Marian, congratulations on your fresh start. It is a bummer that things didn't work out quite as you expected, but on the bright side, you now have this whole new opportunity to explore on this solo journey. Unplanned & unexpected adventures tend to have the best outcomes, in my experience. And though you may question your "running around" as a mask for "running away" - I vote you choose not to worry about this. Whatever your reasons for running, it doesn't really matter, if along the way you are learning, having fun & playing as much as possible. Good luck overcoming this low point, and here's to a speedy return to optimism & clarity & happy times in your world!

Katie! So good to see you back on Stratejoy. I often wonder how all the past bloggers are faring... and it sounds like awesome for you! Keep on rockin' the self-discovery & happiness in your world :]

Oh, Katharine, so many times I have encountered this feeling of "running away" from a life I completely fucked up, only to realize that the words "running away" make it seem even worse. I've traveled for any & every reason, it seems. And the glamour of living abroad & experiencing culture firsthand is just the tip of the iceberg. Somedays life SUCKS living out of the country - you eat a bad cheeseburger and can't walk for 3 days, all your money gets stolen, and you get a gun pulled on you in your hotel room - but in the end these crazy experiences give you a lens to look at your life, and realize how in the face of {even more? self-inflicted? day-to-day?} adversity, you are a strong woman & you prevail.

One of my very best friends just lost her mother, and any remaining semblance of home & family continues to evaporate as the days go by. She wants to travel and run away and I see nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, that "clean slate" that comes with being surrounded by fresh new faces gives a whole new perspective on who you are. And as you slowly build real relationship with your travel companions or TEFL coworkers, you're slate will never be clean. You are still the same person, you've just removed all the distractions of your "other life" and there is time to make sense of all those feelings you carry around.

Or something. Good luck, girl. Yay, Prague!

Congratulations Katie! Yeahhhh girl =]

I crafted my life as an eternal vacation for the past few years and I'm trying to discover how/if I fit back in to "normal" society. Permanent vacation is amazing... my values of Bliss, Authenticity, Health, Intellect are nurtured on a daily basis. But I also crave professional growth and financial stability - which no matter how hard I tried in vacation mode, I just COULDN'T do it.

So coming from the complete opposite side of the fence, I guess the grass is always greener, eh? I highly encourage you to explore vacation mode, and I'll be dabbling in business, maybe we'll meet halfway? Growing professionally and savoring daily life at the same time... that's where I'm headed =]

Omg Amanda, I love this. You are so brave in your honesty! Thank you for this =]

My QLC forced me to look at my life in a totally new way. I focus on living with eyes of gratitude & moving with purpose through my life. I allow time for self-discovery, and also to give myself a break and live in the moment... And when I spiral down into my dark place, I have a reference point in my goals, that helps bring things into perspective. I didn't have that before I took time to figure out what my goals were. Thank you, QLC :)

Thank you Molly! You rock.

Maybe the hard way is the only way to really understand. At least sometimes. Have fun in Prague, girl. It's so beautiful there!

Hell yes to everyones comments on this! I love the responses =]

I am a total planner junkie - I definitely agree that "my best life involves one hell of a penciled in day planner!" But sometimes, after months of endless running around I get that burnout and I give myself recovery / un-planned time to live out dreamy goals. Focus on my health, take a trip, learn a new instrument... because I feel like these things are just as important as my career. I guess for me, balance, is a few months of crazy work (usually with an unfortunate backslide in spirituality or health), and then a few months of self-care and dreamseeking. And I know when I crave that full planner, it's time to be planning, and when I need adventure, I should go & get it.