164. Confront Your Sabbatical Nightmares

Don't let fear get in the way of pursuing a break from work

Mar 12, 2024

I knew that I wanted to take a sabbatical at least one year before I ever started planning my break from work. However, I had so many “rational” reasons why I needed to wait before embarking on my no-work journey.

In June 2023, I had my thyroid removed and I had two weeks off to reflect on my life. Within days of my sick leave for my thyroid, I noticed I had about 70% fewer things to worry about. I felt light. It felt great to be in my energy without thinking about work.

Post-surgery I got a bad stomach bug and was stuck in my room for three days. Towards the end of this bout, I was feeling well enough to watch some Netflix. I was hit with a targeted suggestion for Tony Robbin's I Am Not Your Guru documentary and within a few clicks of the remote my life was changed.

Tony emphasizes that YOU are responsible for the life you are living- the good and the bad. I reflected on my common complaints about having too much work to do after work and always thinking about my work. I was certainly the creator of this reality. It was me who chose to move to a remote desert town to increase my income and savings rate in the pursuit of an earlier retirement.

I didn’t regret my choice. My move had exponentially sped up my journey to financial independence, but I also needed to know when to call it quits. With little time building community, exercising, and focusing on my needs, etc. I had become a hermit whose life consisted of only work.

Tony’s documentary made me realize that I need to make a change. I decided on September 2023 for my sabbatical start date and I shined a light on my specific sabbatical nightmares.

Like most people, my biggest fear was financial, and, also like most people, I had not done any specific calculations to understand what sabbatical finances would look like.

In this episode, Michelle and I talk about how knowing two numbers, (1) monthly spending and (2) net worth, provides a great framework for understanding how much money we have available for our sabbatical. We also talk about two additional numbers, (3) FI number and (4) Coast FI number, that help create a clear picture of what our financial situation looks like relative to our overall spending needs.

We also discuss the fear of unproductive time. I didn’t want to be a “bum” on my sabbatical. We discuss how the entire paradigm of work and time shifts when you are on sabbatical.

I am now in my seventh month and I’m surprised at how much I am enjoying not working and impressed and the shift in my view of life. My only regret? Waiting so long to pull the sabbatical trigger!

Sabattical means trips to the beach with my sister Michelle

Show Notes:

Community Time

Thank you, Arjun, for your off-boarding checklist- check it out here
Thank you, Steph for sharing Michelle’s Turn Your Layoff into a Sabbatical course
Here are Luca’s recommendations on preparing sprouted oats:
- “In response to the latest episode, here is how my girlfriend does her oats Irish style”
  1. Cover in water. Soak overnight. Heat on the stove in the a.m. until they simmer.
  2. Add granola, almond butter, flax, chia, and honey.
  3. Quality of oats matters.

Check out Michelle’s New Course…

Turn your Layoff into a Sabbatical

What you’ll get out of this course

Layoff to Liberation

You'll be empowered to build a life beyond the walls of tech. Through authentic vulnerable sharing and guided conversations, you'll be able to deprogram yourself from seeing your layoff as a negative, but instead a golden opportunity to reinvent yourself and your career.

You will be equipped to design your own sabbatical

You'll receive curated exercises, readings, and reflection prompts to propel you on your journey.

These will cover expected sabbatical challenges: identity loss, money scripts, ambition, lifestyle design, and how to answer the question "What do you do?"

You will meet other creative thinkers in this space

Embarking on a sabbatical can seem lonely at times.

The real magic happens when you start connecting with other people on similar journeys who understand your fears, celebrate your wins, and encourage your dreams.

So we'll pair you with another person whose circumstances mirror yours

You will gain a framework and vocabulary to think about your sabbatical

Both co-hosts completed 12-month sabbaticals after leaving tech. In that time, we've published essays and worked alongside the leading sabbatical voices in this space.

We'll share our framework and vocabulary to help you conceptualize the design and phases of your journey

Click here to sign up