So… I’m Quitting My Job and Moving Abroad
In reality though, 2026 - my self-proclaimed year of delusional thinking - has been a long time coming. Last summer, I made the decision to apply for a sabbatical at work. Having moved back to my hometown in Covid after years of living in the Czech Republic, and previously the UK, I always knew I wanted to live somewhere else again.
Whether I’ve been consciously doing it or not, I’ve been saving money for the last 6 years to make this move possible. My original plan was to pivot directly into another job because, well… that felt safer. I love structure and the routine of going to an office, socialising with colleagues, having that divide from my home life, the mental challenge of work. A salary landing in my account each month doesn’t hurt either.
But trying to re-enter the job market in 2025 made me rethink. Last year I was applying for corporate jobs and was getting nowhere. I racked up almost thirty rejections in a few months, was getting ghosted by recruiters and potential contacts, all for jobs I didn’t really want deep down.
Staring at a mounting pile of rejected applications, I started thinking about a sabbatical. Fortunately, my work has a pretty generous policy for career breaks. I’m a policy maker for government, and I actually don’t hate my job. The work is interesting, it’s respected, the work/life balance is great, the people are nice and the salary is really solid. That said, I’d been there 6 years, worked my arse off, tried to make the most of it, only to stagnate anyway after 3 years. Transitioning to another job in my hometown would involve a hefty salary cut and potentially less work/life balance, and given I live in such a high cost of living area, it was a gamble I just couldn’t get excited about.
For years I felt stuck. But then, over time, I started having a perspective shift.
It doesn’t have to be the ‘perfect’ move
I was trying so hard to make the ‘perfect’ next step that I was missing the opportunity in front of me. I realised that I haven’t not worked since I was 16. I’d had a Saturday job, worked all throughout university, and went straight into my career at 22. I wouldn’t say I’m burnt out, but I’m in desperate need of a change, financial risks be damned. After years of dithering (I’m being hard on myself – I was building my savings, working on myself and trying different things, like coaching/therapy training), I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t take the plunge now at 31. So after a bucket list trip to Japan last year, I came back and immediately put my application in for a career break.
Because of my intense need for structure, I worried about the amount of time on my hands and whether I’d go slightly insane. Originally I signed up to a bunch of courses, scheduled in trips, strategised finding a new job… all a knee-jerk reaction to the freeform mode my life will soon take on. But it was only after talking to others about it, and reading about people’s experiences online, that I realised… THIS IS THE POINT.
The point is to have more time, to be open to new opportunities, to pursue hobbies and personal goals, to grow as a person and gain fresh perspectives. There was a strange kind of admission to myself that not having a job might actually be… nice, and not some kind of existential threat. That through all my hard work over the last 6 years, I could salary myself with my savings. That maybe, in a natural, unfolding way, this sabbatical will lead me to the next step, to the next thing, the next chapter – whatever that looks like.
Intentions for my career break
So instead of desperately filling my time and grafting to get another job, I’m going to force myself to slow right down and:
Try new things (groups, events, volunteering)
Work on my creative side hustles (Elrose Designs, writing)
Improve my Portuguese
Get married (I’m doing that too this year)
Travel, connect with friends and family (I’ve got a few trips in the calendar, but mostly unplanned)
I appreciate that this is an extremely privileged position to be in. Most people don’t get this opportunity (I didn’t even realise it was a possibility until a couple of years ago). I’m lucky to have had this job to set me up financially, for a partner who’s self-employed and on the same page as me, for a home and job to come back to if all else fails. I’m ridiculously fortunate.
So I’m going to run with it and ENJOY IT. It may not always be easy, but I try to remind myself that we regret the things we don’t do in life rather than the things we do.
I’m planning to write about my year out here on Substack. If you are, or have been, in a similar position, I’d love to hear from you 😊