I’m going to share something very personal with you. Today I freaked out. I panicked because I am living in Colombia and have no job and this is my first time doing both. Yes, it’s only natural. But for those of you who have lovingly got in touch with me and are going / going to go through a similar experience, I wanted to tell you why I felt like this and how I overcame it…in one day.

I freaked out because I’ve been having an amazing four weeks in Colombia. (Yes, I have been here for four weeks – ONE WHOLE MONTH already. Wow, doesn’t time fly?) I have met some amazing friends, spent lots of time with my lovely family, started art class, been commissioned to do some art, started Spanish class, eaten some amazing food and am generally having the time of the my life. BUT, a little niggling feeling creeps in that I’m unemployed and this freaks me out. I panicked, I gasped for air, I questioned what the hell I was doing, I worried that I would never work again, and more so that I would never want to work again. I do not like this. I used to be a workaholic. Now I love life too much to even contemplate the reality of work. A friend introduced me to the concept of the four hour workweek or something like a mini-retirement. I haven’t read the book, but here’s the link if you want to have a look.

He says welcome to my mini-retirement.

So ‘mini-retirements’ are great. But in order to be ‘mini’ it implies that there’s an end. Today I decided to have a plan and to put a steak in the ground for the ‘end’. This has been the best thing ever. So, to give you an insight into my very personal life, here is my life plan:

My life plan.

My life plan sits at the end of bed and is my guide. My plan is for my life over the next six months. I have basically given myself a ‘life holiday’ until the end of June. Here, I am giving myself the freedom to do what the hell I want, go wherever I please, learn things, do things, see things… For the next six weeks, I can basically enjoy life guilt-free. Then in July I am going to start looking for a job (so I might be contacting you then)…

I love this plan. It makes me very happy. And I know that come July onwards, I will be ready to embrace a job.

A life plan was something I was taught from a careers advisor after my accident and subsequent ‘mid-life crisis’. It worked really, really well as I got to Colombia as I dreamed. The only missing part was what to do when in Colombia. Now I have the freedom to have fun, safe in the knowledge that I have a solid timeframe to work with.

I am sharing this with you, because as always I want to be honest with you. It seems like I’ve had an amazing, glossy time in Colombia, and I have. But at some points, I question my journey and this is what I’ll share with you too.

So expect lots of great, fun adventure for the next six weeks. I can’t wait and you’re coming along for the ride too.