The Big Lap

Last night, 7 weeks out from our departure, we finished watching the Expedition Australia series The Big Lap. In one of the closing scenes Jen and Steve, who had just completed an 18month lap around Australia with their two young girls, were summing up the what and the why of their trip. Their level of personal satisfaction and achievement was at an all time humble high. But it was their reasoning and reckoning that resonated most with us.
They echoed the conversations that we have had in our own heads, between ourselves and with family, friends and complete strangers in the past few months since making this decision.
Steve rightly points out that humans spend a lot of time of finding reasons not to do things but the key is in finding ways to do things. In order for us to take this step we've really had to challenge the way we are conditioned to think and act.
Like Steve and Jen one of our key drivers was what will we regret more? Going or not going? In our old age we will no doubt only be left with regret if we don't take this chance by the horns and do this with our young family. Steve also points out that unlike those in retirement we are young and can always make more money. It's a chance worth taking.
So many people have said to us "You're so brave, I could never do that" just like Jen says people had said to her. The truth is we never thought we had this in us! (Keep an eye out for my next blog on where I think it did come from). As recent as New Years Day, just 28 days before making this decision, I had told our neighbours that there is no way we would sell our house and leave our jobs to travel and although we plan to lap we will make it quick and return to our life in Sydney. What were we thinking? Or should I say what were we not thinking?
We are often coached in our careers to step outside of our comfort zone but rarely apply this creative tool to our personal life. Our social conditioning means that we tend to apply the same work and housing conventions for our entire lives. Stepping outside of this has been ever so liberating and like Jen describes it has made us realise that we have so much more in us that we never thought was possible!
Do yourself a favour and grab a copy of this great DVD. We thoroughly enjoyed following this family on their big lap with the closing remarks being some of our most favourite.