If you are in a rut, I can think of no better way to shake up your life then to pack your bags, jump on a plane, and start exploring the world. And I’m not talking about a one-week vacation to Hawaii (or wherever it is you go for your holidays). I’m talking about extended time (6+ months in my books) away from your home city or town.

For a number of years I was traveling through life on autopilot. I went straight from school to university, and for much of this time I felt that I was traveling along a pre-determined path that really didn’t interest me. However, once university finished I made perhaps the best decision of my life. I grabbed my backpack and took off for a year of traveling around the globe. And it just so happened that this year changed everything…

Why you should travel

Why should you travel? I realize that for anyone who has previously traveled, this section may come across as preaching to the converted (you may wish to skip ahead to the resources below). But I often hear from readers, young people in particular, who feel lost and want help with finding what to do with their lives. While travel may not be the right option for everyone, here are a few benefits related to travel that I have observed:
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Bill Strickland is an amazing man. However, instead of me telling you why, I would like to invite you to watch the above video from TED in which Bill shares his astonishing tale of redemption through arts, music and unlikely partnerships (with subtle accompaniment by longtime friend Herbie Hancock).

Competition

Bill Strickland has recently released a book, Make the Impossible Possible. I have read the book, and loved it, so I am very excited to have 15 copies of it to give away. All you have to do to be in the running to win a copy is to leave a comment below. Share your thoughts about the video, or tell us one thing you once believed to be impossible that you have since discovered is possible.

Find Out More

If you would like to learn more about Bill Strickland, see also:

• BillStrickland.org
• Manchester Bidwell
• TED Speakers: Bill Strickland

Photo by Sister72.

According to one source the amount of people seeking treatment for depression has doubled in the last 15 years. Ninety percent of those people left their doctor with a prescription drugs. Clinical depression is a real disease, and antidepressants can help. But these statistics make me wonder whether our perceptions on happiness are in dire need of an update.

Somewhere, I think society got into the idea that its wrong to be unhappy. Not just that being unhappy was undesirable, but that happiness was the entire measure of life. As a result, if you feeling blue, you aren’t just sad –you’re also a failure. I wonder if the relentless focus to always be happy can actually make more people depressed?

Respect Your State

There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad, angry, frustrated or burnt out. It isn’t a moral weakness and it doesn’t mean you lack emotional control. Of course, if you aren’t feeling happy, you should do something about it. I’d never recommend a pity party. But at the same time, don’t compound your bad feelings because you don’t have a giant grin on your face all the time.
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Despite improving living standards and wages, there is a growing phenomenon of people becoming addicted to working. The workaholic becomes obsessed with work leaving little time and energy for anything else in life. To rely on work for all aspects of life is to live an unbalanced life.

If you feel work is dominating your life, these are a few suggestions for creating a better balance. However, the first thing we often need to do is to acknowledge the prominence that work has gained in our life; if we are not careful, we can be in denial about how much work has come to dominate our lives.

Are you A Workaholic?

Take a moment to consider the following questions:

• Is your first thought on waking about work?
• Is your last thought before sleeping about work?
• Does work take priority over everything else?
• Is your social life based around going out with your office colleagues to talk about work?
• Do you take work home with you at the weekend?
• Would you struggle to enjoy a 3 week holiday away from work?
• Is your greatest aim in life to get a promotion and the respect of your work colleagues?

If you find yourself answering yes to many of these questions, you would probably meet most criteria of being a workaholic and you should consider creating a better balance between life and work. These are a few steps to breaking your attachment to work.
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