Why I quit my dream job to be a travel nurse
Volcan Cerro Negro: Leon, Nicaragua
Two months before this photo was taken, I was sitting at work telling my two friends how I didn’t feel challenged and supported at work. After spending much time contemplating, I gave my two weeks’ notice and said my goodbyes. It was one of the hardest and riskiest decisions I’ve ever had to make. And before you assume this is another story of " why I quit my job," (it kinda is, but) I implore you to hear me out by reading until the end.
Operation Smile Nicaragua team on top of Volcan Cerro Negro
Ten days after I left my job, I was on top of an active volcano getting ready to go sledding down with a bunch of new friends I met while I was volunteering in an Operation Smile surgical mission in Nicaragua. I had just left a stable job on a whim, so I made myself label this more as a transition and less like a bold statement in order to keep from freaking myself out. The future is unpredictable, but I have a sense of peace about my decision. The same desire that persuaded me to leave the stable ground and go volcano boarding is my moving force. I've never felt comfortable watching the action from the edges. My curiosity and perhaps diasporic self-awareness would not allow me to sit still. The idea of starting fresh somewhere new and crossing international or domestic borders is deeply ingrained in me. Ever since my twin and I boarded the plane to come to Chicago when we were 13 and later when I moved out the day I graduated high school to live by myself, leaving stability to start fresh has been a part of me.
You may have heard it many times, but I’m still going to share my version of why I quit my stable job. I don’t want to perpetuate this idea that if you're not happy then leave. We all have our reasons, and everyone's story is personal. You start by asking yourself these questions: Do I love my job? Am I the best version of myself in providing the service I’ve been hired or trained to do? Am I growing as a person? Is my work challenging me to be a better employee and person? If you considered these questions and are prepared, I don’t believe you’re running from your responsibilities by quitting. You’re choosing to live intentionally and be the best version of yourself. Though I enjoyed the job security and relationships I built with my co-workers, I've always been curious about being a travel nurse and taking the leap was expected.
New and old friends during Operation Smile Team Nicaragua.
I admit that quitting your job to travel is often glamorized when the truth is that it's a terrifying move to make. My journey started when I realized who I am and what I wanted to do. Even though I was at my dream job, what I was doing there was not aligning with my values. My desire to travel while doing good is at the forefront of my decision to quit. At the core of who I am, Redeat, my name, even means what I feel like my purpose is in life - Helper!When I left my stable job, I did not quit nursing entirely only my position as a staff nurse. I did it not because I just wanted to travel and post my adventures on Instagram and Facebook, but to exercise the freedom it gives me to use my travel to do good while working on some personal goals I’ve set for the next three to five years.
León: City in Nicaragua
I’m ready to face the consequences of losing touch with some friends, excited to make new ones, and hoping to gain meaningful long-term relationships.I'm ready for many hours spent on airplanes, arriving and departing, and running to catch flights and perhaps missing some. I'm ready to laugh with new friends and at myself more often. I am hoping that travel nursing will help me spend quality time with my family who have no idea what a travel nurse is, but maybe they’ll get it when they see it's allowing me to spend more time with them. I'm ready to help people, show kindness to strangers, nourish separation and distance by being a good listener, learn a new language, stay mindfully present and spiritually still, believe in the power of positive vibes, find love, and always say “Yes!” to anyone who asks to do something on grounds that may possibly erupt and spit out lava at me.
As I start this journey, I'm glad I listened to my intuition and not my fear. I was reluctant to start for a long time because of all the negative stories I heard about being a travel nurse. Despite my hesitation, I decided to go out and do something I’ve always wanted to do. It was a tough decision to make, but I sure am glad I made it.
“To have more love, to feel more love, you need to embody love, and move from that space, Connect to your heart, breathe, appreciate the task at hand and open your mind to find new ways to appreciate what you are doing.”
