Dream of Traveling? Turn Your Bucket List Into an Action List With World Traveler Sheri Doyle by Renee
Do you have a bucket list? You know, a long and lofty list of things you would like to learn, see and do one day? Have you ever wondered how you can turn your bucket list into reality? Sheri Doyle is a travel blogger at So Off We Go, freelance writer, business consultant, photographer, 30Seconds contributor and Travel channel lead – all while traveling around the world! Sheri is driven to live adventurously and shared how she sold everything, including her home, to travel the world and pursue her dreams. Sheri turned her bucket list into an action list and shared how you can, too!
Q: Let me get this straight. You sold everything so you could live a simpler life, travel and volunteer? How and why did you make the decision to sell it all?
Yes, I did! We sold our home and all of our possessions with the exception of five paintings, four boxes and two suitcases of clothing and my Jeep Wrangler. I was working 60 to 70 hours a week running my own business and had been for years. We were living to work, which we vowed years ago never to do again. Our quality of life was gone. It wasn’t the vision we had of our lives.
My husband had an offer to sell his shares in the company he owned and I was becoming increasingly unhappy with the world of retail and competing with online behemoths. So, one day I just decided I was done and wanted to close my business. In 24 hours of the public announcement I had four parties interested in buying my business. Our house sold in 24 hours so we didn’t have time to figure things out. Unsure of what was next we packed up the Jeep and started our adventure.
It really did. We knew then we were doing the right thing. #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
I am so fascinated by the people like you who are able to do this.. and THRIVE! How incredible! I love seeing your travels #30seconds
— Jessica Acree (@jacree81) October 11, 2018
Q: How were you able to make your world travel dreams possible?
Our first trip I volunteered to teach English in Utila, Honduras, where we were provided a home and didn’t need any transportation. We were able to take the time to start to come up with a plan for the next year. We came up with a budget which was considerably less than we spent in the USA. I freelance and my husband trades stocks and we have a small medical device business so those help to cover our expenses.
I book our trips with Airbnb so we have some space from each other in the apartments, we can cook our own meals, have great Wi-Fi and save money. There are no cable bills, electric, gas, etc., so that is a savings.
Then I started figuring out how to travel more off season. We work the rewards systems on credit cards and websites for flights, hotels etc., and we are able to live within our budget most of the time.
Yes I freelance a little and we own a small business I can do from anywhere that provides a little income and then my husband trades stocks which some days is good and some days is bad... #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
Q: Where did you travel to first and why?
First it was Utila, Honduras, where I volunteered as an English teacher for five months. We had been there scuba diving and I was completely moved by the community and wanted to help. I have been so blessed in my life I want to give back as much as I can, whenever I can so this opportunity was perfect. It also gave us a chance to see how we liked Island life and figure out our future.
The experience taught me so much about letting go of the need to always be busy, and to just enjoy life. We learned how little we needed to live and that the less we had the happier we were. Less stress!
Being with people who have to worry about having water or electricity, dealing with child abuse and violence changed me. Experiencing the love and watching them achieve goals was better than any other work I have ever done.
So true! I would rather take the chance and do it, than live in fear #30Seconds
— 🍂 🍁 Toni B 🍂 🍁 (@rychepet) October 11, 2018
JUST ONCE...I want to go to Antarctica to see the penguins in their natural habitat #30Seconds pic.twitter.com/TAKUrzKwhT
— 🍂 🍁 Toni B 🍂 🍁 (@rychepet) October 11, 2018
loved New Zealand, the people are so nice and the food is farm to table delicious. Met some friendly sheep too! #30Seconds
— Tiffany C (@sweetmatcha) October 11, 2018
Q: Please share more about you, your family your background and your interests!
I moved around a lot as a kid and my parents were both divorced twice so I really had to learn to be independent. I have lived in six states and one other country in my life so I acclimate very quickly. In fact, I think it has made me a bit of an adventure junkie.
