In the pursuit of international travel or move abroad goals, it’s crucial to prioritize oneself and make intentional choices that contribute to personal growth and fulfillment. In 2024, as you embark on this transformative journey, here are 10 things you must be selfish with to pave the way for your international adventures.
What's Covered in This Article
1. Time
Being selfish with your time doesn’t mean shutting others out; it means setting clear boundaries to ensure you allocate time to activities that truly matter.
Take, for example, the goal of planning an international adventure or a move abroad. Dedicate specific time slots each week to research destinations, create itineraries, and explore opportunities.
Prioritize your time by setting clear boundaries on work and personal commitments. Allocate specific time slots for researching potential destinations, planning logistics, and self-care.
Prioritize your time to invest in acquiring skills that enhance your marketability abroad. This could include learning a new language, gaining certifications relevant to your field, or acquiring remote work skills.
Action Points:
- Create a weekly schedule that includes dedicated time for travel-related tasks, ensuring you make progress toward your goals consistently.
- Identify key skills needed in your target destination or industry, and create a personalized development plan. Dedicate time each week to skill-building activities.
- Schedule “Travel Planning Time”: Allocate a specific time each week solely for researching and planning your international journey.
- Establish Digital Detox Hours: Set aside moments for a digital detox, allowing you to focus on planning without distractions.
2. Finances
Being selfish with your finances involves intentional spending and saving, with a focus on your travel or move abroad aspirations.
Be intentional about your spending habits and savings. Cut unnecessary expenses and allocate funds specifically for your travel fund
Let’s say you have a dream of relocating to a new country for work, vacation, study, or to live. Be diligent in creating a budget, cutting unnecessary expenses, and redirecting funds to a dedicated travel fund, or show money for PR or move abroad expenses and even for blocked account funds (Sperrkonto in Germany) to attend European universities..
Action Point:
- Set a monthly budget, review your expenditures regularly, and redirect surplus funds toward your international travel savings.
- Outline a budget that factors in daily expenses, potential relocation costs, and savings for international adventures.
- Explore Side Hustle Opportunities: Consider leveraging your skills for freelance work or part-time gigs to boost your travel fund.
3. Health and Well-being
Prioritize self-care routines to maintain physical and mental well-being. This might involve regular exercise, meditation, sufficient sleep, and a balanced diet.
Remember you must pass medical tests for PR immigration purposes as well as to work on cruise ships.
Common tests that you must undergo when applying for a PR or cruise ship job include general physical checks will be done for eyes, nose, heart, lungs, and others, chest X-rays, blood tests for HIV and Syphilis and urine tests, etc..
Action Point:
- Create a Personal Wellness Plan: Develop a comprehensive plan that includes exercise routines, nutritious meals, and mental well-being practices. Prioritize self-care to ensure you’re in optimal condition for your move abroad, cruise ship job, and even international adventures.
- Prioritize Sleep Hygiene: Establish a consistent sleep schedule, creating an environment conducive to restful sleep.
4. Networks and Relationships
Being selfish with your network involves intentional connection-building. If international success is your aim, invest time in expanding your professional and social circles. Attend industry-specific events and engage with professionals in your field.
Cultivate relationships with individuals who have similar aspirations such as international travel, moving abroad, working abroad, or working on a cruise ship.
Or even if they don’t have similar aspirations, they at least have not qualms against those who have.
Attend networking events, join online communities, and engage with like-minded people.
Action Points
- LinkedIn Revamp: Update your LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills, aspirations, and international interests.
- Virtual Networking Events: Attend virtual events related to your industry, actively participating in discussions and making meaningful connections. Set a goal to attend a certain number of networking events or engage in online forums each month. Actively seek out opportunities to connect with those who share your goals or at least support them.
5. Personal Brand
Being “selfish” with one’s personal brand is a strategic and necessary step for individuals seeking travel, work abroad, move abroad or relocation success.
In the context of global exploration and professional mobility, your personal brand becomes a powerful tool that communicates who you are, what you stand for, and what you bring to the table.
- Action Point: Audit your social media profiles, LinkedIn, and personal website. Ensure they align with your international travel or relocation goals and convey a positive and professional image.
6. Goals
Being selfish with your goals means unapologetically pursuing what sets your soul on fire. Suppose your goal is to work in a specific industry abroad, study in a specific university abroad, or to travel to your dream destination. Define clear objectives, break them down into achievable steps, and regularly evaluate your progress.
Action points:
- SMART Goal Setting: Define Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals for your international endeavors.
- Quarterly Goal Check-Ins: Reflect on your progress every few months, adjusting your goals as needed for a more focused approach.
6. Energy
Being selfish with your energy means protecting it from draining activities. Evaluate the people, spaces, and tasks that uplift you versus those that deplete you. Surround yourself with positivity and eliminate or minimize negativity.
- Energy Audit: Assess daily activities and relationships, identifying what energizes you and what drains you.
- Establish Positivity Rituals: Integrate daily rituals or habits that bring positivity, such as gratitude journaling or affirmations.
- In terms of the Art of Allowing, it means to ‘make peace’ with ALL things AS THEY ARE – including what other people are doing. Allow other people to make their own choices (and live out the consequential experience of those choices) for themselves. In other words, doing whatever you can to let life, other people, and all situations to be as they are – no matter how challenging that may be to do sometimes!
- Learn radical acceptance. Radical acceptance is a distress tolerance skill that is designed to keep pain from turning into suffering.
- Allow yourself to see beauty and find small pockets of comfort, even if there is pain around you
7. Personal Space
Being selfish with personal space doesn’t mean isolation; it means recognizing the value of solitude. Create moments for self-reflection and rejuvenation.
Action points:
- Daily Quiet Time: Dedicate a few minutes each day to quiet reflection, whether through meditation, journaling, or simply being present.
- Solo Adventures: Plan occasional solo outings or activities that allow you to enjoy your own company and recharge.
8. Passion
Being selfish with your passion involves dedicating time to activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. If travel is your passion, immerse yourself in it. Join travel groups, attend virtual events, and surround yourself with like-minded individuals.
Action points:
- Passion Project Commitment: Identify a project related to your passion, such as starting a travel blog or vlog, and commit dedicated time to its development.
- Connect with Travel Communities: Engage with online travel communities, sharing your experiences and gaining insights from fellow enthusiasts.
In conclusion, being “selfish” with these 10 aspects in 2024 doesn’t mean neglecting others but prioritizing your dreams and aspirations. By managing your time, finances, skills, and well-being, you pave the way for a successful and fulfilling journey towards international travel and relocation. Remember, the more intentional and focused you are on these key aspects, the closer you’ll get to turning your travel dreams into reality.
