Of course go out and travel. You have a comfortable little life. Go out & make it a big one. X

How about a bit of a compromise? Try some traveling and exploring, but not make it permanent! I love traveling, and learned that from my world-traveler grandparents (who visited every continent, save for Antarctica, and that was because Grandma had a heart attack before the trip to go there), and reinforced by my world-traveling parents. I love road trips and flights equally, although I just took possession of my new travel trailer, so I am hitting the road with my own little house and my dogs. I don't work, so I don't have any time constraints, but even if only traveling on weekends, or using vacation days, you might be able to check out some nearby areas. Perhaps sign up with a temp agency that works in different cities? Good luck!

Well, I'm doing exactly that!

I was content in my marriage for many years. We bought a nice house in an exurb of Los Angeles. Then I suffered a divorce. I was depressed for a while, but part of what I did to break out of that was to change jobs to do something I could do anywhere. Now, I'm selling my house and I'm moving to Portland, Oregon. I've got good friends here I'm going to leave behind, but I'm not going to let life pass me by and I've got a few friends up there too. On to the next adventure!

You have your adventures ahead of you too! Maybe it's not Portland, but there are surely places you are interested in, places where there are things you will enjoy doing and new people to do them with and all sorts of new possibilities. Go for it!

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” ― Henry David Thoreau One must travel advisedly; never do so on a mission to "find yourself," to dispatch present day issues or problems, or to seek a "new reality." Those are "fools errands." On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with wanting to see more of the geography of the planet, the creations of other civilizations, and, most importantly, experience new people, with different perspectives crown out of different cultures. Just remember that no matter where you go, what you see, or who you meet, it will all be your creation. For many it is sufficient to work on the creation one has already made, to expand and attempt to understand oneself by studying that creation. Good luck and enjoy your continuing journey, wherever you may place yourself.

The more I age, the more I discover that life is about embracing and managing risk. That doesn't mean "get stupid and walk off a tall building". It means do the things that challenge your sense of safety even though you can manage the downside. These things are examples;
Travel
Education
Meeting new people
Doing something you have never done before.
Learning a new skill

Being safe is easy. Just wrap yourself in a roll of bubble wrap a 1/4 mile thick and wait for the world to end.

Seems better to go live your life! Seek your bliss! Even if you miscalculate and it ends in disaster, in 100 years, you and the safe guy wind up in the same place anyway.

Live! Enjoy!

I really have no reason not to!

Personally, I'd recommend at least doing a little traveling. Maybe short trips that aren't so far from home just to see if you like traveling. I'm in my mid 40's and have rarely had the money to travel and I'll likely regret that I'll probably never visit another country.

And when you're done, you can return to the comfort of home if you want.

In choosing to ravel, you are not seeking a new reality, but expanding and enriching your total reality.

The world will be fucked up no matter where you go. It is just a matter of degree and how well you can adapt to the local problems.

Many people move constantly looking for a better place where they can be happy, when it is their attitude that needs to be changed. As the old saying goes "no matter where you go, there you are."

Try getting your feet wet without going all that far, and see if you like it. You always have your home base to return to, if you don't enjoy yourself.

Generally, you change geography but people are still people wherever you go.
So, decide whether you want to see the landscape change.

I have moved 23 times in my life, 20 moves before I came to Omaha 15 years ago. I have learned something about me and about people every time I have moved. I turned 20 in Okinawa. Living in so many places has shaped me into the wonderful, open minded, opinionated, liberal hippie chick that I am. Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and explore? It might be uncomfortable, and it will be different. Once you try it you will never be the same person you were.

By all means travel as much as you can and to as many places that you are comfortable traveling too. Life is brief and unpredictable so take advantage of it while you still can and have the privilege to do so.

Different reality? As far as i know we have not opened a door to another demension. As far as traveling to see other places (not a different reality) you can take vacations and go see other culture if thats what you want.

I love to move, to travel, live in different countries, but I was born and raised abroad, so that's understandable. Some people are just homebodies.

I must say, I quite like living in Songkhla, Thailand. Best place I've lived in so far, even though I soon have to move back to the US.

It's funny how society often views travel as a negative when it is a total positive. I was discussing our travels with some people when we had returned home to Canada for a visit with family, we had been traveling for about 4 years at that point. Antarctica, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, Mexico and almost all of the lower 48 states. So after a bit of chatting the woman screws up her face at me and says, 'So You're Homeless'. I was a bit taken aback, thought about it for a second and suddenly realized that she was right 'You know, you're absolutely right and it's Fantastic' I said. She didn't know what to think of that response and made some excuse to shuffle away and talk to someone else about her routine and boring life - to each their own.

