A New Adventure Begins

Today is a key milestone in a new adventure for me; an adventure that really began just over five weeks ago when I handed in my notice.

In the past I have always been very sensible and heeded the advice to never quit one job until I had another one to go to. However, this time around I have ignored that advice. There is no desk waiting for me next Monday, no new bunch of colleagues anticipating my arrival.

Where to now then?

So what has bought me to this point?

Well, a number of things really.

I remember seeing, or being told about a T Shirt slogan:

“I would rather have a wet day in the mountains, than a sunny day in the office”

I can definitely relate to that. There have been numerous times when I have been sat in an office somewhere, wishing I was somewhere else.

Motivational speakers ask “If you knew you could not fail then what would you do?”. Nobody, on their death bed, wishes that they had spent more time at work?

We work hard, saving for “a rainy day”. But when will that rainy day become today? When we are old and decrepit, too old to take advantage of the free time?

Time for myself

So I am going to take a Sabbatical. Some time out to go and explore and play and try new things. I have no mortgage, no kids and no debts. Now seems like a good time to do this, rather than wait until later. What I do have is a wonderful girlfriend who has said she will support me in this.

The sensible bit

Just to reassure you that I have not lost my marbles completely I have got some sensible plans:

• Office 2013.
  My background is MS Office training, so I plan to develop my Office 2013 skills, take the exams and get myself certified as Microsoft Office Specialist Master
• GIS.
  I am half way through an online course introducing myself to GIS. This is a skillset that I want to develop for my own interest and develop those skills
• Limited Company.
  I am going to set up as a limited company, so that I can take on work as and when required. If CPS or anyone else need a trainer to deliver a one day or one week training course then it will be good to have the ability to take on the work and get paid for it. In the future, if I need to combine outdoor or voluntary activities with part time consultancy or contracting roles then I can do.

Objectives

So, what else will I be doing? I want to be able to:
Do more walking – North Wales, Brecons, Lakes, Dartmoor

Do some voluntary work with environment / ecology surveys

Do more photography

Do some writing – watch out for more blogs

Basically get out there and meet more people.

Also, I’m looking forward to the ability to look at the weather forecast and if see that it is going to be nice in the hills over the next few days then I can just decide to get out there and explore.

Ultimate Goal

After six months I hope that I will have developed some new skills, met some new people in the science, environmental or ecological sphere, and got myself a new job.
If that is not the case then I will get back into a proper job, hopefully training on MS Office.