Road Warrior
Today is a great day. I just started a new position at work that doesn’t require nearly as much travel and affords me a normal schedule with lots of time at home. This change was long overdue as my old position had ground me down and burned me out over the last four and a half years. I have some fond memories and met a whole bunch of wonderful people during all those work trips and miles up and down the road, and I’m so grateful to be gainfully employed in an interesting field that challenges my mind, but I’m ready to enjoy being home with my wife and dog and gym and routine.
Traveling all the time for work is tough, especially that first night in a random hotel room in an out of the way city that might as well be on the other side of the world. The first night of missing Cali and thinking about how my whole week was going to be spent wishing it was Friday so I could get back home was when I would start mentally beating myself up and questioning every choice I made that brought me to that moment in time. I’d start thinking about how life is fleeting and one day I’d be old and thinking about all those nights on the road and missing my loved ones. It would eat me up inside and ruin my sleep and mental state, which would, in turn, wreak havoc on my physical strength and health.
This new position might be boring as shit, but at least I’ll be home at night and not living with regret all the time. I’m excited for 2025 and the opportunities I’ll have to take my life back and make time for all those things I’ve been missing while away from home.