I think at this point, everyone is quite aware that inspirational books and films are becoming more and more popular with each passing day. The first thought that comes to mind is the book Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, and its success as a novel and then a film. Now, not that it wasn’t a great book, it just feels like we are reading the same story from 1,000 authors. At times, it can even seem like the typical “inspirational” read is not actually a genuine portrayal of something incredibly life-changing. Instead, it has become a way for writers to tell the world: “this changed my life, and instead of being content with my discoveries, I need to tell everyone I know about my accomplishments as a human”. It is exhausting to the rest of us mere mortals who go to our 9 to 5 jobs, eat easy mac for dinner, watch syndicated television, and are asleep by 9 p.m. So why do we continue to read these sagas that make us feel like we do nothing?
I haven’t pinpointed an answer to this question, but it could be because we are searching for something to balance our lives. Life can feel utterly unfulfilling sometimes. Working a job just to pay the bills gets old and mobility can seem impossible. That is why we keep buying into these books that make us feel inadequate, yet encouraged all at once. Take for example Stephanie Yoder’s eBook entitled, A Year Without Make-Up: Tales of a 20-Something Traveler. Stephanie Yoder felt stuck on that hamster wheel of life at age 25, and so she took action. Stephanie quit her 9 to 5 and traveled around Asia for a year. It seems irrational and irresponsible, but irresistible at the same time. After her travels, Yoder compiled entries she wrote from her travels into a story that she crafted into an eBook. Now Yoder is running a 20-Something Travel blog, and enjoying the success of her book. It is time to be inspired people! Remove yourself from the work slump you are in and do something. I’ve picked a few books that could become the reason you quit your 9 to 5… just don’t blame me!
A Year Without Make-Up: Tales of a 20- Something Traveler
By: Stephanie Yoder
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term Travel
By: Rolf Potts
The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World
By: The Lonely Planet
The Geography of Bliss
By: Eric Weiner
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
By: Patricia Schultz
Wouldn’t it be so nice to just up and leave home and travel for the rest of your life?! That’s my dream! Except I’d probably end up picking grapes as a career in some random country and it would be far less glamorous than anticipated.
I do take one big trip once a year though. My favorite has been South Africa. Up next…I’m thinking Brazil. Jungle style.
A year without makeup! OH MY. I wish I could do that, and I am sure if I went a week without makeup I would feel confident with my face but… Initially it’d be hard. I would however save a lot of money and my skin would probably be SO HAPPY with me!