiction to modern non-fiction. Through all this reading, I gained an incredible amount of knowledge about how the world works. And it got my imagination flowing.

Through travel, I learned about various cultures around the world and how other people live their lives. My appreciation for my culture in America has grown as a result. And I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a country with adequate healthcare and strong opportunities for work and career advancement.

I learned how to interact with people and how to create friendships out of brief encounters. Walking up to someone and introducing myself and carrying on a sustained conversation is no longer difficult for me. I actually quite enjoy that now and enjoy hearing other people’s stories and what makes them happy.

3. I now actively seek challenges instead of living the “easy” life.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” was one of my main Year Off themes. I tried as many new challenging activities as I could. While I was successful at some, I failed at several. I wanted to learn some Italian while I was traveling, but never got past the word “Ciao”. I tried to learn how to play the harmonica, but failed unharmoniously.

But there were many challenges that I succeeded in, like learning about mountain climbing and backpacking. And through actively seeking out challenges and succeeding in some while failing in others, I gained a greater appreciation for the struggle that new challenges bring.

Prior to my Year Off, I would often avoid a challenge and just take the easy path. I now actively seek new challenges that I may fail in. I never wanted to be a manager in my career, but I now manage around 20 employees. The thought of backpacking a long distance trail had always sounded so miserable to me. I now have a goal of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. The challenge and the possibility of failure are what draw me to reach for these goals.

4. I learned new skills that I can now teach others.

There are several new skills I learned during my Year Off. And I now enjoy teaching these skills to other people.

Backpacking was a skill I was always interested in. I thought it sounded so cool to fill a backpack up with a tent, sleeping bag, and everything else you need to survive and just set out into the wilderness for several days. But I never really had the time to teach myself how to do it and how to enjoy it. I had tried it a couple of times before and liked it, but I wanted more knowledge and backcountry skills.

So I made it a goal of mine to backpack as much as I could during my Year Off. I am now comfortable enough to bring friends along with me and teach them everything I know. Setting off into the wild for days at a time is exhilarating for me. Having a friend or my wife along makes it all the more enjoyable.

Same thing with travel abroad. I had only been out of the country twice before my Year Off, so I knew little about navigating foreign countries. I am confident enough to not only travel just about anywhere in the world, but to enjoy every minute of it, even the difficult times. And I love showing other people how to travel as well.

5. I have a greater appreciation for my life at home.

During my time in Africa, I saw what true poverty and hardship looks like. It put all of my perceived “problems” at home in perspective. I no longer take our healthcare system in the United States and the long healthy lives we’re able to live for granted.

When I have a bad day at work, I think about how many other people around the world would kill for my job. When the electricity goes out at home, it’s not a big deal. If something goes wrong, I’m able to roll with the punches and make it through the tough times knowing that things will get better.

There are many potential benefits to a Year Off.

And I believe most people would find some greater satisfaction with their lives after embarking on that journey. By challenging yourself and getting out of your comfort zone, opportunities for positive change in your life are created. And I believe the positive benefits from my Year Off will continue to make my life better.