“Well… it certainly won’t be boring!” I said with a mix of nervousness and intrigue. Rachel looked at me with sheer excitement and said “A trip around the world – that’s the dream! So many people want to do this and never get the chance. We have the chance, so let’s go!” I knew she could sense my hesitation. After all, the idea of picking up and leaving my comfortable, consistent, risk-adjusted life was seriously scary.

But when I thought through it logically, the idea started to seem less crazy. Rachel and I are both in our early thirties, newly divorced and we recently started a business together. Neither of us have children (with the exception of my two fur-babies Nimitz & Mugsy), and our business hasn’t taken off yet (to put it mildly). So for the first, and possibly only time in our lives, we aren’t beholden to other people. And one of the perks of being a single woman in your thirties is that you’ve worked long and hard enough to have some money saved for retirement… just enough money to finance a 12-18 month trip around the world.

Aside from all of the logical reasons, there’s the dream factor. I’ve always felt that there’s more to this life than financial stability, corporate success and 2.3 kids. I spent years chasing those false idols and even when I caught one, I wasn’t fulfilled. So maybe instead of adding more of the same ingredients into my recipe for satisfaction, it’s time to try something new.

I looked up at Rachel, who’s face still held a look of wide-eyed wonderment, and I said, “Ok. Let’s do it!”

We pulled out the map and started planning. And somehow, almost seamlessly, all of the logistics came together. We cashed out our retirement funds and got ready to go. The trip officially starts on October 13, 2015, when Rachel and I meet up in Dallas and head west. The itinerary and plan are still taking shape, and we’ll share them here as it unfolds.

So to answer the question at the top of the page: what is The Great Enlivening? It’s many things… a journey around the world, a broadening of perspectives, a vagabond-ish lifestyle, a quest for fulfillment… but mainly it’s a beautiful, mysterious adventure, and we hope you come along for the ride.

By: Natalie Hunter