10 Signs You Need to Pack Your Bags and Travel

2. You need more than two coffees before noon to make it through your day

Anyone that relies on caffeine (which might I add is a drug) to make it through their day clearly needs to rethink the method to their madness. Sure, we all have to work for a living… but just how much are you actually living.

3. You have your daily routine written on paper or mentally cemented in your mind

Your 6am alarm clock buzzes in your ear and you stumble out of bed in a sleepy daze as you make your way toward the shower, turn on the taps and shock your body with a splash of cold water that reminds you how little time you have to undertake your morning routine and walk out of the day at a quarter to eight.

You then complete your ‘working day’ only to go ‘work out’ in the gym to negate the effects of sitting at an office desk all day. You then return home to the kitchen to feed yourself, perform a few household duties, prepare yourself for the following day, and do it all again.

Photo: Brooke Saward

4. You stop eating your morning cereal half way through because it is as flavourless and dull as your 9-5

If you ever find yourself gulping down spoonfuls of cereal and milk as you attempt to simultaneously button your shirt or brush your hair, chances are your life is as flavourless as your crunchy oats. Sure, money doesn’t grow on trees… but if the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose, perhaps we should reconsider how many hours in a day we are devoting to our happiness as opposed to that of others.

5. The most cultural experience you had in the past year was Chinese takeout

Once you’ve had pasta in Italy or pad Thai in Thailand you will understand just how much you’ve been missing out on. If the last ethnic experience you recall is a Chinese takeout selection on a Friday night, you need to hit the road and try the real thing.

6. You live vicariously through your friends’ travel snaps but make every excuse not to book a trip for yourself

Have you used the little emoticon with the love hearts in his eyes lately? Perhaps you’ve proclaimed ‘you’re so lucky’ on your friends’ latest Facebook check-in or used the word ‘jealous’ to describe your reaction to a new photo album. But let’s face it, there’s nothing stopping you that you can’t overcome… it’s time to stop living through the eyes of others and experience things for yourself.

7. You drive to work with a temptation to veer away from your daily commute and hit the open road

Ever found yourself cruising along the highway (freeway for ye Americans) and a song comes on the radio that immediately gives you that ‘screw it, I’m takin’ off’ attitude? Of course you have…

Photo: Brooke Saward

8. Your clothes have travelled further than you have

‘Made in China’ reads the tag….. hmmm China…. I’ve never been to China….

9. You spend your time looking forward to the future or reminiscing about the past instead of creating a life that you don’t need to escape

One of the most common traps we fall into in life as humans is ‘doing life’ instead of living it. We get so caught up in the technicalities of life — earning money to save for material possessions, pay off the dream house, etc. etc. that we forget the golden rule — you can’t take it to your grave.

10. You’ve read this post and it’s made you feel something

Go on, just go.

by Brooke Saward, World of Wanderlust

This article is syndicated from WorldofWanderlust.