If you don't go then you will never know what you have missed out on. Just a whole other part of your life that is wonderful and fun and exciting and challenging. Travel cures so many ills in the world, don't wait, do it now. If you don't like it you can always come back home.

GO!!! Explore!!!
Learn to be uncomfortable!!!!!
Have some new experiences!
If I could still drive, I'd never be home!!!
I'd probably have visited a bunch of the people on this site by now!
I'd never be home (yes, I know I've said it twice--I really mean it!!!!)!!!!
It's a big world, go see some of it!!!!

The fact that you are asking the question tells me that you want to roam. Exposure to things outside of our bubble are good for the soul. Better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all and to then spend your days wondering!

you should give up all the material securities you talk about and roam the earth seeking out other cultures. it's the most important education you will ever receive.

GO. I've been to 28 different countries or US possessions, most when I was 18-22. Life altering, wonderful experience.

I am fascinated by people who grew up in the same town (sometimes the same house) as their parents and stay surrounded by family and the friends they've made over the years. I was an Army brat - we moved every three years....1st husband followed gov't contracts so we moved about every 3 or 4 years to follow the jobs....I honestly don't know if I would have been happy staying in one place or not because it was never an option. I can say that all that moving around has given me the chance to see how other people in other parts of our country live, think, work, - the way, and what they eat, how they cook, etc. I've met some really interesting people along the way. No one can tell you what will be right for you....but maybe you could find a job somewhere you've always wanted to visit - rent out your house so you can always go back if you decide the move was a mistake. I think you owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot - shake those tailfeathers just a little.

You can travel the world or even to the moon but most likely find out as did Dorothy "There's no place like home". It is , however, necessary to undertake the journey to understand it internally rather than intellectually.

You should most definitely see the world if you have the means to do so. Don't hesitate to PM me if you need some input on things to do, places to stay and cultural norms.

I can give some pretty extensive advice on Scotland, England, Japan, Thailand, Costa Rica and Hong Kong.

Here is the list, in order of preference, of countries I would prioritize:

1. Thailand- Safe, modern and affordable. Thai people are very welcoming and helpful to first time visitors. Most everybody speaks at least passable English. There are more things to see, do and experience in Thailand than you can possibly fit in to one trip. But that's ok. I've never met a person who went to Thailand once that didn't go back. Most have gone back several times, and with good reason.
2. Scotland- Beautiful, laid back country with lots of awesome pubs, castles and fish and chip places. Down to earth and friendly locals who will talk your ear off if you give them half a chance. Obviously, Scotland's lochs and castles and Stonehenge are highlights, although seeing Stonehenge isn't much worth it these days because they won't let anybody get near it anymore. Back when I saw it, you could walk right up and touch the stones.
3. Japan- A nice place to see, but pretty westernized and very expensive. You won't get much in regards to experiencing true Asian culture. I recommend going in the spring during the Cherry Blossom Festival.
4. England- A fun country to be in, but you won't have all that much in regards to a cultural experience. London is a blast. Great party town.
5. Hong Kong- Like England, a fun town to hang out in. I'm placing it 5th because it can be a bit confusing to someone who has never been in the city before, and few people speak english. Pick pockets are also plentiful in Hong Kong. Save this one for when you are a more seasoned traveler.
6. Costa Rica- Costa Rica is a wonderful country to see, but I would recommend saving this one for when you're a more seasoned traveler as well. It's not the safest country in the world and you can find yourself getting mugged or worse if you wander off in to the wrong areas.

I would recommend going with a tour group the first few times you travel. It'll help you pick up on the how to's of traveling much quicker. You don't want your first travel experience to be an endless maze of trying to figure things out. You'll have less freedom and spontinaity with a tour group, but you'll also have a better experience.

It doesn't seem like an either / or question. I have a comfortable, paid-for home in a town I love, but if I were single and unattached / unencumbered I might very well mothball it for a few weeks or even months at a time and see what it feels like to live in Oslo or Christchurch or Wherever for awhile. So long as I have good Internet access and a willingness to be available during my client's business hours, I could work anywhere in the world and they wouldn't even know it.

If you're a locally employed work commuter then you couldn't have that much flexibility but you still have vacation time and it's still possible to negotiate unpaid time off beyond that if you have two weeks of vacation and want to take a week or two more.

Even if you were contemplating shaking things up it would be prudent to dip your toes in first.