My independence, determination and dedication has been a help and hindrance all my life. I have a major entrepreneurial spirit and love the challenge of helping people start new businesses. I have a lot of energy so traveling, writing and startups are perfect to feed my soul.
I married my husband 19 years ago. He is older than me, had two teenage boys at home and within one year of marriage we fostered two more. I was 27 so it was a pretty big leap from single life. I loved it! My stepsons are now adults with kids of their own. I became a grandma in my 30s!
My passions are cooking, gardening, obviously traveling, reading, writing, knitting and embroidery. All which I have taught myself (with the exception of reading, ha ha) I love being outdoors, and practicing yoga and meditation. They all feed my soul.
I agree with this! Experiencing new things is way better than inanimate possessions! #30Seconds & spreading kindness & helping along your way!
— sherry bracy (@sherrybracy) October 11, 2018
Well I speak okay Spanish and decent Italian so that often gets us by. If that doesn’t work my hisband is an excellent pointer. We have had some interesting situations but somehow they always work out. Someone always appears and helps us. #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
Q: What is it really like to be “homeless?” Is there anything that you miss about having a permanent address?
It is amazing to be homeless! I love that I don’t have to clean or maintain anything or buy stuff to fill up a home. The adventure of staying in new places with no responsibilities is so freeing. Not having the temptation to buy things to fill up a house has completely changed things for me. It is wonderful to not spend money on things, to not have any temptation to buy things we really don’t need.
I miss being able to do yoga on a regular basis and see family and friends regularly. But the experiences we share with them outweigh that. Sometimes during my months away I miss having a permanent home to entertain friends and family. So this year we met up with them and had great experiences all over Europe instead.
In the past we have taken family trips abroad which are amazing. This year my granddaughter 15 years old and her mom joined us in Germany which was amazing!!! #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
We always had a dream to do this so we worked hard to be it of debt so we could sell and get away. #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
Get married! (yeah really....... could be in ten years). #30seconds
— Jennifer F (@PeaceBirdyJ) October 11, 2018
Q: What is the next thing on your bucket list?
How do I choose? I would love to explore Africa, to see hippos and rhinos in the wild would be amazing. I want to travel to Nepal and Bhutan and definitely dive in the Galapagos.
I really want to find another volunteer option. My life feels like it is missing something when I am not giving back. As blessed as I am there is a huge obligation to do what I can to help others.
Next year I hope to do an archaeological dive, that would be an amazing experience. So, the bucket list never ends. In the USA I have a big yearning to explore the national parks in Utah.
I would love to do some of that but my husband is a definite no on camping and backpacking. I think I have him agreeing to Nepal though. Slow progress haha #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
Omgosh i bet you’ve had some amazing food. #30Seconds
— melinda (@justbeachy74) October 11, 2018
I am a vegetarian so I eat tons of pizza but I ALWAYS miss Mexican food especially guacamole. #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
Q: Do you have any advice for those of us trying to accomplish things on our bucket list?
Start with something easy to accomplish and something hard, that way you don’t feel like you are always reaching but never accomplishing. Then make a plan, a budget, a time frame, whatever it is that will help you make your bucket list item a reality.
Next, make decisions which lead you to your goals. If you need extra money, is there a way to earn extra by selling stuff or can you get a side gig? Can you give up some things in your daily life and just put that toward your bucket list?
If it is an experience, then seek out people who have had those experiences or who offer them and find out how they did or what you need to be able to do it? I think talking to people and telling them your goals and asking for help is a great thing!
Lastly, I highly recommend visualizing yourself accomplishing it. What does it feel like, look like, etc. Once you are able to see yourself accomplishing it the reality will help you achieve it.
Dang! I’ve been nowhere! If I could I’d go on an African safari and see lions 🦁 #30Seconds
— Mindy Sharp (@MsMin) October 11, 2018
You could make a documentary about how you did all this!! #30Seconds
— sherry bracy (@sherrybracy) October 11, 2018
Anytime you try you are automatically a success! #30seconds
— Sheri B Doyle (@sheribdoyle) October 11, 2018
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